Category Archives: Prussian Royals

Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, Princess of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, Princess of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine was the third daughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, and Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine. She is often overlooked, as history tends to focus on two of her sisters – Ella and Alix – who both married into the Russian Imperial Family and tragically lost their lives at the hands of the Bolsheviks in 1918. Irene’s obscurity would likely be satisfying to the Princess, who much preferred living her life out of the spotlight. She was born Princess Irene Luise Maria Anna on July 11, 1866, at the New Palace in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany, and had six siblings:

Irene was just 12 years old in 1878 when her mother died, following an outbreak of diphtheria in the family which also took the life of her youngest sister, May. Much of the next years were spent, along with her sisters, under the supervision of their grandmother, Queen Victoria. The Queen had taken a particular interest in the children following Alice’s death, overseeing almost every aspect of their lives. Soon, following the marriages of her two elder sisters in 1884, Irene became the eldest daughter living at home and became her father’s companion and often served as hostess for his official events.

Wedding of Irene and Heinrich, 1888. photo: Wikipedia

On May 24, 1888, in the chapel of Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, Irene married her first cousin, Prince Heinrich of Prussia. He was the second son of Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia, and Victoria, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom. Like her own mother, Irene was a carrier of hemophilia and passed it to two of her sons. They were two of the nine descendants of Queen Victoria who suffered from the disease. Read more here — Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants.

The couple had three sons:

  • Waldemar (1889-1945) – married Princess Calixta of Lippe-Biesterfeld, no issue; a hemophiliac who died at age 56 in Tutzing, Bavaria, Germany  due to lack of blood transfusion facilities as the Russians and Americans advanced on Germany at the very end of World War II
  • Sigismund (1896-1978) – married Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg, had issue
  • Heinrich (1900-1904) – hemophiliac, died at age 4 from a brain hemorrhage due to a fall

Prince Henry with his wife, Princess Irene, and their two surviving sons Waldemar and Sigismund; Credit – Wikipedia

Irene and her husband gained the nickname “The Very Amiables” because of their quiet, unassuming manner. Perfectly happy to stay home and enjoy their family, they were the least royal of the Prussian royals of the time. Heinrich’s primary focus was his military career, and Irene’s was raising her family. In 1894, they bought Hemmelmark, an estate in Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Germany, as it was close to Heinrich’s military base in Kiel. Hemmelmark would become the family’s primary home, with occasional stays in Potsdam and Berlin when royal duty called.

The Hesse siblings with their spouses gathered in Darmstadt in 1903 for the wedding of Princess Alice of Battenberg. L-R: Ernie, Alix, Nicholas II, Irene, Heinrich, Ella, Serge, Victoria, and Louis

Irene remained very close to her siblings. Irene and her sister Victoria often traveled to Russia to visit their sisters Ella and Alix, and back to Darmstadt to visit their brother Ernie. The families gathered for vacations in Hesse, often staying at Schloss Wolfsgarten.

Irene and her sisters were separated during World War I, with the others being on opposite sides and, for the most part, unable to communicate with each other. It would not be until the end of the war that Irene learned of the murders of her sisters Ella and Alix, as well as Alix’s whole family. Meanwhile, in Prussia, her brother-in-law (and first cousin) Kaiser Wilhelm II, was forced to abdicate, ending the Prussian monarchy. While Wilhelm was banished from the country, Irene and Heinrich could remain and lived the remainder of their days at Hemmelmark.

In 1920, Irene met with Anna Anderson, who claimed to be her niece, Grand Duchess Anastasia. Although Irene held hope that one of her nieces had survived the family’s execution, she quickly found Anderson to be a fake. It was a subject that caused great stress to Irene, with her husband banning Anderson’s name from being brought up in his wife’s presence. Some years later, Irene’s son would pose some questions to Anderson about their childhood and found that Anderson answered them all to his satisfaction. Many years later, Anderson’s claim was proven false thanks to DNA evidence.

Following her husband’s death in 1929, Irene continued to live at Hemmelmark. More losses would come in the following years. Her brother Ernie died in 1937, followed just weeks later by the horrific plane crash that took the lives of Ernie’s widow, his elder son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons. Then, World War II broke out, once again separating Irene from her only remaining sibling, her sister Victoria.

Following the war, and her sister’s death in 1950, Irene spent her remaining years quietly, often in the company of her granddaughter Princess Barbara of Prussia. On November 11, 1953, Princess Irene passed away at Hemmelmark with Barbara by her side. She was buried beside her husband and youngest son in the chapel on the grounds of Hemmelmark.

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Prince Heinrich of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Heinrich of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Heinrich of Prussia (Albert Wilhelm Heinrich) was Grand Admiral of the German Imperial Navy, a brother of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and a grandson of Queen Victoria. Heinrich (Albert Wilhelm Heinrich) was born on August 14, 1862, at the Kronprinzenpalais (Crown Prince’s Palace) in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. He was the third of the eight children of Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia and Victoria, Princess Royal, the eldest child of Queen Victoria.

Heinrich had seven siblings:

Heinrich’s family; Credit – Wikipedia

As a baby Heinrich was fretful and as a toddler, he was unsteady on his legs, crying to be carried around, or just plain crying. When Heinrich was 3 1/2 years old, his mother sent him off to England to spend the winter with his grandmother Queen Victoria and sent this warning, “You do not know how much trouble we have had with Henry…He never spoke the truth, roared by hours together if the least thing was refused him…bit, kicked and scratched the maids if they did not instantly do what he chose…”

Five-year-old Heinrich started his lessons with Georg Hinzpeter, who was already the tutor of Heinrich’s elder brother Wilhelm. Hinzpeter complained that Heinrich was “very backward and slow.” When Heinrich was eleven years old, his mother wrote to Queen Victoria, ” Henry is so awfully backward in every thing…is hopelessly lazy, drole, and idle about his lessons – but such a good natured boy – everyone likes him…” Eventually, it was decided that the best thing for Heinrich was to put him in the navy.

