Friedrich Wilhelm Victor August Ernst (6 May 1882 – 20 July 1951) of the House of Hohenzollern was the last Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire. He was colloquially known as Wilhelm or William. Crown Prince Wilhelm von Hohenzollern, from nl:Image:KPWilhelm. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Potsdam is the capital city of the federal state of Brandenburg in Germany. ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Burg Hohenzollern Hechingen is a town in the Zollernalbkreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ... Motto: Suum cuique Latin: To each his own Prussia at its peak, as leading state of the German Empire Capital Königsberg, later Berlin Political structure Duchy, Kingdom, Republic Duke1  - 1525–68 Albert I  - 1688–1701 Frederick III King1  - 1701–13 Frederick I  - 1888–1918 William II Prime Minister1,2... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... William II or Wilhelm II (born Friedrich Wilhelm Albert Viktor von Preußen; English: Frederick William Albert Victor of Prussia) (27 January 1859–4 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia (German: Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preußen), ruling both the German Empire and... The House of Hohenzollern is a German dynasty of electors, kings, and emperors of Prussia, Germany, and Romania. ... Wilhelm II of Prussia and Germany, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Hohenzollern (January 27, 1859 - June 4, 1941) was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and the last King (König) of Prussia from 1888 - 1918. ... Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein (October 22, 1858 - April 11, 1921), was the last German Empress and Queen of Prussia. ... Portrait of Cecilie, German Crown Princess Duchess Cecilie Auguste Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (20 September 1886 at Schwerin, Germany–6 May 1954 at Bad Kissingen, Germany) was the wife of German Crown Prince Wilhelm, the son of German Emperor Wilhelm II. She was the daughter of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz... Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (German: Louis Ferdinand Viktor Eduard Albert Michael Hubertus Prinz von Preussen) (November 9, 1907 - September 26, 1994), a member of the Hohenzollern family, was the pretender to the abolished German monarchy, opponent of the National Socialist German Workers Party in Germany, a business man, and... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Hohenzollern redirects here. ... A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. ... Anthem Preußenlied, Heil dir im Siegerkranz (both unofficial) The Kingdom of Prussia at its greatest extent, at the time of the formation of the German Empire, 1871 Capital Berlin Government Monarchy King  - 1701 — 1713 Frederick I (first)  - 1888 — 1918 William II (last) Prime minister  - 1848 Adolf Heinrich von Arnim... Motto Gott mit Uns (German: God with us”) Anthem Heil dir im Siegerkranz (unofficial) Territory of the German Empire in 1914, prior to World War I Capital Berlin Language(s) Official: German Unofficial minority languages: Danish, French, Frisian, Polish, Sorbian Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor  - 1871–1888 William I  - 1888 Frederick...

Biography

Painting of Wilhelm by Johannes Martini, ca. 1905.

Wilhelm was born in the Marble Palace of Potsdam in the Province of Brandenburg. He was the eldest son of William II, German Emperor (1859-1941) and his first wife Princess Augusta of Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderburg-Augustenburg (1858-1921). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Johannes Martini (9 June 1866 – 7 February 1935) was a German oil painter and graphic artist. ... Potsdam is the capital city of the federal state of Brandenburg in Germany. ... The Province of Brandenburg (German: ) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946. ... William II or Wilhelm II (born Friedrich Wilhelm Albert Viktor von Preußen; English: Frederick William Albert Victor of Prussia) (27 January 1859–4 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia (German: Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preußen), ruling both the German Empire and... Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein (October 22, 1858 - April 11, 1921), was the last German Empress and Queen of Prussia. ...

As a young man, the Crown Prince grew up within militaristic circles. He had received little command experience when he was given charge of the 5th Army in August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I. He led this Army until November 1916, and his command included the period of the Verdun Offensive. Since April 1916 he tried in vain to convince the suppreme command that this battle made no longer any sense. Only on the 2. of September his wish was fulfilled. “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants France German Empire Commanders Philippe Pétain Robert Nivelle Erich von Falkenhayn Strength About 30,000 on 21 February 1916 About 150,000 on 21 February 1916 Casualties 378,000; of whom 120,000 died. ...

