Prince George of Prussia
Encyclopedia
Prince Frederick William George Ernest of Prussia (Dusseldorf
, 12 February 1826 – Berlin
, 2 May 1902) was a member of the House of Hohenzollern
.
A man of many talents, George was at various periods of his life a Prussian general, poet and writer, often going, according to Moeller
, under the sobriquets Gunther von Freiberg and George Conrad. He wrote and published over 25 plays in his lifetime.
, who was a grandson of Frederick William II of Prussia
. His mother was Princess Wilhelmine Luise of Anhalt-Bernburg
, only surviving daughter of Alexius Frederick Christian, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg
.
His youth was spent on the Rhine near the castle Jägerhof, where his father was stationed. He often traveled to Britain, France and Italy, discovering art and literature. Notwithstanding the Hohenzollern family tradition, Prince George showed no inclination in a military career; furthermore, though his early musical talents began to unfold very nicely, he became a military officer in 1836; in 1861, he was the head of the first Pomeranian Lancers No. 4, and by 1866, he was general of the cavalry. During the Austro-Prussian War
in 1866, George took his regiment into battles against Austria, and also fought in the Franco-Prussian War
from 1870 to 1871.
Prince George was of a modest, retiring nature, and cared little for the show royal society typically demanded. Consequently, he participated but rarely in court festivities and state functions; George also carefully held himself aloof from politics, and saw little of his relatives, save at purely private and family dinners. He chose instead to devote himself to art and literature. George often took pleasure in visiting second-hand book shops and rummaging among their contents for literary treasures. As a result, he collected a great number of books that filled up his palace at Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin.
The prince wrote many of his plays in what was said to be excellent French, often under pseudonyms; as a result, many of his plays' audiences were unaware that a Prussian prince was behind them. Prior to the Franco-Prussian War
, Prince George was very close to many French writers, poets, and other literary figures such as Alexandre Dumas; many of them gathered annually at Ems with the prince to discuss artistic topics. After the war however, Prussian and French emotions were heightened, and George found it difficult to reconcile his private pleasures with the opinions of his family. He stopped traveling to Paris, and indeed did not set foot on French soil for many years. Despite the distance, Prince George made an effort to closely follow the literary scene in Paris thereafter, and acquaintances were often shocked at how well he knew what was occurring artistically in France.
A contemporary of George's later remarked that though he liked to dabble in poetry, "his efforts were better appreciated in the circle of the court, where some of his pieces have been represented, than by the outer world".
, the widowed wife of the deposed Napoleon III of France
, whose fate had been the result of the German invasion. Before the war, the prince had been a frequent and welcome visitor to Napoleon's court; thus when Eugénie took up residence at the same hotel he was residing in Carlsbad
, Prince George was faced with little choice but to visit her. On the one hand, he was obligated to pay his attentions or else be exposed for gross discourtesy; on the other hand, he felt that any public knowledge of her meeting with a German prince might prove unpleasant to her, as she was eager to recover the French throne for her son Louis Napoléon. To solve this dilemma, Prince George sent her flowers, and made it known to her secretary that if she so wished, he would attend an audience with her to "lay his homage at the feet of her majesty". Soon after however, the empress left Carlsbad and made it known to the press that her departure was due to the undesirable attentions of Prince George. Newspapers made the most of the story, abusing the prince by declaring that he was mentally unbalanced. One defended these claims:
Prince George remained very fond of distant kinsman Emperor Wilhelm II. In his youth, George was the closest with Empress Augusta, wife of Wilhelm's grandfather Wilhelm I, German Emperor. Rumors had circulated that these affections were romantic, but no proof exists that these were true. Perhaps coincidentally, some thought that George bore a striking resemblance to Wilhelm I, particularly when he was in uniform.
, which he had inherited in 1863 with his only brother Prince Alexander
and for which he always cherished a predilection; on 9 May 1902 he was buried in the chapel of the castle. In 1906 the newly established state school as Dusseldorf Royal Prince Georg-Gymnasium was named in his honor.
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, 12 February 1826 – Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, 2 May 1902) was a member of the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
.