In 1877, at the age of 15, Heinrich entered the German Imperial Navy.  His training included a two-year voyage around the world (1878 to 1880), the naval officer examination (Seeoffizierhauptprüfung) in October 1880, and attendance at the German Imperial Naval Academy (1884 to 1886).

Heinrich held various commands:

In 1899, Heinrich became Commander of the East Asia Squadron and in 1903, he returned to Germany as the Commander of the Baltic Sea Naval Station. From 1906 to 1909, Henry was Commander of the High Seas Fleet. He was promoted to Grand Admiral (Großadmiral) in 1909, the highest rank in the German Imperial Navy.

On May 24, 1888, Heinrich married his first cousin, Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine at the chapel in Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. Irene was the daughter of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria’s second eldest daughter. At the time of the wedding, Heinrich’s father and Irene’s uncle by marriage, Friedrich III, German Emperor (known as Fritz), was suffering from cancer of the larynx and would die in less than a month. To honor his son, Fritz wore one of his full-dress uniforms with the Hessian Order and the Order of the Garter Star, entered the chapel leaning heavily on a cane, and although pale and thin, looked quite dignified. He can be seen in the photo below next to his wife who is to the right of the minister. Among other guests were the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) who was the uncle of both the bride and groom, Grand Duke Serge Alexandrovich of Russia and his wife Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna (born Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine, sister of the bride), and Prince and Princess Louis of Battenberg (the princess was born Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, sister of the bride).

Wedding of Heinrich and Irene; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Unfortunately, Irene was a hemophilia carrier having inherited the gene from her mother Princess Alice who had inherited it from her mother Queen Victoria. Nine of Queen Victoria’s descendants were afflicted with hemophilia and two of them were Heinrich and Irene’s sons.
Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants

  • Prince Waldemar (1889 – 1945) married Princess Calixta of Lippe-Biesterfeld, no issue; a hemophiliac who died at age 56 in Tutzing, Bavaria, Germany due to lack of blood transfusion facilities as the Russians and Americans advanced on Germany at the very end of World War II
  • Prince Sigismund (1896 – 1978) married Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg, had one son and one daughter
  • Prince Heinrich (1900 – 1904), a hemophiliac, died at age 4 from a brain hemorrhage due to a fall

Prince Henry with his wife, Princess Irene, and their two surviving sons Waldemar and Sigismund; Credit – Wikipedia

At the beginning of World War I, Heinrich was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic Fleet. He was charged with preventing the Russian Navy from attacking the German coast and was successful. At the end of World War I, and with the abdication of his brother Wilhelm as German Emperor and King of Prussia, Heinrich left the navy.

 

After the dissolution of the German monarchies, Heinrich and his family lived at Hemmelmark, an estate in Eckernförde in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Heinrich had bought the estate in 1894 because it was near his residence in the naval port city of Kiel. He continued participating in motorsports and sailing and was successful in sailing regattas even in his old age. Heinrich popularized the Prinz-Heinrich-Mütze (“Prince Henry cap”), still worn by some sailors.

Hemmelmark; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Heinrich died of throat cancer at the age of 66, at his home Hemmelmark on April 20, 1929. He was buried in a Russian-style chapel surrounded by trees, built on a field at Hemmelmark. Princess Irene died in 1953 at the age of 87 and was interred with her husband.

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Charlotte of Prussia, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Charlotte of Prussia, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Charlotte of Prussia (Viktoria Elisabeth Auguste Charlotte) was the second child and eldest daughter of Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia and his wife Victoria, Princess Royal, the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. She was born at the Neues Palais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, on July 24, 1860, and was christened Viktoria Elisabeth Auguste Charlotte. Charlotte’s mother considered her the most difficult of all her children. As a toddler, Charlotte started to bite her nails and pull at her clothes and was forced to wear gloves or stand with her hands tied together. Charlotte also seemed to have learning difficulties. Her governess and tutors told her mother they had never had such difficulties as with Charlotte. Charlotte was a favorite of her paternal grandparents whose spoiling did not help the situation.

Charlotte had seven siblings:

Charlotte’s mother and siblings in 1900: Sophia, Victoria, Wilhelm, their mother Empress Frederick, Charlotte, Heinrich, and Margaret; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte wanted to leave home as quickly as possible. As a marriage offered her the only way out, Charlotte found herself a prince, her shy and well-educated second cousin Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meiningen. Because the prince was a suitable marriage candidate and their daughter caused much unrest at home, Charlotte’s parents agreed to the marriage. Charlotte and Bernhard were engaged in 1876 and married in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on February 18, 1878, when Charlotte was not quite 18.

Charlotte of Prussia with Bernhard of Saxe-Meiningen around the time of the engagement; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte and Bernhard had one child, the first great-grandchild of Queen Victoria:

Feodora circa 1900; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

After the birth of her only child, Charlotte neglected her daughter in favor of society life in Berlin which caused Feodora to be cared for by nannies and servants and her maternal grandmother. Feodora was a long-term houseguest at her grandmother’s home Friedrichshof. Her grandmother said of her, “She is really a good little child and far easier to manage than her Mama…The atmosphere of her home is not the best for a child her age.”

In 1891, Charlotte was involved in the Kotze Affair, a scandal in which several members of the aristocracy and members of the family of Wilhelm II, German Emperor were accused in anonymous letters of sexual debauchery.

In 1914, Charlotte’s husband became the last reigning Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. His reign was short as Bernhard was forced to abdicate on November 10, 1918, and spent the rest of his life in his former country as a private citizen.

Charlotte was a chain smoker and had suffered ill health her entire life. She died on October 1, 1919, at the age of 59, in Baden-Baden, Germany. She was buried at Schloss Altenstein, the summer residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Bad Liebenstein in the German state of Thuringia.