After outbreak of the German Revolution in 1918, both Emperor William II and the Crown Prince signed the document of abdication. The Crown Prince went into exile to the isle of Wieringen, in the Netherlands. In 1923, he returned to Germany after giving assurances that he would no longer engage in politics. The former Crown Prince held some political ambitions, and was reportedly interested in the idea of running for Reichspräsident as the right-wing candidate opposed to Paul von Hindenburg in 1932, until his father forbade the idea.^{[citation needed]} Karl Liebknecht on 9 November 1918 in the Berliner Tiergarten Statue of a revolutionary soldier, memorial to the German Revolution of 1918-1919 in East Berlin. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with President of Germany. ... Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg, known universally as Paul von Hindenburg (2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a German field marshal and statesman. ...

The Crown Prince supported Hitler for some time, hoping and announcing in public that this man would do for Germany what Mussolini had done for Italy - making an end to all socialistic influence. He had connections with some organizations, more than loosely connected with the Nazi Party and allowed himself to be used by the Nazi government in various symbolic actions.^{[citation needed]}. After the murder of his friend, the former Chancellot Kurt von Schleicher in the Night of the Long Knives (1934), he retreated from all political activities. Most of his efforts from 1919 until 1934 had been directed to make a return of the Hohenzollern on the throne again a real option and he had assumed that Hitler would give this idea his support. The Nazi Party (German: , or NSDAP, English: National Socialist German Workers Party), was a far-right, racist political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

Wilhelm lived as a private citizen on his family's estates throughout World War II. Upon his father's death in 1941 Wilhelm succeeded him as head of the House of Hohenzollern, the German imperial family. In 1951, the former Crown Prince died of a heart attack in Hechingen, in the ancestral lands of his family in Swabia, as the family's estates in Brandenburg had been seized by the Soviet Union. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Hohenzollern redirects here. ... Burg Hohenzollern Hechingen is a town in the Zollernalbkreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ... Germany. ...   (Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of Germanys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states). ...

Family and children

Wilhelm married Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (20 September 1886 - 6 May 1954) in Berlin on 6 June 1905. Cecilie was the daughter of Grand Duke Frederick Francis III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1851-1897) and his wife, Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia (1860-1922). Their eldest son, Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, was killed fighting for the German Army in France in 1940. Portrait of Cecilie, German Crown Princess Duchess Cecilie Auguste Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (20 September 1886 at Schwerin, Germany–6 May 1954 at Bad Kissingen, Germany) was the wife of German Crown Prince Wilhelm, the son of German Emperor Wilhelm II. She was the daughter of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Location of Berlin within Germany / EU Coordinates Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DE3 City subdivisions 12 boroughs Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit (SPD) Governing parties SPD / Left. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Friedrich Franz III Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (19 March 1851 – 10 April 1897) was the penultimate Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. ... Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a Duchy (from 1815 a Grand Duchy) in northeastern Germany, formed by a partition of the Duchy of Mecklenburg. ... Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia (Russian: ; July 28, 1860 – March 11, 1922) was a daughter of Grand Duke Michael Nicolaievich of Russia; she married Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. ... The German Army (German: Heer, [IPA: heɐ]  ) is the land component of the Bundeswehr (Federal Defence Forces) of the Federal Republic of Germany. ...

Their children were:

• Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (1906-1940), who renounced his succession right.
  • Princess Felicitas of Prussia (born 1934)
  • Princess Christa of Prussia (born 1936)
• Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1907-1994)
• Prince Hubertus of Prussia (1909-1950)
  • Princess Anastasia of Prussia (born 1944)
  • Princess Marie-Christine of Prussia (1947-1966)
• Prince Frederick of Prussia (1911-1966)
  • Prince Frederick Nicholas of Prussia (born 1946)
  • Prince Andrew of Prussia (born 1947)
  • Princess Victoria of Prussia (born 1952)
  • Prince Rupert of Prussia (born 1955)
  • Princess Antonia of Prussia (born 1955)
• Princess Alexandrine of Prussia (1915-1980)
• Princess Cecilie of Prussia (1917-1975)

Their surviving descendants are also in the Line of British succession. Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (German: Louis Ferdinand Viktor Eduard Albert Michael Hubertus Prinz von Preussen) (November 9, 1907 - September 26, 1994), a member of the Hohenzollern family, was the pretender to the abolished German monarchy, opponent of the National Socialist German Workers Party in Germany, a business man, and... Prince Hubertus Karl Wilhelm of Prussia (September 30, 1909–April 8, 1950), was the second son of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Cecilie, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. ... Prince Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Christoph of Prussia (December 19, 1911–April 20, 1966), was the son of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Cecilie, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. ... HRH The Prince of Wales, the Heir Apparent. ...

