Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg (5 March 1901 - 9 November 1971) was the final head of the House of Schwarzburg
and heir to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
.
in the Kingdom of Saxony
the son of Prince Sizzo of Schwarzburg
(1860–1926) and his wife Princess Alexandra of Anhalt (1868–1958). Five years before his birth on April 21, 1896 his father was recognised as a dynast of the house having previously not had dynastic rights due to his parents' morganatic marriage. In 1909 the two Schwarzburg principalities were united in a personal union
under Prince Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt due to the extinction of the Sondershausen line at which point Prince Friedrich Günther became second in line to the united principality. Following the outbreak of German Revolution
Prince Günther Victor abdicated on November 22, 1918 thereby ending the rule of the House of Schwarzburg.
Following the death of the last reigning prince of Schwarzburg, Günther, on April 16, 1925 Prince Friedrich Günther's father Sizzo succeeded as head of the House of Schwarzburg. A year later on March 24, 1926 Prince Friedrich Günther's father Prince Sizzo died making him the new Prince (Fürst
) of Schwarzburg and head of the house.
, Silesia
) to Princess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
(1911–1988), eldest daughter of William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
. The marriage proved short-lived and less than a year later on November 1, 1938 they were divorced.
In 1969 Prince Friedrich Günther adopted Peter Hans Fuhrmann (born 1939).
the House of Schwarzburg became extinct. However the Schwarzburg principalities operated under Semi-Salic primogeniture which means that in the event of the extinction of all male dynasts, as happened with the death of Prince Friedrich Günther, females can inherit. Therefore, applying Semi-Salic law then the current heir to the principalities of Schwarzburg is Friedrich Magnus, Count of Solms-Wildenfels (born 1927) the son of Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg (1898–1984), sister of Prince Friedrich Günther.
Alternatively another claimant could be Prince Philip of Stolberg-Wernigerode (born 1967). Prince Philip's claim is based on a pact made by Count Heinrich of Schwarzburg and his son whereby if his male line became extinct then Count Botho of Stolberg and the Counts of Hohenstein should share the majority of his territories with the Counts of Stolberg inheriting Kelbra
and Heringen
alone and not share them with the Counts of Hohenstein. With the extinction of the House of Hohenstein the houses of Schwarzburg and Stolberg renewed the pact on January 28, 1594. Should the pact still be valid then Prince Philip as senior male line descendant of Count Botho could be seen as the rightful heir.
House of Schwarzburg
The House of Schwarzburg was one of the oldest noble families of Thuringia, until its extinction in 1971 with the death of Prince Friedrich Günther...
and heir to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany with its capital at Rudolstadt.-History:Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands...
and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.-History:...
.
Early life
He was born in GroßharthauGroßharthau
Großharthau is a municipality in the east of Saxony, Germany. It belongs to the district of Bautzen and lies southwest of the eponymous city.- Geography :...
in the Kingdom of Saxony
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...
the son of Prince Sizzo of Schwarzburg
Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg
Günther Sizzo, Prince of Schwarzburg was the head of the House of Schwarzburg and pretender to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.-Biography:...
(1860–1926) and his wife Princess Alexandra of Anhalt (1868–1958). Five years before his birth on April 21, 1896 his father was recognised as a dynast of the house having previously not had dynastic rights due to his parents' morganatic marriage. In 1909 the two Schwarzburg principalities were united in a personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
under Prince Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt due to the extinction of the Sondershausen line at which point Prince Friedrich Günther became second in line to the united principality. Following the outbreak of German Revolution
German Revolution
The German Revolution was the politically-driven civil conflict in Germany at the end of World War I, which resulted in the replacement of Germany's imperial government with a republic...
Prince Günther Victor abdicated on November 22, 1918 thereby ending the rule of the House of Schwarzburg.
Following the death of the last reigning prince of Schwarzburg, Günther, on April 16, 1925 Prince Friedrich Günther's father Sizzo succeeded as head of the House of Schwarzburg. A year later on March 24, 1926 Prince Friedrich Günther's father Prince Sizzo died making him the new Prince (Fürst
Fürst
Fürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
) of Schwarzburg and head of the house.
Marriage
Prince Friedrich Günther was married on April 7, 1938 at Heinrichau (today: Henryków, Lower Silesian VoivodeshipHenryków, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Henryków is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Ziębice, within Ząbkowice Śląskie County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany....
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
) to Princess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Princess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1911-1988)
Princess Sophie Louise of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was a princess of the House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.She was born in Weimar, the eldest child and only daughter of William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach by his second wife Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen.As a relative of Wilhelmina of...
(1911–1988), eldest daughter of William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Wilhelm Ernst Karl Alexander Friedrich Heinrich Bernhard Albert Georg Hermann was the last Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.-Biography:...
. The marriage proved short-lived and less than a year later on November 1, 1938 they were divorced.
In 1969 Prince Friedrich Günther adopted Peter Hans Fuhrmann (born 1939).
Death and succession
Following his death in 1971 in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
the House of Schwarzburg became extinct. However the Schwarzburg principalities operated under Semi-Salic primogeniture which means that in the event of the extinction of all male dynasts, as happened with the death of Prince Friedrich Günther, females can inherit. Therefore, applying Semi-Salic law then the current heir to the principalities of Schwarzburg is Friedrich Magnus, Count of Solms-Wildenfels (born 1927) the son of Princess Marie Antoinette of Schwarzburg (1898–1984), sister of Prince Friedrich Günther.
Alternatively another claimant could be Prince Philip of Stolberg-Wernigerode (born 1967). Prince Philip's claim is based on a pact made by Count Heinrich of Schwarzburg and his son whereby if his male line became extinct then Count Botho of Stolberg and the Counts of Hohenstein should share the majority of his territories with the Counts of Stolberg inheriting Kelbra
Kelbra
Kelbra is a town the Mansfeld-Südharz district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated north of the Kyffhäuser mountains, approx. 20 km west of Sangerhausen, and 20 km east of Nordhausen. Kelbra is part of the Verbandsgemeinde Goldene Aue....
and Heringen
Heringen
Heringen is a small town in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in eastern Hesse, Germany lying right at the boundary with Thuringia.- Geography :- Location :...
alone and not share them with the Counts of Hohenstein. With the extinction of the House of Hohenstein the houses of Schwarzburg and Stolberg renewed the pact on January 28, 1594. Should the pact still be valid then Prince Philip as senior male line descendant of Count Botho could be seen as the rightful heir.
