Adolf Friedrich VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Encyclopedia
Adolphus Frederick VI was the last grand duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
.
the third child and eldest son of the then Hereditary Grand Duke Adolphus Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and his wife Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt
(1857–1933). He attended a gymnasium
school in Dresden
, and later studied jurisprudence
in Munich
along with serving in the Army. He became heir apparent
with the title Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz following the death of his grandfather Grand Duke Frederick William on 30 May 1904.
Adolphus Frederick and his brother Duke Karl Borwin are said to have agreed that Adolphus Frederick could devote his life to his painting, while Karl Borwin would marry and continue the dynasty. Ultimately, this could never be realised, as Karl Borwin was killed during a duel with Count George Jametel in 1908. Adolphus Frederick was subsequently reported to be engaged to various European princesses, including Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia
the only daughter of the German Emperor William II
and his consort, Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein.
He succeeded as Grand Duke on his death of his father on 11 June 1914, a few months before the outbreak of World War I
. Adolphus Frederick was reported to have married morganatically with attempts made to force him to divorce his wife and conduct an equal marriage but he was reported to have refused. From 1908 until his death ten years later, his mistress was the opera
tic soprano
Mafalda Salvatini
. An Italian by birth but raised mainly in Paris, she was a star at the Berlin State Opera
and the Deutsche Oper Berlin
. Salvatini had two sons by Adolphus Frederick: Horst Gérard and the set and costume designer Rolf Gérard.
, Adolphus Frederick committed suicide which left Mecklenburg-Strelitz facing a succession crisis, as the only surviving member of the Strelitz line, Duke Charles Michael of Mecklenburg was serving in Russia
and had indicated that he wished to renounce his rights to Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1914. Although at Adolphus Frederick's request he later agreed to defer any renunciation until the matter arose. There was also a morganatic male-line relative, Duke Charles Michael's nephew George, Count of Carlow (1899–1963), but as Charles Michael was in Russia Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin became regent
and remained such until the end of the German monarchies when the government in Strelitz declared the end of the regency. Friedrich Franz IV received confirmation from Charles Michael that he wished to renounce his succession rights although this only arrived in 1919 after the abolition of the monarchies and the establishment of the Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
.
Adolphus' fortune had been amassed by his grandfather and was estimated at 30 million Marks. In his will, he left his whole fortune to Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin's second son Duke Christian Ludwig
(1912–96). He did this on the condition that Christian agree to become Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and take up residence in Neustrelitz
; otherwise the inheritance would be reduced to 3 million Marks
.
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a duchy and later grand duchy in northern Germany, consisting of the eastern fifth of the historic Mecklenburg region, roughly corresponding with the present-day Mecklenburg-Strelitz district , and the western exclave of the former Bishopric of Ratzeburg in modern...
.
Early life
Adolphus Frederick George Ernest Albert Edward of Mecklenburg was born in NeustrelitzNeustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
the third child and eldest son of the then Hereditary Grand Duke Adolphus Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and his wife Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt
Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt
Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt was the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1904 to 1914 as the spouse of Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.-Family:...
(1857–1933). He attended a gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
school in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, and later studied jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
in Munich
Munich
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...
along with serving in the Army. He became heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
with the title Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz following the death of his grandfather Grand Duke Frederick William on 30 May 1904.
Adolphus Frederick and his brother Duke Karl Borwin are said to have agreed that Adolphus Frederick could devote his life to his painting, while Karl Borwin would marry and continue the dynasty. Ultimately, this could never be realised, as Karl Borwin was killed during a duel with Count George Jametel in 1908. Adolphus Frederick was subsequently reported to be engaged to various European princesses, including Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia
Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia
Victoria Louise of Prussia was the only daughter and the seventh child of William II, German Emperor and Empress Augusta Victoria. She was their last surviving child. Princess Victoria Louise is the maternal grandmother of Queen Sophie of Spain and the former King Constantine II of the Hellenes...
the only daughter of the German Emperor William II
William II, German Emperor
Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...
and his consort, Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein.
He succeeded as Grand Duke on his death of his father on 11 June 1914, a few months before the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Adolphus Frederick was reported to have married morganatically with attempts made to force him to divorce his wife and conduct an equal marriage but he was reported to have refused. From 1908 until his death ten years later, his mistress was the opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Mafalda Salvatini
Mafalda Salvatini
Mafalda Salvatini was an Italian opera singer who was primarily active in Germany during the first half of the 20th century. She excelled in the dramatic soprano repertoire of the Italian language and was one of the leading operatic sopranos in Berlin from 1908-1932...
. An Italian by birth but raised mainly in Paris, she was a star at the Berlin State Opera
Berlin State Opera
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden is a German opera company. Its permanent home is the opera house on the Unter den Linden boulevard in the Mitte district of Berlin, which also hosts the Staatskapelle Berlin orchestra.-Early years:...
and the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Deutsche Oper Berlin
The Deutsche Oper Berlin is an opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin, Germany. The resident building is also home to the Berlin State Ballet.-History:...
. Salvatini had two sons by Adolphus Frederick: Horst Gérard and the set and costume designer Rolf Gérard.
Death
On 23 February 1918 at NeustrelitzNeustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
, Adolphus Frederick committed suicide which left Mecklenburg-Strelitz facing a succession crisis, as the only surviving member of the Strelitz line, Duke Charles Michael of Mecklenburg was serving in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and had indicated that he wished to renounce his rights to Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1914. Although at Adolphus Frederick's request he later agreed to defer any renunciation until the matter arose. There was also a morganatic male-line relative, Duke Charles Michael's nephew George, Count of Carlow (1899–1963), but as Charles Michael was in Russia Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin became regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
and remained such until the end of the German monarchies when the government in Strelitz declared the end of the regency. Friedrich Franz IV received confirmation from Charles Michael that he wished to renounce his succession rights although this only arrived in 1919 after the abolition of the monarchies and the establishment of the Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
The Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a state of the Weimar Republic established in 1918 following the German Revolution which had overthrown the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
.
Adolphus' fortune had been amassed by his grandfather and was estimated at 30 million Marks. In his will, he left his whole fortune to Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin's second son Duke Christian Ludwig
Duke Christian Louis of Mecklenburg
Duke Christian Louis of Mecklenburg was the second son of the last reigning Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Frederick Francis IV.-Early life:...
(1912–96). He did this on the condition that Christian agree to become Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and take up residence in Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
; otherwise the inheritance would be reduced to 3 million Marks
Marks
Marks , also spelled Marx, named after Karl Marx, is a town in Saratov Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Saratov. Population: It was founded in 1767 as a Volga German community called Baronsk . It was soon renamed Yekaterinenshtadt , after Catherine the Great. In 1918, it was granted town...
.
Titles
- 17 June 1882 – 30 May 1904: His Highness The Hereditary Prince of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 30 May 1904 – 11 June 1914: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 11 June 1914 – 23 February 1918: His Royal Highness The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg, Prince of Wenden, Schwerin and Ratzeburg, Count of Schwerin, Lord of the Lands of Rostock and Stargard