Princess Herzeleide of Prussia

Princess Biron von Courland
Princess Herzeleide
Princess Biron von Courland
Born(1918-12-25)25 December 1918
Bristow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Weimar Republic
Died22 March 1989(1989-03-22) (aged 70)
Munich, West Germany
Burial27 March 1989
Nordfriedhof, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
SpouseKarl, Prince Biron von Courland
IssuePrincess Benigna
Ernst-Johann Biron, Prince of Courland
Prince Michael
Names
German: Herzeleide-Ina-Marie Sophie Charlotte Else
HouseHohenzollern
FatherPrince Oskar of Prussia
MotherCountess Ina Marie von Bassewitz
Prussian Royalty
House of Hohenzollern
Wilhelm II
Grandchildren
Prince Wilhelm
Prince Louis Ferdinand
Prince Hubertus
Prince Frederick
Prince Alexander Ferdinand
Princess Alexandrine
Prince Oskar
Princess Victoria Marina
Prince Karl Franz
Prince Burchard
Princess Cecilie
Princess Victoria Marina
Herzeleide, Princess of Courland
Prince Wilhem Victor
Prince Wilhelm-Karl
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Princess Herzeleide-Ina-Marie Sophie Charlotte Else of Prussia (25 December 1918 – 22 March 1989) was a member of the deposed House of Hohenzollern. She was the only daughter of Prince Oskar of Prussia (the second youngest son of Emperor Wilhelm II) and his initially morganatic wife, Countess Ina Marie von Bassewitz. She is the mother of Ernst-Johann Biron, Prince of Courland, the current head of the House of Biron.

Biography

Family and early life

Princess Herzeleide with her parents and brothers, c. 1925.

Countess Herzeleide-Ina-Marie von Ruppin was born in Bristow, Mecklenburg, on 25 December 1918,[1] shortly after the defeat of the German Empire and the collapse of the monarchy. She was consequently given the name Herzeleide, meaning "heart's sorrow".[2] She had three brothers: Oscar, Burchard, and Wilhelm-Karl. Herzeleide and her brothers became Princess/Prince of Prussia on 21 June 1920 when their parents' morganatic marriage was recognised as dynastic by the deposed Emperor Wilhelm II.

In early 1938, Herzeleide was one of three bridesmaids at the wedding of the future King Paul of Greece to Frederica of Hanover, her first cousin.[3]

Marriage and issue

On 15 August 1938 in Potsdam Garrison Church, Herzeleide married Prince Karl Biron von Courland (born 15 June 1907).[2][4] Karl was the eldest son and heir of Prince Gustav Biron of Courland and Françoise Lévisse de Montigny, daughter of Marquis de Jaucourt. He was direct descendant of Ernst Johann von Biron who obtained sovereignty of the Baltic Duchy of Courland and Semigallia in the 18th century. Along with the bride and groom's parents, in attendance were former German Crown Prince Wilhelm and Emperor Wilhelm's consort, Empress Hermine.[2] All male guests wore uniforms of the former German army.[4] The couple's honeymoon plans included a visit to Doorn to pay respects to Emperor Wilhelm in exile,[2][4] the bride's paternal grandfather. Subsequently they took up residence in Munich.[5]

They had three children:[5]

  • Princess Viktoria-Benigna Ina-Marie Cecilie Friederike-Luise Helene Biron von Courland (b. 2 July 1939) married Johannes, Baron von Twickel on 3 May 1968, and had issue:
    • Nikolaus Maximilian Ludwig Karl Ernst-Johann Maria von Twickel (Nikolaus, Baron von Twickel) married to Georgia Marianne Fischer, and has issue:
      • Constantin Philipp Ludwig Friedrich von Twickel
      • Benedikta Elisabeth Ann Lucia von Twickel
      • Georg von Twickel
      • Kirryl von Twickel
    • Tassilo Heinrich Alexander von Twickel (Tassilo, Baron von Twickel) married to Janine Schniewind, and has issue:
      • Antonius von Twickel
      • Matilda Valentina Helga Benigna von Twickel
  • Ernst-Johann, Prince Biron von Courland (b. 6 August 1940) married to Countess Elisabeth Victoria Raimonda of Isenburg-Philippseich, and has issue.
  • Prince Michael Karl August Wilhelm Biron von Courland (b. 20 January 1944) married to Kristin von Oertzen on 1 July 1969, and has issue:
    • Princess Veronika Biron von Courland (b. 23 Jan 1970)
    • Prince Alexander Biron von Courland (b. 18 Sep 1972)
    • Princess Stephanie Biron von Courland (b. 24 Sep 1975)

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Herzeleide of Prussia
8. Frederick III, German Emperor
4. Wilhelm II, German Emperor
9. Victoria, Princess Royal
2. Prince Oskar of Prussia
10. Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
5. Princess Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
11. Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
1. Princess Herzeleide of Prussia
12. Count Karl August Louis von Bassewitz
6. Count Karl von Bassewitz-Levetzow
13. Ina von Bülow
3. Countess Ina Marie von Bassewitz
14. Count Werner Ludwig von der Schulenburg
7. Countess Margarethe von der Schulenburg
15. Baroness Marie von Maltzahn

References

  1. ^ "Herzeleide". Women in World History. Vol. 7. Waterford, Conn: Yorkin Publications. 2000. p. 271. ISBN 0-7876-4066-2.
  2. ^ a b c d "Princess Herzeleide Married in Potsdam; Granddaughter of Ex-Kaiser Wed to Prince de Courland", The New York Times, Potsdam, Germany, 17 August 1938
  3. ^ "Greek Royal Family", The Irish Times, 10 January 1938
  4. ^ a b c "Court & Personal; Wedding of Ex-Kaiser's Granddaughter", The Manchester Guardian, 17 August 1938
  5. ^ a b Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (editor). Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, Burke's Peerage, London, 1973, pp. 300, 302. ISBN 0-220-66222-3
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Princess Herzeleide of Prussia.
  • A wedding picture of Herzeleide and Karl
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The generations are numbered from the ascension of Frederick I as King in Prussia in 1701.
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