Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz (Older Line), the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera (Younger Line), the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on October 20, 1789, in Schleiz, then in the County of Reuss-Schleiz, later in the Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany, Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera was the fourth of the eight children and the third but second surviving of the six sons of Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera and Princess Caroline of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg.

Heinrich LXVII had seven siblings but only two survived childhood:

  • Princess Philippine Reuss of Gera (1781 – 1866), unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LVIII Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1782), died in infancy
  • Countess Ferdinande Reuss of Schleiz (1784 – 1785), died in infancy
  • Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera (1785 – 1854), his father’s successor, unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LXV Reuss of Schleiz (1788 – 1790), died in early childhood
  • Count Heinrich LXVIII Reuss of Schleiz (1791 – 1792), died in infancy
  • Count Heinrich LXXI Reuss of Schleiz (1793 – 1794), died in infancy

Heinrich LXVII had a career in the Prussian Army which he joined on February 28, 1805, as a lieutenant. From 1806 – 1809, he took a break from the Prussian Army while he studied in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony. In 1814, Heinrich LXVII fought in the Napoleonic Wars in Central Europe. He was promoted to Major in 1818.  In 1836, he retired from active duty and was taken into the officers à la suite, princes and generals who were given a special honor. As an officer à la suite, Heinrich LXVII received the ranks of colonel, major general, lieutenant general, and general of the cavalry over the years and was entitled to wear a regimental uniform but otherwise had no official position.

On April 18, 1820, Heinrich LXVII married Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf (1800 – 1880), the younger daughter of Heinrich LI, Prince Reuss of Ebersdorf and Countess Luise of Hoym.

Heinrich LXVII and Adelheid had eight children but only two survived childhood:

  • Prince Heinrich V Reuss of Gera (1821 – 1834), died in childhood
  • Princess Anna Reuss of Gera (1822 – 1902), married Prince Adolf of Bentheim-Tecklenburg (link in German), had four sons and three daughters
  • Princess Elisabeth Reuss of Gera (1824 – 1833), died in childhood
  • Prince Heinrich VII Reuss of Gera (1827 – 1828), died in infancy
  • Prince Heinrich XI Reuss of Gera (1828 – 1830), died in childhood
  • Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera (1832 – 1913), married Duchess Agnes of Württemberg, had one son and one daughter
  • Prince Heinrich XVI Reuss of Gera (1835 – 1836), died in infancy
  • Princess Marie Reuss of Gera (1837 – 1840), died in childhood

Upon the death of his unmarried brother Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera on June 19, 1854, Heinrich LXVII became the 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera. His reign was reactionary to the failed German Revolutions of 1848 which had demonstrated discontent with the traditional, autocratic political structure of the thirty-nine independent states of the German Confederation. Under Heinrich LXII’s government, his minister Eduard Heinrich von Geldern-Crispendorf (link in German) implemented a reactionary amendment to the constitution that limited the legislature’s power. During the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Heinrich LXVII, as ruler of the Principality of Reuss-Gera, remained neutral but voluntarily agreed on June 26, 1866, that his principality would join the Prussian-led North German Confederation.

Schloss Osterstein; Credit – https://gera.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=50024

In 1848, the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Gera had moved from Schleiz to Gera. From 1859 to 1863, Heinrich LXVII oversaw the renovation of Schloss Osterstein (link in German) in Gera. In 1908, the wedding of Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and Princess Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz took place at Schloss Osterstein. After the end of the monarchies of the German Empire in 1918, the Reuss-Gera family used Schloss Osterstein as their residence until 1945. On April 6, 1945, Schloss Osterstein was destroyed during the bombing by the American Air Force. The ruins were demolished on December 9, 1962. Today, only the former castle keep from the 12th century, the 1857 Wolf Bridge leading to the castle, remains of farm buildings and the courtyard are all that remains of the original structure.

Castle Keep of Schloss Osterstein; Credit – Von Steffen Löwe – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4933602

Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera died on July 11, 1867, aged 78, at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was buried at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany. His wife Adelheid survived him by thirteen years, dying on July 25, 1880, aged 80. She was buried with her husband.

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Works Cited

  • Bg.wikipedia.org. 2020. Хайнрих LXVII (Ройс Млада Линия). [online] Available at: <https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A5%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%85_LXVII_(%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81_%D0%BC%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0_%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F)> [Accessed 19 March 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXVII. (Reuß Jüngere Linie). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_LXVII._(Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngere_Linie)> [Accessed 19 March 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Schloss Osterstein (Gera). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Osterstein_(Gera)> [Accessed 19 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_LXVII,_Prince_Reuss_Younger_Line> [Accessed 19 March 2020].