Georg, Crown Prince of Saxony
Encyclopedia
Georg, Crown Prince of Saxony, (commonly called Crown Prince George), (15 January 1893 – 14 May 1943) the last Crown Prince
of Saxony, was the heir to the King of Saxony, Frederick Augustus III
, at the time of the monarchy's abolition on 13 November 1918.
, Saxony
, Germany. During the First World War he served in combat and suffered a serious leg injury during the first months of the war. In 1915, Kaiser Wilhelm II granted Georg the Iron Cross
first class "in recognition of the services he rendered in the latest battles."
In the spring of 1918, newspapers announced the prince's engagement to Duchess Marie Amelia, daughter of Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg
, the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Württemberg
. The end of the Saxon monarchy and the prince's desire to become a priest apparently led to the end of the engagement. The duchess died unmarried in 1923.
In 1918, shortly after his father's abdication, Georg entered the Franciscan
Order. Finding the Franciscan life too intellectually limiting, Georg soon applied to transfer to the Jesuits instead. In 1923, he renounced his rights to the Saxon throne to become Father George a Jesuit priest
.
After his ordination, the prince was generally known as Father Georg (Father George) and used the last name von Sachsen. He worked in Berlin where he was credited with protecting Jews
from the Nazi regime in notable contrast to his pro-Nazi brothers-in-law, Prince Frederich of Hohenzollern
and Prince Franz Joseph of Hohenzolllern-Emden.
The former prince died on 14 May 1943 apparently while swimming in the Groß-Glienicke lake in Berlin, Germany. Georg's diary was found on the lakeshore with a final Latin
entry reading "Vado ad patrem," which is the Latin version of a phrase Jesus
frequently spoke to his disciples in the Gospel of John
and means "I go to the Father" or "I go to my Father." Georg's body was found several weeks after his death and the autopsy determined that he died after suffering a heart attack.
On the day of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's attempted assassination of Adolph Hitler using an explosive device hidden within a satchel Crown Prince George was photographed holding said satchel and standing behind Field Marshal Rommel, who had entered empty-handed. The satchel bears the inscription J A G von Sachsen and was given to Father George by his mother at a young age; the inscription is clearly visible. As Field Marshal Rommel enters the meeting place for the assassination attempt on Hitler he is photographed carrying Father George's satchel adding speculation to Gestapo involvement in his death.
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of Saxony, was the heir to the King of Saxony, Frederick Augustus III
Frederick Augustus III of Saxony
This article is about King Frederick Augustus III of Saxony. For the elector Frederick Augustus III, see Frederick Augustus I of Saxony.Frederick Augustus III was the last King of Saxony and a member of the House of Wettin.Born in Dresden, Frederick Augustus was the son of King George of Saxony...
, at the time of the monarchy's abolition on 13 November 1918.
Life
The prince was born on 15 January 1893 in DresdenDresden
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....
, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, Germany. During the First World War he served in combat and suffered a serious leg injury during the first months of the war. In 1915, Kaiser Wilhelm II granted Georg the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
first class "in recognition of the services he rendered in the latest battles."
In the spring of 1918, newspapers announced the prince's engagement to Duchess Marie Amelia, daughter of Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg
Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg
Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg or Albrecht Herzog von Württemberg was a German Generalfeldmarschall and head of the Royal House of Württemberg...
, the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
. The end of the Saxon monarchy and the prince's desire to become a priest apparently led to the end of the engagement. The duchess died unmarried in 1923.
In 1918, shortly after his father's abdication, Georg entered the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Order. Finding the Franciscan life too intellectually limiting, Georg soon applied to transfer to the Jesuits instead. In 1923, he renounced his rights to the Saxon throne to become Father George a Jesuit priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
.
After his ordination, the prince was generally known as Father Georg (Father George) and used the last name von Sachsen. He worked in Berlin where he was credited with protecting Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
from the Nazi regime in notable contrast to his pro-Nazi brothers-in-law, Prince Frederich of Hohenzollern
Friedrich, Prince of Hohenzollern
Frederick, Prince of Hohenzollern He was the eldest son of William, Prince of Hohenzollern and Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies...
and Prince Franz Joseph of Hohenzolllern-Emden.
The former prince died on 14 May 1943 apparently while swimming in the Groß-Glienicke lake in Berlin, Germany. Georg's diary was found on the lakeshore with a final Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
entry reading "Vado ad patrem," which is the Latin version of a phrase Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
frequently spoke to his disciples in the Gospel of John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
and means "I go to the Father" or "I go to my Father." Georg's body was found several weeks after his death and the autopsy determined that he died after suffering a heart attack.
On the day of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's attempted assassination of Adolph Hitler using an explosive device hidden within a satchel Crown Prince George was photographed holding said satchel and standing behind Field Marshal Rommel, who had entered empty-handed. The satchel bears the inscription J A G von Sachsen and was given to Father George by his mother at a young age; the inscription is clearly visible. As Field Marshal Rommel enters the meeting place for the assassination attempt on Hitler he is photographed carrying Father George's satchel adding speculation to Gestapo involvement in his death.
Titles and styles
- 15 January 1893 – 15 October 1904: His Royal Highness Prince Georg of Saxony, Duke of Saxony
- 15 October 1904–1923: His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Saxony, Duke of Saxony
- 1923 - 14 May 1943: Pater Georg Prinz von Sachen