Burial site of Charlotte and her husband; Credit – Wikipedia

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Saxe-Meiningen Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, German Empress, Queen of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Hermine Reuss of Greiz, German Empress, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, the second wife of Wilhelm II, formerly German Emperor, was born on December 17, 1887, in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz, German Empire, now in Thuringia, Germany. She was the fifth of the sixth children of Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz and his wife Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe. Hermine had one brother and four sisters:

Hermine (on the left) and her sisters in 1903; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Hermine was not quite four years old when her mother died. Louise, Grand Duchess of Baden, the daughter of Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia raised Hermine.

On January 7, 1907, Hermine married Prince Johann Georg von Schoenaich-Carolath, who died in 1920 from tuberculosis. Hermine and Johann Georg had five children:

  • Prince Hans Georg von Schönaich-Carolath (1907 – 1943), married Baroness Sibylle von Zedlitz und Leipe, killed in action during World War II
  • Prince Georg Wilhelm von Schönaich-Carolath (1909 – 1927), died unmarried
  • Princess Hermine von Schönaich-Carolath (born 9 May 1910), married Hugo Herbert Hartung
  • Prince Ferdinand von Schönaich-Carolath (1913 –1973), married (1) Rose Rauch, married (2) Baroness Margret von Seckendorff
  • Princess Henriette von Schönaich-Carolath (1918 – 1972), married Prince Karl Franz of Prussia (grandson of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and only child of Prince Joachim of Prussia), had three children including Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia whose wife Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess of Russia is a claimant to the Headship of the Imperial Family of Russia

Hermine with her children in 1923; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

In January 1922, one of Hermine’s sons sent birthday wishes to Wilhelm II, formerly German Emperor, living in exile at Huis Doorn in Doorn, the Netherlands, who then invited the boy and his mother to Doorn. Wilhelm found Hermine very attractive and greatly enjoyed her company. Having both been recently widowed, the two had much in common. Wilhelm was determined to marry Hermine despite objections from his children. 63-year-old Wilhelm and 34-year-old Hermine married on November 5, 1922, in Doorn. Although Wilhelm had abdicated, he continued to use his royal styles and titles, and therefore Hermine was styled Her Imperial Majesty The German Empress, Queen of Prussia.

Wilhelm and Hermine in 1933 at Huis Doorn; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Hermine’s youngest child Princess Henriette came to live with Hermine and Wilhelm at Huis Doorn. Wilhelm stayed out of his stepchildren’s affairs, except for Henriette. He seemed to have a genuine affection for her, and she was known as “the general”. On August 6, 1940, at his residence at Doorn, Wilhelm officially announced the engagement of his stepdaughter Princess Henriette and his grandson Prince Karl Franz of Prussia, the only child of Wilhelm’s son Prince Joachim who had died by suicide in 1920. The couple married at Huis Doorn on October 5, 1940, had three children, and divorced in 1946.

Hermine with Wilhelm and her youngest daughter Henriette in Doorn in 1931; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Hermine returned to Germany after Wilhelm died in 1941. After World War II, Hermine was imprisoned for a while at Paulinenhof, a Soviet internment camp near Brandenburg, East Germany.  On August 7, 1947, at the age of 59, Hermine died suddenly of a heart attack in a small apartment in Frankfurt an der Oder in the Soviet Zone of Germany while under house arrest by the Red Army occupation forces. She was buried at the Temple of Antiquities in Potsdam, Germany where Wilhelm’s first wife, Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, and several other family members are buried.

Temple of Antiquities; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

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Friedrich III, German Emperor, King of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Kingdom of Prussia: The Protestant Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern ruled as Margraves of Brandenburg, Dukes of Prussia, Electors of Brandenburg, Kings of Prussia from 1415 until 1918. In November 1700, in exchange for supporting the Holy Roman Empire in the Spanish War of Succession, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor agreed to allow Friedrich III, Duke of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg to make Prussia a kingdom and become its first king. In the aftermath of World War I, Prussia had a revolution that resulted in the replacement of the monarchy with a republic. Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia abdicated on November 9, 1918.

The Kingdom of Prussia had territory that today is part of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and Switzerland. All or parts of the following states of today’s Germany were part of the Kingdom of Prussia: Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, and Schleswig-Holstein.

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Friedrich III, German Emperor, King of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich III, German Emperor, King of Prussia was born at the Neues Palais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on October 18, 1831. The elder of the two children of the future Wilhelm I, German Emperor, King of Prussia and Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, he was given the names Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl and was known in the family as Fritz.

Fritz had one sister:

Fritz’s father Wilhelm had been raised in the strict military traditions of the Hohenzollerns, the ruling house of Prussia. However, Fritz’s mother Augusta grew up in the more intellectual and artistic atmosphere of Saxe-Weimar where she received an excellent education with liberal views. Among the people, Augusta was exposed to during her childhood were the famous German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel, and artist Louise Seidler.  Because of their different views, Fritz’s parents did not have a happy marriage and this unhappiness affected their children.

Fritz, circa 1841; Credit – Wikipedia

Fritz received both a military and a classical education. In 1844, archaeologist and historian Ernst Curtius was appointed his private tutor, and Fritz studied history, geography, physics, music, and religion. He had a talent for foreign languages, studying Latin and becoming fluent in English and French. Fritz also studied the traditional Hohenzollern areas of fencing, riding, gymnastics, and practical craft skills such as carpentry, book printing, and bookbinding. Colonel Karl Georg Friedrich Johann von Unruh oversaw Fritz’s military education. Probably at his mother’s suggestion, Fritz interrupted his military training at the age of 18 to study history, politics, law, and public policy at the University of Bonn. His time at the University of Bonn helped solidify his liberal, reforming beliefs.

In 1851, Fritz and his family were invited to England by Queen Victoria to visit the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London which her husband Prince Albert was instrumental in organizing. On a visit to the Great Exhibition, Queen Victoria’s eldest child, ten-year-old Victoria, Princess Royal (called Vicky), was allowed to accompany the group as a companion to Fritz’s sister Louise. Despite being only ten years old, Vicky made an impression on Fritz, who was ten years older. Vicky’s father Prince Albert saw Fritz as a partner who shared his liberal political views. Fritz spent four weeks in England and was impressed by the British Royal Family. Unlike his own parents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were warm and loving toward each other and had a family life that was far different from the rigor and formality of the Prussian court. After Fritz returned to Prussia, he and Vicky began to write to each other regularly. In a letter to her uncle Leopold I, King of the Belgians, Queen Victoria expressed the hope that Fritz and Vicky would form a closer bond.

