Prince Friedrich Sigismund of Prussia (1891–1927)
Encyclopedia
Prince Joachim Viktor Wilhelm Leopold Friedrich Sigismund of Prussia (17 December 1895 – 27 July 1927) was a German WWI fighter pilot and member of the House of Hohenzollern
. He was the son of Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia
and Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
, married in 1916.
and his wife Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
on 17 December 1895. He was their second child and eldest son; his siblings would come to include Princess Victoria Margaret, Prince Friedrich Karl, and Prince Friedrich Leopold.
Like some other Hohenzollerns like Prince Heinrich of Prussia
, Friedrich was greatly interested in aviation
. In 1911, he began building an aeroplane at Glenicke Castle, with the hopes of trying it out the following spring. In 1917, he and his brother Friedrich Karl joined the German flying corps. Later that year, his brother would die from wounds received during the war.
They had two children:
estate, as well as at their estate at Glienicke Castle
near Potsdam
. He and his wife were great social favorites, and Friedrich was popular with the German people.
On 6 July 1927 at age 35 at Lucerne
, Switzerland
, Frederich Sigismund fell from a horse. He was riding in an international tournament; while doing a difficult jump, he fell and his foot got caught in a stirrup. Before he was able to free himself, the horse trod his chest multiple times, breaking five ribs and causing other injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died the following day from his injuries.
His body was brought back to Potsdam, where a ceremonial funeral was held. Important members of the Hohenzollern dynasty attended, including former Crown Prince Wilhelm and his brother Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia
. He was buried at Glienicke Palace
, next to his sister Princess Victoria Margaret of Prussia.
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...
. He was the son of Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia
Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia
Joachim Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Leopold Prinz von Preußen was a son of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau, married in 1854.- Family :On 24 June 1889 he married in Berlin Princess Louise Sophie of...
and Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg was a daughter of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.-Family:Louise was the sixth child and third daughter of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and his wife Princess...
, married in 1916.
Early life
At Glenicke Castle, Prince Joachim Viktor Wilhelm Leopold Friedrich Sigismund was born to Prince Friedrich Leopold of PrussiaPrince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia
Joachim Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Leopold Prinz von Preußen was a son of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau, married in 1854.- Family :On 24 June 1889 he married in Berlin Princess Louise Sophie of...
and his wife Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg was a daughter of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.-Family:Louise was the sixth child and third daughter of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and his wife Princess...
on 17 December 1895. He was their second child and eldest son; his siblings would come to include Princess Victoria Margaret, Prince Friedrich Karl, and Prince Friedrich Leopold.
Like some other Hohenzollerns like Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Henry of Prussia was a younger brother of German Emperor William II and a Prince of Prussia...
, Friedrich was greatly interested in aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
. In 1911, he began building an aeroplane at Glenicke Castle, with the hopes of trying it out the following spring. In 1917, he and his brother Friedrich Karl joined the German flying corps. Later that year, his brother would die from wounds received during the war.
Marriage and issue
On April 27, 1916 he married at Jagdschloss Klein-Glienicke in Berlin Princess Marie Louise of Schaumburg-Lippe (8 April, a daughter of Prince Friedrich of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Louise of Denmark.They had two children:
- Louise Victoria Margaret Antoinette Sieglinde Alexandrine Stephanie Thyra (1917-2009), married Hans Reinhold.
- Friedrich Karl Viktor Stefan Christian (1919-2006), married Lady Hermione Mary Morton Stuart and secondly Adelheid von Bockum-Dolffs.
Death
He and his wife were great lovers of riding and horses, and he was considered one of the best horsemen in Germany. The couple spent most of their time raising and training horses at their MecklenburgMecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
estate, as well as at their estate at Glienicke Castle
Glienicke Palace
Glienicke Palace is located on the Island of Berlin-Wannsee, near the Glienicke Bridge, on the B1 across from the Glienicke Hunting Lodge. It was designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for Prince Carl of Prussia in 1826, The building, originally merely a cottage, was turned into a summer palace in...
near Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
. He and his wife were great social favorites, and Friedrich was popular with the German people.
On 6 July 1927 at age 35 at Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Frederich Sigismund fell from a horse. He was riding in an international tournament; while doing a difficult jump, he fell and his foot got caught in a stirrup. Before he was able to free himself, the horse trod his chest multiple times, breaking five ribs and causing other injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died the following day from his injuries.
His body was brought back to Potsdam, where a ceremonial funeral was held. Important members of the Hohenzollern dynasty attended, including former Crown Prince Wilhelm and his brother Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia
Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia
Prince Eitel Friedrich was the second son of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein...
. He was buried at Glienicke Palace
Glienicke Palace
Glienicke Palace is located on the Island of Berlin-Wannsee, near the Glienicke Bridge, on the B1 across from the Glienicke Hunting Lodge. It was designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for Prince Carl of Prussia in 1826, The building, originally merely a cottage, was turned into a summer palace in...
, next to his sister Princess Victoria Margaret of Prussia.
Regimental Commissions
- 1. Garderegiment zu Fuß (1st Regiment of Foot Guards), Leutnant à la suite from 1901; Leutnant by 1908.
- 2. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Königin Viktoria von Preußen Nr. 2, Rittmeister (captain of cavalry), during World War One
- Fliegerabteilung 22 (aerial observer squadron), 1917–1918
Chivalric Orders
- Knight, Order of the Black EagleOrder of the Black EagleThe Order of the Black Eagle was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg . In his Dutch exile after WWI, deposed Emperor Wilhelm II continued to award the order to his family...
, 1901
- Knight Grand Cross (with Crown), Order of the Red EagleOrder of the Red EagleThe Order of the Red Eagle was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements...
, 1901
- Knight, First Class, Prussian Crown OrderOrder of the Crown (Prussia)The Order of the Crown was Prussia's lowest ranking order of chivalry. Instituted in 1861 as an award equal in rank to the Order of the Red Eagle, it could only be awarded to commissioned officers , but there was a medal associated with the order which could be earned by non-commissioned officers...
, 1901
- Knight Grand Commander, Royal House Order of HohenzollernHouse Order of HohenzollernThe House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
, ca 1901
Military Decorations (1914-1918)
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
, Second Class
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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
- Flugzeugführerabzeichen (Pilot's qualification badge)
Ancestry
Sources
- Zivkovic, Georg: Heer- und Flottenführer der Welt. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1971 S. 427-428 ISBN 3-7648-0666-4
- C. Arnold McNaughton: The Book of Kings: A Royal Genealogy, in 3 volumes (London, U.K.: Garnstone Press, 1973), volume 1, page 67.