Leo Löwenstein
Encyclopedia
Carl Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, better known by his racing alias Leonhard "Leo" Löwenstein (September 30, 1966 – April 24, 2010) was a German
prince and endurance race driver
participating in the VLN.
at the Nürburgring
.
overturned and hit a guardrail and the rear of his car went up in flames. He couldn't be extricated from the wreck and despite instant rescue efforts, he died at the accident scene of smoke inhalation
.
He is the seventh person to have died during the German Endurance Championship since 1977.
His aunt, Princess Marie Christine of Prussia, was killed in an auto accident in 1966, four months before his birth.
His funeral took place on 30 April 2010 at the family vault at the Engelberg Monastery in Großheubach
. The burial was preceded by a funeral service at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Kleinheubach.
, who became Hereditary Prince in 1990 upon the death of his grandfather. He was a great-great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria through descent from her eldest daughter, the German Empress Friedrich
(although as heir to the Roman Catholic branch of the Princely House of Lowenstein
he may have been barred by the Act of Settlement from eligibility for succession to the British throne).
He married Stephanie von Brenken (born 1970) in a civil ceremony on 16 May 1998 at Kleinheubach Castle, and in a religious ceremony on 8 August 1998 at Erpernburg Castle. The couple had four children:
Löwenstein and his family lived in the village of Laudenbach am Main
in Bavaria
, where they ran a vineyard.
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...
prince and endurance race driver
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
participating in the VLN.
Career
Löwenstein drove his first race 2006 in the ADAC "Chevy" Egons 500 in the Nordschleife GP in a Porsche 911Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
.
Death
During the third round of the VLN-long-distance championship of 2010, his Aston Martin V8 VantageAston Martin Racing
Aston Martin Racing is an auto racing team established in 2004 as a partnership between automobile manufacturer Aston Martin and engineering group Prodrive. The partnership was initially created for the purpose of returning Aston Martin to sports car racing with the DBR9, a heavily modified...
overturned and hit a guardrail and the rear of his car went up in flames. He couldn't be extricated from the wreck and despite instant rescue efforts, he died at the accident scene of smoke inhalation
Smoke inhalation
Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of death in victims of indoor fires.Smoke inhalation injury refers to injury due to inhalation or exposure to hot gaseous products of combustion. This can cause serious respiratory complications....
.
He is the seventh person to have died during the German Endurance Championship since 1977.
His aunt, Princess Marie Christine of Prussia, was killed in an auto accident in 1966, four months before his birth.
His funeral took place on 30 April 2010 at the family vault at the Engelberg Monastery in Großheubach
Großheubach
Großheubach is a market community in the Miltenberg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.- Location :...
. The burial was preceded by a funeral service at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Kleinheubach.
Personal life
Löwenstein was the eldest son and heir to Alois-Konstantin, 9th Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-RosenbergAlois-Konstantin, 9th Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
Alois-Konstantin, Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, full German name: Alois Konstantin Karl Eduard Joseph Johann Konrad Antonius Gerhard Georg Benediktus Pius Eusebius Maria, Fürst zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg is a German businessman and since 1990 the head of the high-noble House of...
, who became Hereditary Prince in 1990 upon the death of his grandfather. He was a great-great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria through descent from her eldest daughter, the German Empress Friedrich
Victoria, Princess Royal
The Princess Victoria, Princess Royal was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert. She was created Princess Royal of the United Kingdom in 1841. She became German Empress and Queen of Prussia by marriage to German Emperor Frederick III...
(although as heir to the Roman Catholic branch of the Princely House of Lowenstein
Löwenstein-Wertheim
Löwenstein-Wertheim was a county of the Holy Roman Empire, part of the Franconian Circle. It was formed from the counties of Löwenstein and Wertheim ....
he may have been barred by the Act of Settlement from eligibility for succession to the British throne).
He married Stephanie von Brenken (born 1970) in a civil ceremony on 16 May 1998 at Kleinheubach Castle, and in a religious ceremony on 8 August 1998 at Erpernburg Castle. The couple had four children:
- HSH Princess Augustina Sophia Carolina Dominique Anastasia Rosa Kiliana Margarethe Maria, born 8 July 1999 in OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, - HSH Hereditary Prince Nicodemus Hieronymus Alois Georg Hubertus Mario Hugo Eusebius MariaNicodemus, Hereditary Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-RosenbergNicodemus, Hereditary Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg is the heir to the House of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.-Family:...
, born 2 August 2001 in Oslo, - HSH Prince Laurentius Christophorus Alois Georg Andreas Benediktus Carl Hubertus Fatima Maria, born 13 February 2006 in Frankfurt,
- HSH Princess Kiliana, born 23 May 2008 in Frankfurt.
Löwenstein and his family lived in the village of Laudenbach am Main
Laudenbach, Bavaria
Laudenbach is a community in the Miltenberg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Kleinheubach.- Location :...
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, where they ran a vineyard.