Four years later, in 1855, Fritz was invited back to England by Victoria and Albert for a visit to their Scottish home Balmoral. Both the British and Prussian royal families expected Fritz and Vicky would decide their future together. Fritz was second in line to the Prussian throne after his father, who was expected to succeed his childless brother. Even though the marriage would not be universally popular in either country, Vicky and Fritz agreed to marry each other. Their marriage would be one of the most romantic of royal marriages. Because Vicky was so young, her parents decreed that the wedding would have to wait until Vicky was 17 years old. Fritz and Vicky were married on Monday, January 25, 1858, in the Chapel Royal of St. James’ Palace in London, England, where the bride’s parents had been married.

Fritz and Vicky, circa 1858; Credit – Wikipedia

Vicky and Fritz had eight children:

Fritz and Vicky’s family; Credit – Wikipedia

Vicky had also received a liberal education and shared her husband’s views. Prince Albert and Queen Victoria ardently hoped that this marriage would make the ties between London and Berlin closer, and lead to a unified and liberal Germany. However, Vicky and Fritz were politically isolated and their liberal and Anglophile views clashed with the authoritarian ideas of the Minister-President of Prussia and later Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. Despite Fritz and Vicky’s efforts to educate their eldest son, the future German Emperor Wilhelm II, about the benefits of democracy, he favored his German tutors’ views of autocratic rule and became alienated from his parents.

On January 2, 1861, Fritz’s father became King of Prussia and Fritz became Crown Prince, a title he held for 27 years. King Wilhelm I continued with his conservative ideas and frequently clashed with his son Fritz who believed in an “essential liberal policy for internal and foreign affairs.” The appointment of Otto von Bismarck as Minister-President of Prussia made matters worse. Bismarck was an authoritarian who saw nothing wrong with ignoring or overruling the Landtag, the Prussian legislative body. On June 4, 1863, Fritz vehemently protested Bismarck’s restrictions on freedom of the press at a city hall reception in Danzig, making Bismarck his enemy and his father extremely angry. For the rest of his father’s reign, Fritz was excluded from any position of political power and relegated to representing his father at ceremonies, weddings, and celebrations, such as Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887.

Fritz as Crown Prince in 1874; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite his hatred of war and his belief that there should be bloodless “moral conquests,” Fritz served in the Second Schleswig War, the Austro-Prussian War, and the Franco-Prussian War. Once the wars had started, Fritz supported the Prussian military wholeheartedly and had command positions. Since he had no political influence, these were the only opportunities to prove himself. In 1871, following Prussia’s victories, the German states were united into the German Empire, with Fritz’s father Wilhelm I as the German Emperor (Kaiser) and Fritz as heir-apparent. Fritz sided with the empire’s liberals in their opposition to the expansion of the German Empire’s army and became involved in many public works projects, such as the establishment of schools and churches.

Fritz’s father’s proclamation as German Emperor in the Hall of Mirror at the Palace of Versailles, Fritz is standing behind his father on the steps; Credit – Wikipedia

The year 1888 is called “The Year of Three Emperors” in German history. Fritz’s father Wilhelm I died on March 9, 1888, and Fritz succeeded him as Friedrich III. However, Fritz was already gravely ill with cancer of the larynx and could no longer speak, but despite this, he did his best to fulfill his obligations as Emperor. In May 1888, Fritz lamented, “I cannot die … What would happen to Germany?” Fritz reigned for only 99 days, dying at the age of 56 on June 15, 1888, and was buried in the Kaiser Friedrich Mausoleum at the Friedenskirche in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany.

As for what happened to Germany, Fritz was succeeded by his impulsive and pompous son Wilhelm II, who brought the German Empire into World War I which eventually caused the collapse of all the German Empire’s constituent states. Wilhelm II was an ineffective war leader, who abdicated in November 1918 and fled to exile in the Netherlands.

Tomb of Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal; Credit – findagrave.com

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Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress, Queen of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Victoria, Princess Royal was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was born on November 21, 1840, at Buckingham Palace in London, England, nine months after her parents’ marriage. Her christening was held in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace on February 10, 1841, her parents’ first wedding anniversary, and she was given the names Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa. In the family, she was known as Vicky. Her godparents were:

Queen Victoria with her eldest daughter Victoria, Princess Royal circa 1845; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Albert with his eldest daughter Princess Victoria and Eos, his greyhound; Credit – Wikipedia

Vicky had eight siblings:

Royal Family in 1846 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter left to right: Prince Alfred and the Prince of Wales; the Queen and Prince Albert; Princesses Alice, Helena, and Victoria; Credit – Wikipedia

Shortly before her first birthday, Vicky was created Princess Royal, the fourth princess to be so styled. Vicky’s first governess was born Lady Sarah Spencer, daughter of George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer, and she married William Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton. Lady Lyttelton was widowed in 1837 and shortly afterward she was appointed a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria. Lyttelton earned the respect of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and, in April 1843, she was appointed governess to the royal children, who continued to call her Laddle, even when they were adults. Vicky started learning French with a French tutor when she was 18 months old and then began learning German at age three. Vicky’s second governess was Sarah Anne Hildyard, a dedicated and skillful teacher who developed a close relationship with her student. Miss Hildyard, called Tilla, was the daughter of a clergyman and taught Vicky science, literature, Latin, and history. Prince Albert tutored his daughter in politics and philosophy. Vicky’s governesses and tutors were impressed with her intelligence.

