Maximilian Egon II, Prince of Fürstenberg
Maximilian Egon II of Fürstenberg (full name: Maximilian Egon II Christian Karl Aloys Emil Leo Richard Anton Fürst zu Fürstenberg, Landgraf in Baar and Stühlingen, Count of the Holy Mountain and Will Berg, born October 13, 1863 in Lana, Bohemia; † August 11, 1941 at Schloss Heiligenberg am Bodensee) was an Austrian and German high aristocratic landowners and politicians, as well as a close confidant of Kaiser Wilhelm II
Life
Maximilian Egon II was the son of Prince Maximilian Egon I. zu Fürstenberg (1822-1873) and Princess Tina Leon, born Countess of Khevenhüller -Metsch ( 1843-1914 ). As a child, he attended a grammar school in Prague. He then studied law at the Universities of Bonn and Vienna. In 1884, he was, like his friend Prince William, member of the Corps Borussia Bonn. His father died early, so that he is already at a young age in 1886, the manorial rights and possessions, the Sekundogeniturfideikommiss in Křivoklát took over. At the same time he was thus a member of the Austrian mansion. Early 1890s he joined the liberal- centralist constitution spreading large estates and became one of the most important representatives of this party.
In 1896 the Swabian lineage of the Princely House of Fürstenberg died with Carl Egon of Fürstenberg, which Max Egon II chief of the now united Princely House of Fürstenberg was. He lived alternately at Castle Lany (now the summer residence of the President of the Czech Republic) in his estates in Bohemia, at Schloss Heiligenberg, Vienna or Berlin. For the numerous trips he used a luxurious saloon car, which was appended to the express trains. In Austria he had still great influence in the party of the Constitution spreading landowners. In 1906 he took over the chairman shaft, but was rarely in Vienna and tried to operate by means of extensive correspondence policy. Politically he belonged thus to the camp of the German Whigs, that is the group of noblemen who held moderate liberal views. In 1908, he was Vice- President of the Austrian mansion.
Max Egon was since the Eulenburg crisis of 1907, the closest friend of the German Emperor Wilhelm II, who went almost every year on his estate in Donaueschingen for hunting. However, over the reach and impact of its political influence, the science of history is divided. Due to its good relationship with Archduke Franz Ferdinand called him the vital link between the allies powers Austria -Hungary and Germany.
Prince Fürstenberg was an honorary Knight of the Order of Malta, Knight of the Austrian Order of the Golden Fleece and of the Prussian Black Eagle. At the Prussian court, he held the honorary rank of Colonel Marshall, which he (of 62) ranked in Hofrangreglement in fourth place - even before its all peers. He was also a member of the Prussian House of Lords and in the first chamber both Württemberg, and Baden. Because of his, especially since the succession, extensive possessions he was one of the richest individuals in the German Empire.
During the First World War Furstenberg served both in the German army as well as in the Joint Army as a major general (since April 4, 1918 ), mostly as horseback or traveling aide.
After the end of World War II, he sold his possessions in the newly formed Czechoslovakia and was confined to his German goods. In Donaueschingen he founded in 1921 the " chamber music performances to promote the contemporary art of music ", today Donaueschingen Music Days, where composers such as Hindemith, Schoenberg, Webern and Alban Berg completed premieres. Politically Furstenberg joined the Stahlhelm, Bund soldiers at the front. After the " seizure of power" of the Nazis, he was the " Gleichschaltung " steel helmet in the SA and the Nazi Party convicted in the wake of. After a meeting with Hitler in November 1933, he was enthusiastic: " It was wonderful to be able to face this unique big man ". Furstenberg occurred in mid-1933 the NSDAP and the SA and in 1938 was appointed to the SA- Standartenführer. In addition to opportunistic adaptation of rational cost-benefit calculations, the aging prince also the emotional side of the general upheaval had apparently captured.
Family
Prince Max Egon II of Fürstenberg was with Irma Countess of Schönborn- Buchheim (1867-1948) married. From their marriage five children were born:
- Karl Egon V. zu Fürstenberg (1891-1973)
- Léontine Princess of Fürstenberg (1892-1979)
- Anna Princess of Fürstenberg (1894-1928)
- Maximilian Egon of Fürstenberg (1896-1959)
- Friedrich Eduard Fürstenberg (1898-1916)