Ancestry

Frederick William III (German: , August 3, 1770 – June 7, 1840) was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. ... William I (William Frederick Louis, German: ) (March 22, 1797 – March 9, 1888) of the House of Hohenzollern was a King of Prussia (January 2, 1861 – 9 March 1888) and the first German Emperor (18 January 1871 – 9 March 1888). ... Louise Auguste Wilhelmine Amalie (Louisa Augusta Wilhelma Amelia) (March 10, 1776 - July 19, 1810), Queen of Prussia, was born in Hanover, where her father, Karl of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was field marshal of the household brigade. ... Frederick III (Frederick William Nicholas Charles; October 18, 1831 – June 15, 1888), (German: Friedrich III., Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preußen) was German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling for 99 days until his death in 1888. ... Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (2 February 1783 – 1853) succeeded his famous father Carl August, in 1824. ... Princess Augusta Marie Luise Katharina of Saxe-Weimar, Duchess in Saxony (September 30, 1811–January 7, 1890), later the Queen of Prussia and German Empress was the consort of William I, German Emperor. ... Portrait of Maria Pavlovna, by Vladimir Borovikovsky. ... William II or Wilhelm II (born Friedrich Wilhelm Albert Viktor von Preußen; English: Frederick William Albert Victor of Prussia) (27 January 1859–4 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia (German: Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preußen), ruling both the German Empire and... Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Francis Augustus Charles Albert Emanuel, later HRH The Prince Consort) (26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... Luise Dorothea Pauline Charlotte Friederike Auguste von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg, Herzogin von Sachsen, Princess of Gotha and Altenburg (1800-31), was a German Princess. ... Victoria of the United Kingdom (born Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise) 21 November 1840 – 5 August 1901) was the eldest child and daughter of Queen Victoria and her consort Albert. ... HRH The Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn The Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (2 November 1767 – 23 January 1820) was a member of the British Royal Family, the fourth son of King George III and the father of Queen Victoria. ... Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 May 1876, until her death on 22 January 1901. ... Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent Marie Luise Viktoria, Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess in Saxony (b. ... Frederik Christian II, Duke of Augustenborg (1765 - 1814) was a Danish prince and feudal magnate. ... Duke Christian August of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (1798-1869, Christian Carl Frederik August), usually simply known by just his first name, Christian, Duke of Augustenborg, was a claimant of the rulership of the provinces of Slesvig and Holstein, and a fiefholder of Augustenborg and Sonderborg. ... Portrait of Princess Louise Auguste as a child. ... Duke Frederick VIII (July 6, 1829 - January 14, 1880) (Friedrich Herzog von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg in German), was the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein from 1863, though almost nominally, as Prussia actually took overlordship and real administrative power. ... Danneskiold-Samsøe is a Danish family of high nobility, formerly holding the island Samsø as a fief. ... Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein (October 22, 1858 - April 11, 1921), was the last German Empress and Queen of Prussia. ... Ernst Christian Carl IV (May 7, 1794 - April 12, 1860) was the son of Carl Ludwig III Fürst zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Amalie Henriette Charlotte Gräfin zu Solms-Baruth. ... Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (July 20, 1835 - January 25, 1900) was the second daughter of Ernst Christian Carl IV, Duke of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen, older half-sister of Queen Victoria[1]. On September 11, 1856 Adelheid married Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Emich Carl, Prince of Leiningen (27 September 1763 – 4 July 1814) was a German nobleman. ... Princess Feodora at about age 21 Princess Feodora of Leiningen (7 December 1807 -23 September 1872) was the only daughter of Karl, Prince of Leiningen (1763–1814) and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1786-1861). ... Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent Marie Luise Viktoria, Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess in Saxony (b. ...

External links

• The memoirs of the Crown Prince of Germany