In 1851, Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (the future King of Prussia and German Emperor) and his wife Augusta were invited to England by Queen Victoria to visit the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park in London, England, which her husband Prince Albert was instrumental in organizing. Wilhelm and Augusta brought their two children, 20-year-old Friedrich and 13-year-old Louise. On a visit to the Great Exhibition, ten-year-old Vicky was allowed to accompany the group as a companion to Louise. Despite being only ten years old, Vicky made an impression on Friedrich (Fritz), who was ten years older.

Four years later, in 1855, Fritz was invited back to England by Victoria and Albert for a visit to their Scottish home Balmoral. The British and Prussian royal families expected  Fritz and Vicky to decide their future together. Fritz was second in line to the Prussian throne after his father, who was expected to succeed his childless brother. Although the marriage would not be universally popular in either country, Vicky and Fritz agreed to marry each other. Their marriage would be one of the most romantic of royal marriages. Because Vicky was so young, her parents decreed that the wedding would have to wait until Vicky was 17 years old.

Wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal and Prince Friedrich of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

It was and still is, customary for the wedding to be in the bride’s home territory but Vicky was marrying a future monarch and the wedding was therefore expected to be in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia.  However, Queen Victoria had other ideas: “The assumption of it being too much for a Prince Royal of Prussia to come over to marry the Princess Royal of Great Britain in England is too absurd, to say the least…Whatever may be the usual practice of Prussian Princes, it is not every day that one marries the eldest daughter of the Queen of England.  The question must therefore be considered as settled and closed…”  Queen Victoria got her way and the wedding was scheduled for Monday, January 25, 1858, in the Chapel Royal of St. James’ Palace in London, England, where the bride’s parents had been married.

Eighteen carriages and 300 soldiers were in the procession for the short ride from Buckingham Palace to St. James’ Palace. Queen Victoria and Vicky were in the very last carriage. They were met at St. James’ Palace by Prince Albert and King Leopold I of the Belgians, the uncle of both Victoria and Albert. Vicky’s four brothers were in Highland dress and the elder two (Bertie and Alfred) preceded the Queen down the aisle. Vicky’s two younger brothers (Arthur and Leopold) accompanied their mother down the aisle followed by three of Vicky’s four sisters (Alice, Helena, and Louise), were dressed in white lace over pink satin. Beatrice, Vicky’s youngest sibling, was left back at Buckingham Palace as she was not even a year old. Next came Fritz, wearing a dark blue tunic and white trousers, the uniform of the Prussian First Infantry Regiment of the Guard, accompanied by his father and his uncle Prince Albrecht. Finally, Vicky came down the aisle escorted by her father Prince Albert and her great-uncle King Leopold I of the Belgians.

John Sumner, Archbishop of Canterbury, conducted the service and he was so nervous that he left out several parts of the service. However, Queen Victoria was pleased that both “Vicky and Fritz spoke plainly,” as she wrote in her journal. The service was concluded with George Friedrich Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. Vicky and Fritz led the recessional to The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn, the first time it was used in a wedding. Thereafter, it became a popular wedding recessional. The music is from a suite of incidental music to Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Queen Victoria loved Mendelssohn’s music and the composer often played for her when he visited Great Britain.

Vicky and Fritz led the carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace where they appeared on the balcony with and without their parents. After a wedding breakfast, the newly married couple left by train for a two-day honeymoon at Windsor Castle. Upon arrival at Windsor, Vicky and Fritz were met by fireworks, cannons, an honor guard, and cheering crowds. Schoolboys from nearby Eton pulled their carriage from the train station up the hill to Windsor Castle.

Vicky and Fritz on January 29, 1858; Credit – Wikipedia

Vicky and Fritz had eight children:

Vicky and Fritz’s family; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Albert and Queen Victoria ardently hoped that this marriage would make the ties between London and Berlin closer, and lead to a unified and liberal Germany. However, Vicky and Fritz were politically isolated and their liberal and Anglophile views clashed with the authoritarian ideas of the Minister-President of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck.  Despite their efforts to educate their eldest son Wilhelm about the benefits of democracy, he favored his German tutors’ views of autocratic rule and became alienated from his parents.

NPG Ax132839; Frederick III, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia; Victoria, Empress of Germany and Queen of Prussia by Hills & Saunders

Frederick III, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia; Victoria, Empress of Germany and Queen of Prussia by Hills & Saunders, albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1870, NPG Ax132839 © National Portrait Gallery, London

The year 1888 is called “The Year of Three Emperors” in German history. Fritz’s father Wilhelm I died on March 9, 1888, and Fritz succeeded him as Friedrich III. However, Fritz was already gravely ill with cancer of the larynx and lived only three months more, dying at the age of 56 on June 15, 1888, when his son Wilhelm succeeded to the throne. After her husband’s death, Vicky lived at Schloss Friedrichshof, a castle she built in memory of her husband near Kronberg, close to Frankfurt, Germany. Today the castle is a five-star hotel. Vicky remained close to her British relatives and regularly corresponded with her mother. 3,777 letters from Queen Victoria to Vicky and more than 4,000 from Vicky to mother have been cataloged.

1894: At Palais Edinburgh in Coburg. Back row: left to right: Vicky’s brother, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught; Vicky’s brother, Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha; Vicky’s son, Wilhelm II, German Emperor; Vicky’s brother, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Front row: left to right: – Queen Victoria;  Vicky

In 1899, while visiting her mother at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Vicky was diagnosed with breast cancer. By 1900, cancer had spread to her spine and she suffered a great deal during the last months of her life. When Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901, Vicky was too ill to go to England. She died less than seven months later on August 5, 1901, at the age of 60. Vicky was buried in the royal mausoleum of the Friedenskirche in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany next to her beloved husband Fritz. Their two sons who died in childhood are buried in the same mausoleum.

