Georg von und zu Franckenstein
Encyclopedia
Georg Freiherr von und zu Franckenstein (later Sir George Franckenstein) (1878 - 15 October 1953) was the eldest son of Karl Baron von und zu Franckenstein (1831–1898) and his wife, Elma née Countess von Schönborn-Wiesentheid (1841–1884) and a member of the Franckenstein family.
His younger brother was the composer and General Intendant of Munich Clemens von und zu Franckenstein
.
Georg spent his youth between Franconia
and Vienna
. After having visited the famous Schottengymnasium and his politics and law studies at Vienna University, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Austrian Empire
to become a career diplomat. His first assignments led him to Washington, followed by the Russian imperial Court in St. Petersburg and to Rome. After a short intermezzo in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vienna, he was ordered to the Japanese Imperial Court, to India and finally to Brussels before becoming „K+K Kommerzdirektor“ of the Austrian Embassy in London. The beginning of the first world war in 1914 forced him to leave Great Britain.
He was afterwards a member of the peace delegation for Austria 1919 in Saint-Germain.
On October 19, 1920 he returned to London as the diplomatic representative of the new Republic of Austria. He was then Austrian Minister to the Court of St. James for 18 years, from 1920-1938.
During the first world war, Franckenstein was inter alia diplomatic representative of the Habsburg-Monarchy in the German occupied territories of Belgium and in 1918 in the Caucasus
, occupied by the central powers, where he tried together with his German colleague General Kress von Kressenstein to help the haunted and hungry Armenian refugees.
In the early 1920s he could clear the massive financial tilt of his country, thanks to his contacts in London and through arranging an international Government Bond.
Due to his sumptuous and representative style of living, especially by hosting concerts and masked balls, he strongly assured his high society esteem, where—although aristocracy had been abolished in Austria by 1919—he was still addressed as "Baron Franckenstein".
In 1935 he was awarded with an honorary degree in Oxford.
Being a fierce Nazi-opponent and fighter against the annexation of Austria by Nazi-Germany, he lost his diplomatic function in March 1938. In order to organize the fight against the Nazis out of the UK and help his fellow countrymen, he stayed in London and was therefore knighted on the 26th of July 1938 by King George VI of the United Kingdom
. He became Grand Cross Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
.
Together with his brother Clemens, his cousins Josef von Franckenstein, an active intelligence and field agent at the OSS and Heinrich von Franckenstein, he was trying to keep up an active network and opposition against the Nazi-Regime out of London. In 1939 he married Editha King and became a British subject one year later.
After the 2nd world war, Austrian state representatives offered him to become Austria's first president, which he cordially declined, feeling obliged to his new fatherland.
Franckenstein and his brother Clemens were also close friends of Hugo von Hofmannsthal, with whom they had an active letter correspondence.
George and Editha were killed together in a plane crash on the 15th of October 1953, and their only son Clement,an actor, was raised by their British friends.
His younger brother was the composer and General Intendant of Munich Clemens von und zu Franckenstein
Clemens von und zu Franckenstein
Clemens Erwein Heinrich Karl Bonaventura Freiherr von und zu Franckenstein was a German opera composer, studying in Vienna, Austria, and later in Munich, Germany, with Ludwig Thuille and at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt with Iwan Knorr...
.
Georg spent his youth between Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. After having visited the famous Schottengymnasium and his politics and law studies at Vienna University, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
to become a career diplomat. His first assignments led him to Washington, followed by the Russian imperial Court in St. Petersburg and to Rome. After a short intermezzo in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vienna, he was ordered to the Japanese Imperial Court, to India and finally to Brussels before becoming „K+K Kommerzdirektor“ of the Austrian Embassy in London. The beginning of the first world war in 1914 forced him to leave Great Britain.
He was afterwards a member of the peace delegation for Austria 1919 in Saint-Germain.
On October 19, 1920 he returned to London as the diplomatic representative of the new Republic of Austria. He was then Austrian Minister to the Court of St. James for 18 years, from 1920-1938.
During the first world war, Franckenstein was inter alia diplomatic representative of the Habsburg-Monarchy in the German occupied territories of Belgium and in 1918 in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, occupied by the central powers, where he tried together with his German colleague General Kress von Kressenstein to help the haunted and hungry Armenian refugees.
In the early 1920s he could clear the massive financial tilt of his country, thanks to his contacts in London and through arranging an international Government Bond.
Due to his sumptuous and representative style of living, especially by hosting concerts and masked balls, he strongly assured his high society esteem, where—although aristocracy had been abolished in Austria by 1919—he was still addressed as "Baron Franckenstein".
In 1935 he was awarded with an honorary degree in Oxford.
Being a fierce Nazi-opponent and fighter against the annexation of Austria by Nazi-Germany, he lost his diplomatic function in March 1938. In order to organize the fight against the Nazis out of the UK and help his fellow countrymen, he stayed in London and was therefore knighted on the 26th of July 1938 by King George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
. He became Grand Cross Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
.
Together with his brother Clemens, his cousins Josef von Franckenstein, an active intelligence and field agent at the OSS and Heinrich von Franckenstein, he was trying to keep up an active network and opposition against the Nazi-Regime out of London. In 1939 he married Editha King and became a British subject one year later.
After the 2nd world war, Austrian state representatives offered him to become Austria's first president, which he cordially declined, feeling obliged to his new fatherland.
Franckenstein and his brother Clemens were also close friends of Hugo von Hofmannsthal, with whom they had an active letter correspondence.
George and Editha were killed together in a plane crash on the 15th of October 1953, and their only son Clement,an actor, was raised by their British friends.
Further reading
- Patsch, Sylvia M.: Österreichische Schriftsteller im Exil in Großbritannien. Wien 1985, S. 210ff.
- Time, 8. August 1938; http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,931443,00.html
- Weinzierl, Ulrich: Hofmannsthal. Skizzen zu seinem Bild. Wien, Paul Zsolnay Verlag, 2005.
- Hofmannsthal, Hugo von: Briefwechsel mit Clemens von Franckenstein, Rombach Druck- und Verlagshaus, ISBN 978-3-7930-9182-0