A man of many talents, George was at various periods of his life a Prussian general, poet and writer, often going, according to Moeller
Moeller
-People:*Arthur Moeller van den Bruck*Birger Moeller-Pedersen*Brian Moehler, major league baseball player*Chad Moeller, major league baseball player* Carl Moeller, Pastor and Local historian in Germany, in Sondershausen*Christian Moeller*Christopher Moeller...
, under the sobriquets Gunther von Freiberg and George Conrad. He wrote and published over 25 plays in his lifetime.
Family and early life
Prince George was the youngest son of Prince Frederick of PrussiaPrince Frederick of Prussia (1794–1863)
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig of Prussia , known in English as Frederick, was a Prussian prince, general of the royal cavalry, and division commander.- Family :...
, who was a grandson of Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II was the King of Prussia, reigning from 1786 until his death. He was in personal union the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg and the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel.-Early life:...
. His mother was Princess Wilhelmine Luise of Anhalt-Bernburg
Princess Luise of Anhalt-Bernburg
Princess Wilhelmine Luise of Anhalt-Bernburg was a German noblewoman. She was the second child of Alexius Frederick Christian, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg and his wife Marie Friederike of Hesse-Kassel, making her a member of the house of Anhalt-Bernburg...
, only surviving daughter of Alexius Frederick Christian, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg
Alexius Frederick Christian, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg
Alexius Frederick Christian of Anhalt-Bernburg , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg, and from 1807 the first "Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg."...
.
His youth was spent on the Rhine near the castle Jägerhof, where his father was stationed. He often traveled to Britain, France and Italy, discovering art and literature. Notwithstanding the Hohenzollern family tradition, Prince George showed no inclination in a military career; furthermore, though his early musical talents began to unfold very nicely, he became a military officer in 1836; in 1861, he was the head of the first Pomeranian Lancers No. 4, and by 1866, he was general of the cavalry. During the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
in 1866, George took his regiment into battles against Austria, and also fought in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
from 1870 to 1871.
Literary interests
In the 1850s, he came to Berlin, where the prince encountered the salon of Minna von Tresckow. It was she who encouraged him to publish his plays. In 1872 he anonymously published his autobiography "Yellowed leaves", but further insight into his privacy was not forthcoming. When the General Association of German literature was formed, he took over in 1873 the founding protectorate from 1874, and was also protector of the Historical Museum of the City of Düsseldorf. In the same year he became president of the non-profit Academy Sciences. Upon his death, he would bequeath his extensive library of approximately 6,000 titles to the University Library of Bonn.Prince George was of a modest, retiring nature, and cared little for the show royal society typically demanded. Consequently, he participated but rarely in court festivities and state functions; George also carefully held himself aloof from politics, and saw little of his relatives, save at purely private and family dinners. He chose instead to devote himself to art and literature. George often took pleasure in visiting second-hand book shops and rummaging among their contents for literary treasures. As a result, he collected a great number of books that filled up his palace at Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin.
The prince wrote many of his plays in what was said to be excellent French, often under pseudonyms; as a result, many of his plays' audiences were unaware that a Prussian prince was behind them. Prior to the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, Prince George was very close to many French writers, poets, and other literary figures such as Alexandre Dumas; many of them gathered annually at Ems with the prince to discuss artistic topics. After the war however, Prussian and French emotions were heightened, and George found it difficult to reconcile his private pleasures with the opinions of his family. He stopped traveling to Paris, and indeed did not set foot on French soil for many years. Despite the distance, Prince George made an effort to closely follow the literary scene in Paris thereafter, and acquaintances were often shocked at how well he knew what was occurring artistically in France.
A contemporary of George's later remarked that though he liked to dabble in poetry, "his efforts were better appreciated in the circle of the court, where some of his pieces have been represented, than by the outer world".
Empress Eugénie
In the mid-1870s, reports emerged in the press concerning Prince George and Empress EugénieEugénie de Montijo
Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo , was the last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871 as the wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of...