Tomb of Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal; Credit – findagrave.com

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Recommended Books

  • An Uncommon Woman – Hannah Pakula
  • Beloved and Darling Child – edited by Agatha Ramm (letters of Queen Victoria and her daughter Victoria)
  • Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz: The Tragic Love Story of Queen Victoria’s Eldest Daughter and the German Emperor – John Van der Kiste

Queen Victoria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wilhelm, German Crown Prince, Crown Prince of Prussia

by Emily McMahon  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Wilhelm, German Crown Prince, Crown Prince of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

The last German Crown Prince and Crown Prince of Prussia was born at the Marmorpalais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, on May 6, 1882, a little over a year after the wedding of his parents, the future Wilhelm II, German Emperor and the former Augusta Victoria (Dona) of Schleswig-Holstein.  Christened Friedrich Wilhelm Victor August Ernst but known as Wilhelm, he was born during the reign of his great-grandfather Wilhelm I.

Wilhelm had five brothers and one sister:

Family of Wilhelm I, German Emperor; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

It was expected that Wilhelm would be called Fritz as it was a common nickname of Friedrich, also the name of both of his grandfathers. The fact that he was called Wilhelm instead did not go unnoticed by his maternal grandmother Empress Friedrich (born Victoria, Princess Royal) and his great-grandmother Queen Victoria.  During his childhood, Wilhelm and his siblings were kept from Empress Friedrich, as both his parents disliked her.

Wilhelm attended school in Plön and later the University of Bonn. During his teen years and young adulthood, he gained a reputation as a ladies’ man and would carry on many notable affairs during his lifetime. Wilhelm’s father looked on his son’s promiscuity with strong dislike, at one point more or less banishing young Wilhelm to Danzig to ease the gossip at court. Among Wilhelm’s alleged mistresses were American opera singer Geraldine Farrar and Mata Hari, a dancer and World War I spy.

Wilhelm in 1901; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm spent his time in Danzig playing tennis and having affairs with various women. He also developed an interest in football (soccer), a new sport in Europe. As he became bored at Danzig, Wilhelm began to speak out publicly against his father’s political acumen (or lack thereof). This did not improve the relationship between father and son.

Wilhelm and Cecilie’s engagement photo; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm married Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, daughter of Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, on June 6,  1905, in Berlin. The couple had met at the wedding of Cecilie’s brother the previous year. Cecilie had been selected for Wilhelm by his father due to her close associations with Russia through her mother and because of her noted beauty. Although he did initially take an interest in his wife, Wilhelm soon resumed his affairs with other women.

Wilhelm and Cecilie had six children:

Wilhelm with his wife and children, circa 1925; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Alexandrine had Down’s Syndrome, but unlike most disabled royal children of the time, she was not separated from the family nor was her education neglected. Alexandrine appeared in most family photographs and attended a special school for girls with learning difficulties.

Despite his place in the German militaristic culture, Wilhelm had little interest in the military. He was named commander of the 5th Army at the outbreak of World War I in the summer of 1914, a post he held for two years. He was also the commander of the Army Group German Crown Prince until the end of the war. For the most part, Wilhelm remained under the tutelage of more experienced military commanders during his tenure.

Wilhelm went into exile in the Netherlands following the ending of the monarchy in 1918. Wilhelm and Cecilie returned to Germany five years later, after promising to remain out of politics. The family was able to retain much of its wealth and even some former residences, allowing them to live a comfortable life in Germany. By this time Wilhelm and Cecilie had separated but did maintain friendly relations and reunited during family events.

Wilhelm did not entirely remain out of politics despite his promise, as he met with and supported Adolf Hitler in his early days of power. He also joined Stahlhelm, a German paramilitary organization, and considered running for President of Germany until he was discouraged by many people. Following the Night of the Long Knives in which many political figures were murdered, Wilhelm stayed out of politics permanently.

Wilhelm became head of the House of Hohenzollern in 1941, upon the death of his father. He did not support Hitler’s activities after 1934 and lived a quiet life. After Cecilienhof, the family home, was seized by the Soviets following World War II, Wilhelm moved to a small house in Hechingen, Germany. He died of a heart attack there on July 20, 1951, at the age of 69. Wilhelm is buried with his wife at Hohenzollern Castle in Bisingen, Zollernalbkreis, Germany.

Wilhelm and Cecilie’s graves; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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Prince Waldemar of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince Waldemar of Prussia, painted by Heinrich von Angeli; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Waldemar of Prussia (Joachim Friedrich Ernst Waldemar) was born at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, on February 10, 1868, the sixth child of the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia.  His parents, known as Fritz and Vicky, were the future Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal who was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.  Waldemar’s birth came 20 months after the tragic death of his 21-month-old brother Sigismund from meningitis and on the 28th wedding anniversary of his maternal grandparents, Queen Victoria and the deceased Prince Albert.  Vicky was overjoyed with her new son and wrote to Fritz, “All the pain of labour is nothing compared to the happiness of having such a dear little creature to hold & to nurse oneself.”

Waldemar_Vicky

Waldemar and his mother; Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

Waldemar quickly took the place of Vicky’s favorite son previously held by his deceased brother Sigismund.  Vicky hoped Waldemar would be everything that his elder brothers Wilhelm and Heinrich were not.  She wrote to her mother, “He is such a dear child & although rather more spirited than is easy to manage, he is so trustworthy and honest…”

waldemar with sisters

Waldemar with his sisters the year before his death; Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

Waldemar had seven siblings:

Vicky_family

Prince Waldemar with his parents and four of his siblings: Charlotte, holding her father’s arm; Fritz holding Margaret in his arms; Victoria, seated, holding  a hat on her lap; Vicky, her arms around Sophie; and Waldemar, standing in sailor suit; Photo Credit – www.royalcollection.org

Waldemar reminded his grandmother, Queen Victoria, of her late husband Prince Albert because of Waldemar’s love of animals and interest in science.  He loved visiting his grandmother at her home Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.  Waldemar collected rocks, minerals, and other specimens that his mother carefully labeled and then placed in the museum in the Swiss Cottage where she had played and learned to cook as a child.

During one visit, Waldemar gave his grandmother quite a scare.  Queen Victoria was working on some papers in her room and when she looked up she saw a small crocodile staring at her.  Naturally, she screamed and all within hearing came running.  Waldemar had let Bob, his pet crocodile, out of his box.  In fits of laughter, Waldemar retrieved his crocodile, and order was restored.

