Hermine Reuss
Encyclopedia
Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (17 December 1887 Greiz
, Germany
- 7 August 1947 Frankfurt (Oder)
, Germany
) was the second wife of Wilhelm II, German Emperor (1859–1941), and as such used the titles of German Empress and Queen of Prussia.
(28 July 1852 – 28 September 1891) the daughter of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe
. Her father was the ruler of the Reuss Elder Line
principality, in what is present day Thuringia
, Germany
. Henry XXII was an implacable enemy of Prince Bismarck. Princess Hermine's brother later became Henry XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz
.
to Prince Johann George Ludwig Ferdinand August of Schönaich-Carolath
(11 September 1873 – 7 April 1920).
They were the parents to five children:
In January 1922, a son of Princess Hermine sent birthday wishes to the German Emperor Wilhelm, who then invited the boy and his mother to Doorn
. Wilhelm found Hermine very attractive, and greatly enjoyed her company. The two had much in common, both being recently widowed: Hermine just over a year and a half before, and Wilhelm only nine months prior.
By early 1922, Wilhelm was determined to marry Hermine. Despite grumblings from Wilhelm's monarchist supporters and the objections of his children, 63-year-old Wilhelm and 34-year-old Hermine married on 5 November 1922 in Doorn
. By all accounts, it was a happy marriage. Hermine's first husband had also been older than she was, by fourteen years.
In 1927 Hermine wrote An Empress in Exile: My Days in Doorn, an account of her life up to that time. Hermine remained a constant companion to the aging emperor until his death in 1941. They had no children.
, married Wilhelm's grandson, Prince Joachim's
son, Prince Karl Franz
, (Emperor Wilhelm's stepdaughter and grandson respectively) in 1940.
After the death of Wilhelm II in 1941, Hermine returned to Germany. She lived on her first husband's estate in Silesia
until 1945. After the Second World War, Hermine was held under house arrest
at Frankfurt an der Oder in the Soviet Zone of Germany.
She died aged 59 at the Paulinenhof Internment Camp near Brandenburg
in August 1947. She was buried in the Antique Temple
in Potsdam.
Greiz
Greiz is a town in Thuringia, and it is the capital of the district of Greiz. Greiz is situated in eastern Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- 7 August 1947 Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Oder River, on the German-Polish border directly opposite the town of Słubice which was a part of Frankfurt until 1945. At the end of the 1980s it reached a population peak with more than 87,000 inhabitants...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) was the second wife of Wilhelm II, German Emperor (1859–1941), and as such used the titles of German Empress and Queen of Prussia.
Early life
Princess Hermine was the daughter of Heinrich XXII, Prince Reuss of Greiz (28 March 1846 – 19 April 1902), and Princess Ida Mathilde Adelheid of Schaumburg-LippePrincess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe
Princess Ida Matilda Adelaide of Schaumburg-Lippe was the consort of Heinrich XXII, Prince Reuss of Greiz from 1872 until her death...
(28 July 1852 – 28 September 1891) the daughter of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe
Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe
Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe was a ruler of the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe.-Biography:He was born in Bückeburg to Georg Wilhelm, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Ida of Waldeck and Pyrmont ....
. Her father was the ruler of the Reuss Elder Line
Reuss Elder Line
The Principality of Reuss Elder Line was a state in Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Counts Reuss of Greiz, Lower- and Upper Greiz , were elevated to princely status in 1778. Its members bore the title Prince Reuss, Elder Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz...
principality, in what is present day Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Henry XXII was an implacable enemy of Prince Bismarck. Princess Hermine's brother later became Henry XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz
Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz
Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz was the last reigning Prince Reuss of Greiz from 1902 to 1918. Then he became Head of the House Reuss of Greiz which became extinct at his death in 1927.-Early life:...
.
First marriage
Hermine was married, on 7 January 1907 in GreizGreiz
Greiz is a town in Thuringia, and it is the capital of the district of Greiz. Greiz is situated in eastern Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster....
to Prince Johann George Ludwig Ferdinand August of Schönaich-Carolath
Siedlisko, Nowa Sól County
Siedlisko is a village on the Oder river in Nowa Sól County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Siedlisko...
(11 September 1873 – 7 April 1920).
