Claus von Amsberg
Encyclopedia
Prince Claus of the Netherlands (Dutch
: Jhr. Claus van Amsberg; birth name: Klaus-Georg von Amsberg; 6 September 1926 – 6 October 2002) was the prince consort
of the current Queen regnant
of the Netherlands
, Queen Beatrix
.
, Germany
. His parents were Claus Felix von Amsberg
and Baroness Gösta von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen
. His father, a member of the untitled German nobility, operated a large farm in Tanganyika
from 1928 until World War II
. Claus and his six sisters grew up on their grandparents' manor in Lower Saxony
; he also attended a boarding school in Tanzania from 1936 to 1938.
The future prince was a member of such Nazi
youth organisations as Deutsches Jungvolk
and the Hitler Youth
(membership in the latter was mandatory for all fit members of his generation) http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/hitleryouth/hj-prelude.htm. From 1938 until 1942, he attended the Baltenschule Misdroy.
In 1944, he was conscripted into the German Wehrmacht
, becoming a soldier in the German 90th Panzergrenadier Division in Italy
in March, 1945, but taken as a prisoner of war
by the American forces
at Meran before taking part in any fighting. After his repatriation
, he finished school in Lüneburg
and studied law
in Hamburg
. He then joined the German diplomatic corps
and worked in Santo Domingo
and Côte d'Ivoire
. In the 1960s, he was transferred to Bonn
.
Claus and Beatrix met at the wedding-eve party of Princess Tatjana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
and Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse, in the summer of 1964. Sections of the Dutch population were unhappy that Beatrix's fiancé was a German, only twenty years after the end of the war, and there were protests during the wedding celebrations, most notably by the anarchist-artist group Provo. The pair nonetheless were married on 10 March 1966.
Over time, Claus became accepted by the public, so much so that during the last part of his life he was generally considered the most popular member of the Royal Family. This change in Dutch opinion was brought about by Claus's strong motivation to contribute to public causes (especially third-world development, on which he was considered an expert), his sincere modesty, his candor (within but sometimes on the edge of royal protocol), and his approachability by all levels of society.
The public also sympathised with Claus for his efforts to give meaning to his life beyond the restrictions that Dutch law imposed on the Royal Family's freedom of speech and action (lest they get involved in political controversy
). Many also believed that these restrictions were at least partly the cause of his severe depression
, which lasted many years. As a result, restrictions were loosened; Claus was even appointed as senior staff member at the Department of Developing Aid, albeit in an advisory role.
A fine example of his mildly rebellious attitude toward protocol was the "Declaration of the Tie". In 1998, after presenting the annual Prince Claus Awards
to three Africa
n fashion design
ers, Claus told "workers of all nations to unite and cast away the new shackle
s they have voluntarily cast upon themselves", meaning the necktie
, that "snake around my neck," and encouraged the audience to "venture into open-collar
paradise
". He then removed his tie and threw it on the floor.
In 2001, when on Dutch television he announced the marriage of his son Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
, and Máxima Zorreguieta
, an Argentine
woman of Spanish
and Italian descent, Prince Claus referred to himself as more a citizen of the world than anything else.
Prince Claus was appointed Honorary Fellow of The International Institute of Social Studies
(ISS) in 1988. Prince Claus was held in very high esteem in the international development cooperation community, partly because of his considerable insight and understanding of the problems involved, and partly because of his exceptional gift for expressing the hopes and anxieties felt by all.
, cancer
and Parkinson's disease
. He died in Amsterdam
on 6 October 2002 after a long illness, aged 76.
His embalmed
body was placed in the Royal Family's tomb in Delft
on 15 October. It was the first full state funeral
since Queen Wilhelmina
's in 1962.
|-
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Jhr. Claus van Amsberg; birth name: Klaus-Georg von Amsberg; 6 September 1926 – 6 October 2002) was the prince consort
Prince consort
A prince consort is the husband of a queen regnant who is not himself a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his status, a prince consort may be given a formal...
of the current Queen regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Queen Beatrix
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
.