Prince Waldemar at the age of five; Credit – Wikipedia

In February 1879, Waldemar celebrated his 11th birthday.  A month later, while Fritz and Vicky were watching the children rehearse a pantomime show, Waldemar complained of a sore throat. Unfortunately, Waldemar had come down with diphtheria.  Four months previously, Vicky’s sister Alice and Alice’s youngest child May had died of the same disease. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection affecting the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Diphtheria typically causes a sore throat, fever, swollen glands, and weakness, but the determining sign is a thick, gray membrane covering the back of the throat. The membrane can block the windpipe so that the patient has to struggle for breath. Today, diphtheria is extremely rare in developed countries thanks to widespread vaccination against the disease.  However, before the advent of modern medicine, diphtheria could be epidemic and it often killed its victims.

Vicky took all the precautions known at that time to avoid spreading the disease.  She washed Waldemar with hot vinegar and water, changed his sheets and clothes, and put them in a pail of carbolic acid.  While tending him, Vicky covered her own clothing and sprayed herself with carbolic acid after she left Waldemar’s room.  He seemed to be improving, but on March 26, 1879, at around 9 PM, the doctors summoned Vicky to Waldemar’s room.  His breathing had worsened, and he died shortly after midnight.

Waldemar was buried with one of Vicky’s nightgowns covering him and one of Fritz’s handkerchiefs over his face.  A private funeral service was held at the Neues Palais attended by the household staff, Waldemar’s teachers, and the parents of his friends.  Vicky did not attend the official funeral the next day.  Waldemar was buried near his brother Sigismund at the Friedenskirche (Church of Peace) in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany.  The remains of both boys were later transferred to the Kaiser Friedrich Mausoleum at the Friedenskirche where Fritz and Vicky were buried. German sculptor Reinhold Begas was commissioned to make their marble tombs.

Vicky wrote of her son to Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, “Ours is indeed a grief which must last a lifetime.  We can hardly realise yet that we have lost the darling boy who was our pride and delight, who seemed to grow daily in health and strength, in intelligence and vigour of character.  We had fondly hoped he would grow up to be on use to his country, and his family – we had planned and dreamt of a bright and useful future for him…He is missed every hour of the day, and the House has lost half its life.”

Tomb of Prince Waldemar of Prussia; Credit – http://www.findagrave.com

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Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, German Empress, Queen of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Credit – Wikipedia

The first wife of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg was born on October 22, 1858, in Dolzig Palace in Sommerfeld, Prussia (now Lubsko, Poland).  A great-niece of Queen Victoria, a niece of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, the husband of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Helena, and a descendant of Danish and British kings, Augusta Victoria was the last German Empress and Queen of Prussia.  Her full German name was Auguste Viktoria Friederike Luise Feodora Jenny, but in her family, she was known as Dona.  Her father was Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, a great-grandson of King Christian VII of Denmark, and his wife Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales, sister of King George III of Great Britain.  Her mother was Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the daughter of Queen Victoria’s half-sister, Princess Feodora of Leiningen.

Dona was the eldest surviving child of her parents’ seven children and grew up with her four surviving siblings.  Because of the Schleswig-Holstein Question, the family had lived in several places: Dona’s birthplace Dolzig Palace in Sommerfeld, Prussia (now Lubsko, Poland), in Gotha which was one of the two capitals of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and in Primkenau, formerly in Germany but now in Poland. (I am not attempting to explain the Schleswig-Holstein Question, referring readers to the Wikipedia link above and quoting British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston: “The Schleswig-Holstein question is so complicated, only three men in Europe have ever understood it. One was Prince Albert, who is dead. The second was a German professor who became mad. I am the third and I have forgotten all about it.”)

In 1868 when she was ten years old, Dona first met Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, who was only a few months younger than her and was the eldest child of the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia (the future Friedrich III, German Emperor and his wife Victoria, Princess Royal).  In the years that followed, Dona fell in love with her cousin Prince Ernst of Saxe-Meiningen and was sent to England to visit relatives to quash the romance. Wilhelm had proposed to his first cousin Princess Elisabeth (Ella) of Hesse and by Rhine. Ella, however, turned him down and later would marry into the Russian Imperial Family and be murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Dona and Wilhelm were reacquainted in the summer of 1878 in Potsdam, Prussia.  The Prussians did not look favorably upon Dona as a possible wife for Wilhelm.  There were questions about whether the marriage would be equal because Dona’s father was not a sovereign. Furthermore, there were political complications from the Prussian annexation of Schleswig-Holstein when Dona’s father had claimed them.  However, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck was a strong proponent of the marriage because he believed it would end the dispute between the Prussian government and Dona’s father.  The engagement was announced on June 2, 1880, and the couple married on February 27, 1881, in Berlin.  Dona and Wilhelm had a very happy marriage.  Wilhelm was a man who needed to be pampered and since Dona adored him, she had no trouble pampering him.  She had more artistic interests than he did, but they shared very conservative political views and a deep religious faith. Dona had to endure a rough start to her married life because of her in-laws who did not think her rank was sufficient for the wife of a future emperor.

Dona and Wilhelm, Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The couple had seven children, six sons and one daughter:

The year 1888 is called “The Year of Three Emperors” in German history.  Wilhelm’s grandfather Wilhelm I died on March 9, 1888, and was succeeded by Wilhelm’s father Frederick III.  Frederick was already gravely ill with cancer of the larynx and lived only three months more, dying on June 15, 1888, when Wilhelm succeeded to the throne.