, the widowed wife of the deposed Napoleon III of France
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
, whose fate had been the result of the German invasion. Before the war, the prince had been a frequent and welcome visitor to Napoleon's court; thus when Eugénie took up residence at the same hotel he was residing in Carlsbad
Karlsbad (Baden)
Karlsbad is an administrative area in the district of Karlsruhe, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the northern Black Forest, 13 km southeast of Karlsruhe, and 15 km west of Pforzheim. The largest town in Karlsbad is Langensteinbach, where its administration offices are...
, Prince George was faced with little choice but to visit her. On the one hand, he was obligated to pay his attentions or else be exposed for gross discourtesy; on the other hand, he felt that any public knowledge of her meeting with a German prince might prove unpleasant to her, as she was eager to recover the French throne for her son Louis Napoléon. To solve this dilemma, Prince George sent her flowers, and made it known to her secretary that if she so wished, he would attend an audience with her to "lay his homage at the feet of her majesty". Soon after however, the empress left Carlsbad and made it known to the press that her departure was due to the undesirable attentions of Prince George. Newspapers made the most of the story, abusing the prince by declaring that he was mentally unbalanced. One defended these claims:
"Nothing can be further from the truth. It cannot be denied that he has a few harmless and kindly eccentricities which would attract no attention whatever in an ordinary septuagenarian, but which excite comment merely by reason of his rank as a prince of the blood. He is [a] gentle, brilliantly accomplished, chivalrous old fellow, without an enemy in the world, and is a great favorite with the emperor's children, who will deeply miss him when he passes over to the majority, and is laid to rest in the family vault of the house of Hohenzollern".
Prince George remained very fond of distant kinsman Emperor Wilhelm II. In his youth, George was the closest with Empress Augusta, wife of Wilhelm's grandfather Wilhelm I, German Emperor. Rumors had circulated that these affections were romantic, but no proof exists that these were true. Perhaps coincidentally, some thought that George bore a striking resemblance to Wilhelm I, particularly when he was in uniform.
Death
Prince George died on 2 May 1902. At the time, he was the oldest living member of the House of Hohenzollern. After his death his body was brought to the castle RheinsteinBurg Rheinstein
The Burg Rheinstein is a castle near the town of Trechtingshausen in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.-History:The castle was constructed in about 1316/1317. Rheinstein Castle was important for its strategic location. By 1344, the castle was in decline. By the time of the Palatine war of succession,...
, which he had inherited in 1863 with his only brother Prince Alexander
Prince Alexander of Prussia
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Alexander of Prussia was the eldest child of Prince Frederick of Prussia and his wife Princess Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Bernburg.-Military career:...
and for which he always cherished a predilection; on 9 May 1902 he was buried in the chapel of the castle. In 1906 the newly established state school as Dusseldorf Royal Prince Georg-Gymnasium was named in his honor.
List of works
Under the pseudonyms George Conrad and Gunther von Freiberg, Prince George wrote and published many poems and plays:- Elfrida von Monte Salerno (drama) 1874
- Cleopatra (tragedy) 1877
- Phädra (tragedy) 1877
- Elektra (drama) 1877
- Revenue de tout 1877
- Rudél et Mélisande (tragedy) 1877
- Don Sylvio (tragedy) 1877
- Der Alexanderzug (fantastical tragedy) 1877
- Der Talisman (tragedy) 1877
- Alexandros (tragedy) 1877
- Umsonst oder Christine, König von Schweden (tragedy) 1877
- Arion (tragedy) 1877
- Wo liegt das Glück? (comedy) 1877
- Bianca Capello 1877
- Yolanthe (tragedy) 1877
- Lurley (tragedy) 1877
- AdoniaAdoniaAdonia , or Adonic feasts, was an ancient festival mourning the death of Adonis. The date is uncertain, but may have been early Spring, or summer. It was a private, rather than a state festival, and was celebrated by women exclusively.....
1877 - Medea (tragedy) 1877
- Suleiman (Nachspiel) 1877
- Ferrara (tragedy) 1878
- Mademoiselle Esther (drama) 1883
- Catharina von Medici (historical drama) 1884
- Sappho (drama) 1887
- Conradin (tragedy) 1887
- Praxedis (drama) 1896
- Raphael Sanzio (drama) 1896
Titles and styles
- 12 February 1826 – 2 May 1902: His Royal Highness Prince George of Prussia