They were the parents to five children:
- Prince Hans Georg Heinrich Ludwig Friedrich Hermann Ferdinand (3 November 1907 – 9 August 1943, married Sibylle, Baroness of Zedlitz and Leipe), Killed in ActionKilled in actionKilled in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
in RussiaRussiaRussia 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...
during WWII - Prince Georg Wilhelm (16 March 1909 – 1 November 1927, died unmarried)
- Princess Hermine Caroline Wanda Ida Luise Feodora Viktoria Auguste (born 9 May 1910, married Hugo Herbert Hartung)
- Prince Ferdinand Johann Georg Hermann Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm Friedrich August (5 April 1913 – 17 October 1973, married Rose Rauch and Margret, Baroness of Seckendorff)
- Princess Henriette Hermine Wanda Ida LuisePrincess Henriette of Schönaich-CarolathPrincess Henriette of Schönaich-Carolath was the youngest daughter of Prince Johann Georg von Schoenaich-Carolath and Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, second wife of Wilhelm II, German Emperor.-Early life:...
(25 November 1918 – 16 March 1972, married Prince Karl Franz of PrussiaPrince Karl Franz of PrussiaPrince Karl Franz of Prussia was the only child of Prince Joachim of Prussia and his wife Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt...
)
Marriage to Ex-Emperor Wilhelm II
Doorn
Doorn is a town in the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. On 1 January 2008 the town had 10,052 inhabitants.-History:...
. Wilhelm found Hermine very attractive, and greatly enjoyed her company. The two had much in common, both being recently widowed: Hermine just over a year and a half before, and Wilhelm only nine months prior.
By early 1922, Wilhelm was determined to marry Hermine. Despite grumblings from Wilhelm's monarchist supporters and the objections of his children, 63-year-old Wilhelm and 34-year-old Hermine married on 5 November 1922 in Doorn
Doorn
Doorn is a town in the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. On 1 January 2008 the town had 10,052 inhabitants.-History:...
. By all accounts, it was a happy marriage. Hermine's first husband had also been older than she was, by fourteen years.
In 1927 Hermine wrote An Empress in Exile: My Days in Doorn, an account of her life up to that time. Hermine remained a constant companion to the aging emperor until his death in 1941. They had no children.
Later life
Hermine's daughter, HenriettePrincess Henriette of Schönaich-Carolath
Princess Henriette of Schönaich-Carolath was the youngest daughter of Prince Johann Georg von Schoenaich-Carolath and Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, second wife of Wilhelm II, German Emperor.-Early life:...
, married Wilhelm's grandson, Prince Joachim's
Prince Joachim of Prussia
Prince Joachim Franz Humbert of Prussia was the youngest son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein.-Candidate for thrones:...
son, Prince Karl Franz
Prince Karl Franz of Prussia
Prince Karl Franz of Prussia was the only child of Prince Joachim of Prussia and his wife Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt...
, (Emperor Wilhelm's stepdaughter and grandson respectively) in 1940.
After the death of Wilhelm II in 1941, Hermine returned to Germany. She lived on her first husband's estate in 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...
until 1945. After the Second World War, Hermine was held under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
at Frankfurt an der Oder in the Soviet Zone of Germany.
She died aged 59 at the Paulinenhof Internment Camp near Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
in August 1947. She was buried in the Antique Temple
Antique Temple
The Antique Temple is a small round temple in the west part of Sanssouci Park in Potsdam. Frederick the Great had the building constructed to house his collection of antique artifacts, coins and antique gems. Carl von Gontard created the building in 1768/69 near the New Palace north of the...
in Potsdam.
Titles from birth to death
Although Wilhem was no longer a reigning monarch at the time of his marriage, he continued to use his titles. Hermine was given the titles of German Empress and Queen of Prussia. By tradition, women were entitled to royal titles, styles and rank of their husbands if their statuses before marriage were considered equal. As Hermine was born in a sovereign house, the marriage complied with the laws of the Prussian nobility. Her titles by birth, marriage and courtesy, were:- Her Serene Highness Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (1887–1907)
- Her Serene Highness Princess Hermine of Schönaich-Carolath (1907–1922)
- Her Imperial & Royal Majesty The German Empress, Queen of Prussia (1922–1941)
- Her Imperial & Royal Majesty The Dowager German Empress, Dowager Queen of Prussia (1941–1947)