When Dona became Empress (Kaiserin in German), she took up and enjoyed the traditional roles of a consort, serving as a hostess and working with charities.  It even seemed that her relationship with her mother-in-law improved although Dona carefully guarded their grandmother’s liberalism from her children.  Dona was with her mother-in-law when she died of cancer of the spine in 1901 and thereafter, there was no question who was the first lady in Germany.  After Wilhelm became German Emperor, he especially needed Dona due to his notorious stress and erratic personality.  Unlike any other person, she had a calming and comforting effect on him.  However, Dona’s attention to her husband meant that she often neglected to take care of herself.  The German people adored Dona even more than her husband.  World War I put a terrible strain on Dona because of the strain it put on Wilhelm.  Nevertheless, Dona did all she could to give aid and comfort to her family and the German people.

Augusta Viktoria in 1920; Credit – Wikipedia

Dona’s health had started to fail even before Wilhelm lost his throne in the aftermath of World War I. In 1918, Dona and Wilhelm went into exile in the Netherlands eventually settling at Huis Doorn, a small manor house near Doorn in the province of Utrecht.  In July 1920, Viktoria Luise, Dona’s daughter, visited her parents at Huis Doorn where she received a report from her mother’s doctor saying that two days previously her mother “suffered a heart spasm.”  Several days later, Joachim, Dona and Wilhelm’s youngest son, died by suicide.  According to Viktoria Luise’s autobiography The Kaiser’s Daughter, the family feared for Dona’s health and decided to tell her that Joachim’s death was due to an accident.  Dona never got over her son’s death. In November of 1920, Dona’s condition worsened.  She died on April 11, 1921.  Viktoria Luise writes in her autobiography about how she learned of her mother’s death.  She was traveling to Doorn to visit her parents…”I had to stop over in Nuremberg and there I happened to glance at an advertising pillar where a crowd of passerby was gathered.  Instinctively, my gaze fastened on the posters and I was startled to see an “extra” which proclaimed the news of the death of the Kaiserin.”

Dona had wanted to be buried in Germany, but this meant that Wilhelm would never be able to visit her grave as he was exiled.  The German government agreed to the burial but insisted that the special train that carried Dona’s coffin only travel at night and that there should be no announcement of the arrangements.  Dona’s sons Adalbert and Oskar accompanied her remains back to Germany while Viktoria Luise remained at Doorn to comfort her father.  Dona was still popular with the German people and even though there were no announcements about the arrangements, the 600-kilometer route through Germany was lined with people.  Viktoria Luise writes: “…thousands upon thousands lined the railway tracks, which were leading their revered Princess home. Every time the train stopped, hundreds and thousands of people in their mourning clothes, waited to say farewell.  Church choirs sang, and bands played the music of hymns.  And along the countryside, waiting by railway embankments, farmers’ wives sank to their knees and prayed.”

Temple of Antiquities; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The train reached Potsdam where Dona was buried at the Temple of Antiquity, built by Frederick the Great to house his collection of antique artifacts, coins, and antique gems.  More than 200,000 people lined the route of the funeral cortege.  Wilhelm remarried and survived Dona by 20 years.  When he died in 1941, he was buried in a mausoleum on the grounds of Huis Doorn.

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Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich II, King of Prussia (the Great)

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Kingdom of Prussia: The Protestant Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern ruled as Margraves of Brandenburg, Dukes of Prussia, Electors of Brandenburg, Kings of Prussia from 1415 until 1918. In November 1700, in exchange for supporting the Holy Roman Empire in the Spanish War of Succession, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor agreed to allow Friedrich III, Duke of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg to make Prussia a kingdom and become its first king. In the aftermath of World War I, Prussia had a revolution that resulted in the replacement of the monarchy with a republic. Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia abdicated on November 9, 1918.

The Kingdom of Prussia had territory that today is part of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and Switzerland. All or parts of the following states of today’s Germany were part of the Kingdom of Prussia: Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, and Schleswig-Holstein.

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Friedrich II, King of Prussia (the Great) – Credit: Wikipedia

King Friedrich II of Prussia, best known as Frederick the Great, was born January 24, 1712, at the Berlin City Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, the eldest surviving son and the fourth of the fourteen children of Friedrich Wilhelm I, King in Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, daughter of King George I of Great Britain.

Friedrich had thirteen siblings:

Friedrich with his brothers; Credit – Wikipedia

As Crown Prince, Friedrich had a very distant and tense relationship with his father, whose interests varied greatly from the young prince. While his father was interested in all things military, Friedrich’s interests were in the arts, particularly music. However, he enjoyed a very close relationship with his mother. At the age of 18, he attempted to flee Prussia for England but was captured and jailed. His close friend was implicated in the affair and the King had him executed while forcing Friedrich to watch. This would further alienate the father from his son for the rest of his life.

Friedrich’s marriage to Elisabeth Christine; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 12, 1733, Friedrich married Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, but they spent most of their lives separated, seeing each other only a handful of times after he became King. They had no children, and upon becoming King in 1740, Friedrich named his brother Augustus as Crown Prince.  Augustus predeceased Friedrich so his son succeeded as King Friedrich Wilhelm II.

Friedrich became King in Prussia in 1740 upon the death of his father Friedrich II. Aside from his promotion of the arts, Friedrich proved himself a skilled military commander and is attributed with great advancements in his kingdom. Through several battles and wars, he united the various parts of his kingdom, taking the title King of Prussia in 1772.

The death of Friedrich; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich II died quietly in his study at Sanssouci in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany on August 17, 1786, at the age of 74. He was succeeded by his nephew King Friedrich Wilhelm II. He left strict instructions that he wished to be buried on the grounds of Sanssouci with little fuss or fanfare. However, his nephew had him buried in the Garrison Church in Potsdam with his father. During World War II, his remains were removed and hidden and were later found by American Forces and reburied at St Elisabeth’s Church in Marburg. In 1953, his remains were moved to Hohenzollern Castle where they remained until 1991. Finally, on the 205th anniversary of his death, Fredrick the Great’s wishes were granted. His casket lay in state in the court of honor at Sanssouci with a guard of honor. Late that night, he was laid to rest in the plot he had designated before his death – on the terrace overlooking the vineyards at Sanssouci – near the graves of his beloved dogs.

Grave of Frederick the Great. Photo: Wikipedia

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Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty