Prince Franz of Bavaria

Franz Maria Prince Luitpold of Bavaria ( born October 10, 1875 in Good Samerhof at Leutstetten, Starnberg Castle, † January 25, 1957 ) was a Bavarian prince of the house of Wittelsbach and Major General of the Bavarian army.

Life

He was the third son of King Ludwig III. born of Bavaria and Queen Marie Therese.

After the humanistic school-leaving examination passed to Prince Franz from 1894 participated in lectures and exercises of the military school. In 1896 he undertook an extended trip vacation to northern Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. With great interest he devoted himself to military service in all branches of service. From 1911 he served as deputy permanent judges, from 1 January 1914 as permanent Judge of the Upper Bavarian court martial.

Already on July 8, 1912 Franz married the Princess Isabella of Croy ( 1890-1982 ), a niece of Archduchess Isabella of Austria -Teschen (1856-1931 ), in the chapel of Schloss Weilburg in Baden bei Wien, Lower Austria.

Before the start of World War II, he was commander of the Bavarian 2nd Infantry Regiment " Crown Prince ". As a regimental commander, he moved away to the Western Front and was wounded at the same Vermandovilers.

Shortly afterwards promoted to Major General, he took on 3 January 1915, the 3rd Bavarian Infantry Brigade, which was renamed on April 1 in the 4th Infantry Brigade. As commander of the 4th Bavarian Infantry Brigade he captured on 23 and 24 May 1916 the front line fighting the Fort Douaumont back. Because of his " extraordinary energy and personal bravery in the heavy fighting at Verdun, in May and June 1916", Prince Franz received the highest Bavarian decoration for bravery, the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph Order.

On October 28, 1916 he was commander of the 4th Bavarian Division. In the Battle of Flanders in the summer of 1917 at Passchendaele the formation attacked the British and threw it back to Broodseynde. During the so-called Georg- offensive in April 1918, the unit stormed the Mount Kemmel and penetrated south Locre before; a further territorial gains her but remained failed. Prince Franz was excellent for this further evidence of its military capabilities on 26 April 1918 the Commander's Cross of the Bavarian Military Order of Max Joseph Order. On 16 May 1918 he received the Order Pour le Mérite.

During the defensive battle in the late summer of 1918, between the Somme and Scarpe Prince Franz led the 4th Division at great cost to Flanders back. She counted on September 1, barely more than 1,000 men.

In the last days of the war, the 4th Division was used to 7 November 1918 Border Protection against Italy.

Even in war, the Wittelsbach prince preserved scientific and civilian interests. So he had pose for example as a section commander in the fortifications of the western front, beautiful fossils discovered and can be converted into the natural history collections of Bavaria. On other front - sections describe these natural history treasures were destroyed carelessly. After 1918, he enriched the State collections again through fossil finds from the family's own quarries to the lower Altmühltherme.

Professionally, he managed the now inherited from his parents Good Sarvar in Hungary, where he founded a famous stud farm. When he was forced to flee in 1945, he moved back into the home and farmed the land around the castle Leutstetten where his brother Crown Prince Rupprecht resided and had built his father as king.

In the " Wittelsbach life images " by Hans Rall conclusion of which about him:

" In farmers and hunter circles highly valued, a good Bavarian soldier, an experienced Agriculture, Forestry and last but not least a pious and beloved because of its simple, fatherly goodness Prince, he played a piece of old Bavaria. "

He is buried at St. Michael's Church in Munich.

Progeny

  • Ludwig Karl Maria Prinz von Bayern (1913-2008) ∞ Ermengarde Princess of Bavaria (1923-2010)
  • Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria (1914-2011) ∞ 1937 Nymphenburg: Peter Heinrich Prince of Orleans and Braganza ( 1909-1981 )
  • Adelgunde Princess of Bavaria (1917-2004) ∞ 1948 Leutstetten: Zdenko Freiherr von Hoenning O'Carroll ( 1906-1996 )
  • Eleonore Therese Princess of Bavaria (1918-2009) ∞ August 2, 1948 Leutstetten Konstantin Graf von Waldburg- Zeil ( 1909-1972 )
  • Princess Dorothea of Bavaria ( * 1920 ) ∞ 1938 Sarvar, Hungary: Gottfried Habsburg-Lothringen ( Gottfried of Austria - Tuscany, 1902-1984 )
  • Rasso Prince of Bavaria (1926-2011) ∞ 1955: Theresa Habsburg-Lothringen ( Theresa of Austria - Tuscany; * 1931)

Since Franz Duke of Bavaria, the current head of the House of Wittelsbach, no and his brother Duke Max Emanuel in Bayern have no male descendants, the succession will pass over as head of the house on the descendants of Franz Maria Luitpolds first son Ludwig Karl Maria.

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