Biography
Prince Claus was born Klaus-Georg Wilhelm Otto Friedrich Gerd von Amsberg, on his family's estate, Haus Dötzingen near HitzackerHitzacker
Hitzacker is a town in the Lüchow-Dannenberg district of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Elbe, approx. 8 km north of Dannenberg, and 45 km east of Lüneburg. The 2007 population of Hitzacker was 4,982, and its postal code is 29456. The mayor is Karl Guhl...
, Germany
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. His parents were Claus Felix von Amsberg
Claus Felix von Amsberg
Claus Felix von Amsberg was a member of the German Niederer Adel and father of Prince Claus of the Netherlands, who was the Prince Consort of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, thus making him the father-in-law of the Dutch Queen.-Early life:...
and Baroness Gösta von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen
Baroness Gösta von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen
Baroness Gösta von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen was the mother of Prince Claus of the Netherlands, who was the Prince Consort of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, thus making her the mother-in-law of the Dutch Queen.-Early life:...
. His father, a member of the untitled German nobility, operated a large farm in Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
from 1928 until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Claus and his six sisters grew up on their grandparents' manor in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
; he also attended a boarding school in Tanzania from 1936 to 1938.
The future prince was a member of such Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
youth organisations as Deutsches Jungvolk
Deutsches Jungvolk
thumb|250px|DJ TroopThe Deutsches Jungvolk was the subdivision of the Hitler Youth for boys aged 10 to 14. It reinforced the National Socialist view of Aryan ideals and transmitted the Nazi idea of the Volksgemeinschaft...
and the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
(membership in the latter was mandatory for all fit members of his generation) http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/hitleryouth/hj-prelude.htm. From 1938 until 1942, he attended the Baltenschule Misdroy.
In 1944, he was conscripted into the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, becoming a soldier in the German 90th Panzergrenadier Division in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in March, 1945, but taken as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the American forces
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at Meran before taking part in any fighting. After his repatriation
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
, he finished school in Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
and studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. He then joined the German diplomatic corps
Diplomatic corps
The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
and worked in Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
and Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
. In the 1960s, he was transferred to Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
.
Claus and Beatrix met at the wedding-eve party of Princess Tatjana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Princess Tatjana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Princess Tatiana Louise Ursula Therese Elsa of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg is the fourth child and second daughter of Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, and his wife, Margareta Fouché d'Otrante, and younger sister of Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, the...
and Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse, in the summer of 1964. Sections of the Dutch population were unhappy that Beatrix's fiancé was a German, only twenty years after the end of the war, and there were protests during the wedding celebrations, most notably by the anarchist-artist group Provo. The pair nonetheless were married on 10 March 1966.
Over time, Claus became accepted by the public, so much so that during the last part of his life he was generally considered the most popular member of the Royal Family. This change in Dutch opinion was brought about by Claus's strong motivation to contribute to public causes (especially third-world development, on which he was considered an expert), his sincere modesty, his candor (within but sometimes on the edge of royal protocol), and his approachability by all levels of society.
The public also sympathised with Claus for his efforts to give meaning to his life beyond the restrictions that Dutch law imposed on the Royal Family's freedom of speech and action (lest they get involved in political controversy
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
). Many also believed that these restrictions were at least partly the cause of his severe depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
, which lasted many years. As a result, restrictions were loosened; Claus was even appointed as senior staff member at the Department of Developing Aid, albeit in an advisory role.
A fine example of his mildly rebellious attitude toward protocol was the "Declaration of the Tie". In 1998, after presenting the annual Prince Claus Awards
Prince Claus Awards
The Prince Claus Fund was inaugurated in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of The Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs....
to three Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n fashion design
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
ers, Claus told "workers of all nations to unite and cast away the new shackle
Shackle
A shackle, also known as a gyve, is a U-shaped piece of metal secured with a clevis pin or bolt across the opening, or a hinged metal loop secured with a quick-release locking pin mechanism...
s they have voluntarily cast upon themselves", meaning the necktie
Necktie
A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck...
, that "snake around my neck," and encouraged the audience to "venture into open-collar
Collar (clothing)
In clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. Among clothing construction professionals, a collar is differentiated from other necklines such as revers and lapels, by being made from a separate piece of fabric, rather than a folded or...
paradise
Paradise
Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
". He then removed his tie and threw it on the floor.
In 2001, when on Dutch television he announced the marriage of his son Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange is the eldest child of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus. Since 1980 he is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He is also the head of the House of Amsberg since the death of his father in 2002. He was in military service and he studied...
, and Máxima Zorreguieta
Princess Máxima of the Netherlands
Princess Máxima of the Netherlands is the wife of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, heir apparent to the throne of the Netherlands.-Early life and education:...
, an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
woman of Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
and Italian descent, Prince Claus referred to himself as more a citizen of the world than anything else.
Titles and style
- Klaus von Amsberg (1926–1965)
- Jhr.JonkheerJonkheer is a Dutch honorific of nobility.-Honorific of nobility:"Jonkheer" or "Jonkvrouw" is literally translated as "young lord" or "young lady". In medieval times such a person was a young and unmarried son or daughter of a high ranking knight or nobleman...
Claus van Amsberg (1965–1966); his name was changed officially after obtaining Dutch citizenship - His Royal Highness Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Jonkheer van Amsberg (1966–2002)
- His Royal Highness The Prince of the Netherlands (1980–2002); as a prince consortPrince consortA prince consort is the husband of a queen regnant who is not himself a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his status, a prince consort may be given a formal...
of a Queen of the NetherlandsMonarchy of the NetherlandsThe Netherlands has been an independent monarchy since 16 March 1815, and has been governed by members of the House of Orange-Nassau since.-Constitutional role and position of the monarch:...
, Prince Claus was legally entitled to this style and title, though out of respect for his father-in-law, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, he never officially used this title
Prince Claus was appointed Honorary Fellow of The International Institute of Social Studies
Institute of Social Studies
The International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Hague is a unique, independent and international graduate school in the social sciences...
(ISS) in 1988. Prince Claus was held in very high esteem in the international development cooperation community, partly because of his considerable insight and understanding of the problems involved, and partly because of his exceptional gift for expressing the hopes and anxieties felt by all.
Ancestry
Issue
| Name | Birth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prince Willem-Alexander Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange is the eldest child of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus. Since 1980 he is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He is also the head of the House of Amsberg since the death of his father in 2002. He was in military service and he studied... |
27 April 1967 | is married to Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti Princess Máxima of the Netherlands Princess Máxima of the Netherlands is the wife of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, heir apparent to the throne of the Netherlands.-Early life and education:... since 2002, has issue (three daughters) |
| Prince Friso | 25 September 1968 | is married to Mabel Wisse Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau is the wife of Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau .... since 2004, has issue (two daughters) |
| Prince Constantijn Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands is the third and youngest son of Queen Beatrix and the late Prince Claus of the Netherlands. His godparents are King Constantine II of Greece, Prince Aschwin zu Lippe-Biesterfeld, Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche-Streithorst, Max Kohnstamm, and Mrs. C... |
11 October 1969 | is married to Laurentien Brinkhorst Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands is the wife of Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, the third son of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Jonkheer van Amsberg.-Early life:Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst was born in Leiden on 25 May 1966, the daughter of the former Dutch minister... since 2001, has issue (two daughters and one son) |
Health/Death
Claus suffered various health problems, such as depressionDepression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
, cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
. He died in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
on 6 October 2002 after a long illness, aged 76.
His embalmed
Embalming
Embalming, in most modern cultures, is the art and science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall decomposition and to make them suitable for public display at a funeral. The three goals of embalming are thus sanitization, presentation and preservation of a corpse to achieve this...
body was placed in the Royal Family's tomb in Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
on 15 October. It was the first full state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
since Queen Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
's in 1962.
External links
- "Claus von Amsberg, 76, Popular Dutch Prince"
- Royal House of the Netherlands
- In pictures: Prince Claus remembered
- Video: Condolences pour in, 7 October 2002
- Dutch Royal Family website: Biography
- Profile at The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
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