Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia (German: Louis Ferdinand Victor Eduard Adalbert Michael Hubertus Prinz von Preußen; 9 November 1907 – 26 September 1994) was a member of the princely House of Hohenzollern, which occupied the Prussian and German thrones, until the abolition of those monarchies in 1918. He was also noteworthy as a businessman and patron of the arts.
Louis Ferdinand was born in Potsdam as the third in succession to the throne of the German Empire, after his father, German Crown Prince William and elder brother Prince Wilhelm of Prussia. The monarchy was abolished after Germany's revolution in 1918. When Louis Ferdinand's older brother Prince Wilhelm renounced his succession rights to marry a member of the untitled nobility in 1933 (he was later to be killed in action in France in 1940 while fighting in the German army), Louis Ferdinand replaced him as second in the line of succession to the defunct German and Prussian thrones after the former Crown Prince.
Louis Ferdinand was educated in Berlin and deviated from his family's tradition by not pursuing a military career. Instead, he travelled extensively and settled for some time in Detroit, where he befriended Henry Ford and became acquainted with Franklin D. Roosevelt, among others. He held a great interest in engineering. Recalled from the United States upon his brother's renunciation of the throne, he became involved in the German aviation industry, but was barred by Hitler from taking any active part in German military activities.
Louis Ferdinand dissociated himself from the Nazis after this. He was not involved in the 20 July plot against Hitler in 1944 but was interrogated by the Gestapo immediately afterwards. He was released shortly afterwards.[1]
He married his second cousin once removed, Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia, in 1938 in first a Russian Orthodox ceremony in Potsdam and then a Lutheran ceremony in Huis Doorn, Netherlands.[2] Kira was the second daughter of Grand Duke Kyril Vladimirovich and Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The couple had four sons and three daughters. His two eldest sons both renounced their succession rights in order to marry commoners. His third son and heir apparent, Prince Louis Ferdinand, died in 1977 during military maneuvers, and thus his one-year-old grandson Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (son of Prince Louis Ferdinand) became the new heir apparent to the defunct Prussian and German Imperial throne. Upon Louis Ferdinand's death in 1994, Georg Friedrich became the pretender to the defunct thrones and head of the Hohenzollern family. After the reunification of Germany, Louis Ferdinand arranged to have the remains of several Hohenzollern members reinterred at the imperial vault in Potsdam.
The prince was a popular figure. In 1968 Der Spiegel reported that in a survey of their readers by Quick magazine about who would be the most honorable person to become President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Louis Ferdinand, the only one of twelve candidates who was not a politician, won with 39.8% before Carlo Schmid and Ludwig Erhard.[3] In a similar survey by the tabloid Bild, readers chose Louis Ferdinand by 55.6%.[3] In an interview with Quick, the prince indicated that he might accept the presidency but would not relinquish his claim to the imperial or Prussian crowns.[3]
Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern, a member of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, is his godson.
louis, ferdinand, prince, prussia, confused, with, prince, louis, ferdinand, prussia, 1772, 1806, german, louis, ferdinand, victor, eduard, adalbert, michael, hubertus, prinz, preußen, november, 1907, september, 1994, member, princely, house, hohenzollern, whi. Not to be confused with Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia 1772 1806 Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia German Louis Ferdinand Victor Eduard Adalbert Michael Hubertus Prinz von Preussen 9 November 1907 26 September 1994 was a member of the princely House of Hohenzollern which occupied the Prussian and German thrones until the abolition of those monarchies in 1918 He was also noteworthy as a businessman and patron of the arts Louis FerdinandPrince Louis Ferdinand c 1930Head of the House of Hohenzollern and Prince of PrussiaTenure20 July 1951 26 September 1994PredecessorWilhelmSuccessorGeorg FriedrichBorn 1907 11 09 9 November 1907Marmorpalais Potsdam German EmpireDied26 September 1994 1994 09 26 aged 86 Bremen GermanyBurial1 October 1994Hohenzollern Castle Baden Wurttemberg GermanySpouseGrand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia m 1938 died 1967 wbr IssuePrince Friedrich Wilhelm Prince Michael Princess Marie Cecile Princess Kira Prince Louis Ferdinand Prince Christian Sigismund Princess XeniaNamesLouis Ferdinand Victor Eduard Adalbert Michael Hubertus Prinz von PreussenHouseHohenzollernFatherCrown Prince Wilhelm of GermanyMotherDuchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg Schwerin Contents 1 Biography 2 Ancestry 3 Notes 4 External linksBiography EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed November 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message Louis Ferdinand was born in Potsdam as the third in succession to the throne of the German Empire after his father German Crown Prince William and elder brother Prince Wilhelm of Prussia The monarchy was abolished after Germany s revolution in 1918 When Louis Ferdinand s older brother Prince Wilhelm renounced his succession rights to marry a member of the untitled nobility in 1933 he was later to be killed in action in France in 1940 while fighting in the German army Louis Ferdinand replaced him as second in the line of succession to the defunct German and Prussian thrones after the former Crown Prince Louis Ferdinand was educated in Berlin and deviated from his family s tradition by not pursuing a military career Instead he travelled extensively and settled for some time in Detroit where he befriended Henry Ford and became acquainted with Franklin D Roosevelt among others He held a great interest in engineering Recalled from the United States upon his brother s renunciation of the throne he became involved in the German aviation industry but was barred by Hitler from taking any active part in German military activities Louis Ferdinand dissociated himself from the Nazis after this He was not involved in the 20 July plot against Hitler in 1944 but was interrogated by the Gestapo immediately afterwards He was released shortly afterwards 1 He married his second cousin once removed Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia in 1938 in first a Russian Orthodox ceremony in Potsdam and then a Lutheran ceremony in Huis Doorn Netherlands 2 Kira was the second daughter of Grand Duke Kyril Vladimirovich and Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe Coburg and Gotha The couple had four sons and three daughters His two eldest sons both renounced their succession rights in order to marry commoners His third son and heir apparent Prince Louis Ferdinand died in 1977 during military maneuvers and thus his one year old grandson Georg Friedrich Prince of Prussia son of Prince Louis Ferdinand became the new heir apparent to the defunct Prussian and German Imperial throne Upon Louis Ferdinand s death in 1994 Georg Friedrich became the pretender to the defunct thrones and head of the Hohenzollern family After the reunification of Germany Louis Ferdinand arranged to have the remains of several Hohenzollern members reinterred at the imperial vault in Potsdam The prince was a popular figure In 1968 Der Spiegel reported that in a survey of their readers by Quick magazine about who would be the most honorable person to become President of the Federal Republic of Germany Louis Ferdinand the only one of twelve candidates who was not a politician won with 39 8 before Carlo Schmid and Ludwig Erhard 3 In a similar survey by the tabloid Bild readers chose Louis Ferdinand by 55 6 3 In an interview with Quick the prince indicated that he might accept the presidency but would not relinquish his claim to the imperial or Prussian crowns 3 Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern a member of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty Hohenzollern Sigmaringen is his godson Ancestry EditAncestors of Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia8 Frederick III German Emperor4 Wilhelm II German Emperor9 Victoria Princess Royal2 Wilhelm German Crown Prince10 Frederick VIII Duke of Schleswig Holstein5 Princess Augusta Victoria of Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg11 Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe Langenburg1 Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia12 Frederick Francis II Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin6 Frederick Francis III Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin13 Princess Augusta Reuss of Kostritz3 Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg Schwerin14 Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia7 Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia15 Princess Cecilie of BadenNotes Edit Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia The Rebel Prince Chicago Henry Reegnery 1952 306 324 Schultz Sigrid 1 May 1938 Wedding to Unite Royal Houses of Germany Russia Chicago Sunday Tribune p 18 a b c Otto Kohler 18 November 1968 Unverzichtbare Kaiserkrone Der Spiegel Retrieved 15 July 2020 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia European Royal History entry on Prince Louis Ferdinand Genealogy of the House of Prussia at the Wayback Machine archived 28 October 2009 Newspaper clippings about Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBWLouis Ferdinand Prince of PrussiaHouse of HohenzollernBorn 9 November 1907 Died 26 September 1994Titles in pretencePreceded byCrown Prince Wilhelm TITULAR Prince of Prussia20 July 1951 26 September 1994Reason for succession failure Kingdom of Prussia abolished in 1918 Succeeded byPrince Georg Friedrich Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia amp oldid 1116182432, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
