Hermine Reuss of Greiz

Hermione, Princess Reuss elder line ( born December 17, 1887 in Greiz; † August 7, 1947 in Frankfurt ( Oder) ) was used as the widowed Princess of Schoenaich - Carolath the second wife of Wilhelm II in Doorn exile.

Family

Hermione was the fourth daughter of Heinrich XXII. , Prince Reuss elder line (1846-1902), and Princess Ida (1852-1891), née Princess of Schaumburg -Lippe, was born. At the age of three years Hermione lost her mother, completing her education she experienced in the house of the Grand Duchess Luise of Baden (1838-1923), the daughter of Emperor William I.

Princess Hermine Reuss like L. married on January 7, 1907 Prince Johann Georg von Schoenaich - Carolath ( 1873-1920 ). From this connection, five children were born. Johann Georg died in 1920 of tuberculosis.

" Empress" Hermione

On November 5, 1922, the widow married Hermione also widowed former German Kaiser Wilhelm II ( 1859-1941 ). Wilhelm II was over Hermione awesome and amiable as he had been with his first wife Augusta Victoria it. Hermione led a tight ship at the Dutch Doom House a place of exile and also took care of the management of the house. The former Emperor and Hermione loaded in Doorn great importance to etiquette. Therefore, it was styled after the wedding with Imperial Highness, for other products, also with majesty. In 1929, she founded the Hermine Relief and Works Agency, the care of people in need and during the great unemployment of the Great Depression of the Weimar Republic was strong encouragement. Before and after 1933 Hermione had a close contact to monarchist and nationalist circles. She promoted such organizations and took large share of the happening of the policy in Germany. Especially from Hermann Goering hoped the restoration of the monarchy and they arranged in 1931 and 1932, his two visits to Doorn. The rise of Hitler greeted them very much.

After the death of William II in 1941 Hermione returned to her residence, the castle in Saabor district Grünberg in Silesia ( 1936-1945 Prince Eich, then Zabór ). Before the Red Army at war's end in 1945, she fled to her sister after Roßla in the resin. After the capture by the Soviet occupying power they had to live in Frankfurt on the Oder under supervision. She died in 1947 of heart failure and was buried in Ancient temple of the park of Sanssouci in Potsdam. The desired of her burial in a tomb next to Kaiser Wilhelm II in his mausoleum in Doorn did not materialize.