Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Albrecht |
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| Duke of Bavaria | |||||
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Albrecht in 1948
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| Head of the House of Wittelsbach | |||||
| Tenure | 2 August 1955 – 8 July 1996 | ||||
| Predecessor | Rupprecht | ||||
| Successor | Franz | ||||
| Born | 3 May 1905 Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire |
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| Died | 8 July 1996 (aged 91) Berg Castle, Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany |
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| Burial | Wittelsbach cemetery, Andechs Abbey, Bavaria | ||||
| Spouse |
Countess Maria Draskovich de Trakostjan
(m. 1930; died 1969)Countess Marie-Jenke Keglevich de Buzin
(m. 1971; died 1983) |
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| House | Wittelsbach | ||||
| Father | Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria | ||||
| Mother | Duchess Marie Gabrielle in Bavaria | ||||
Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria (born Albrecht Luitpold Ferdinand Michael; May 3, 1905 – July 8, 1996) was an important figure in the House of Wittelsbach. This was the royal family of Bavaria, a region in Germany. Albrecht was the son of Rupprecht, who was the last crown prince of Bavaria. His mother was Duchess Marie Gabrielle in Bavaria. He was the only one of their children to live to adulthood. His grandfather, Ludwig III of Bavaria, was the last king of Bavaria. The king was removed from power in 1918.
Contents
Albrecht's Life Story
Early Life and World War II
After World War I, Albrecht's grandfather, King Ludwig, was no longer king. The royal family had to leave Bavaria. They moved to the Austrian Tyrol region.
Before World War II, Albrecht's family, the House of Wittelsbach, did not support the Nazi government. They refused to join the Nazi Party. Because of this, Prince Albrecht could not finish his studies in forestry. In 1940, Albrecht moved his family to their home in Hungary. In October 1944, after Germany took over Hungary, the Wittelsbach family was arrested. They were sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. In April 1945, they were moved to the Dachau concentration camp. The United States Army later freed them.
After the War
Albrecht became the head of the former royal family of Bavaria. This happened when his father passed away on August 2, 1955.
In 1959, Albrecht took part in an important ceremony. He returned the Greek crown jewels to the nation of Greece. These jewels were originally made for King Otto. Otto was a Bavarian prince who became Greece's first modern king. King Paul of Greece accepted the jewels.
In 1980, Albrecht led big celebrations in Bavaria. These events marked 800 years since the House of Wittelsbach was founded.
His Interests
Albrecht loved hunting and studying deer. He collected 3,425 sets of antlers. Some of these are now on display at Berchtesgaden castle. He also wrote two books about "the habits of deer." For these books, he and his second wife received special honorary doctorates. These were given by the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
In 1953, Albrecht visited Brazil. There, he discovered Brazilian Mastiff dogs. He brought some back to Germany. This helped introduce the breed to Europe.
Albrecht passed away on July 8, 1996. He was 91 years old. He died at Berg Castle, near Munich. He had lived there quietly for many years. His funeral was held at Theatine Church, Munich. He was buried in a family graveyard. He had created this graveyard himself in 1977 at Andechs Abbey.
Family Life
Marriages
Albrecht married Countess Maria Draskovich of Trakostjan. They got married on September 3, 1930, in Berchtesgaden. Maria was from a noble Croatian family.
At first, some family members thought this marriage did not follow the old "house rules." These were special rules about who members of the royal family could marry. Because of this, their children's names were not listed in a famous book called the Almanach de Gotha. However, in 1949, Albrecht's father, Crown Prince Rupprecht, officially recognized the marriage. He said it was valid for the royal family. Countess Maria passed away in 1969.
On April 21, 1971, Albrecht married Countess Marie-Jenke Keglevich of Buzin. They did not have any children together. Countess Marie-Jenke passed away in 1983.
Children
When Albrecht died, he had four children from his first marriage. He also had fifteen grandchildren and twenty-six great-grandchildren. His children are:
- Princess Marie Gabrielle (born 1931). She married Georg, Prince von Waldburg zu Zeil und Trauchburg.
- Princess Marie Charlotte (1931-2018). She married Paul, Prince von Quadt zu Wykradt und Isny.
- Franz, Duke of Bavaria (born 1933).
- Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria (born 1937). He married Countess Elisabeth Douglas.
Titles and Awards
Titles and Styles
When Albrecht was born, he was called Prinz von Bayern (Prince of Bavaria). After his father died in 1955, he became the head of the family. He then used the title Herzog von Bayern (Duke of Bavaria).
As the head of the House of Wittelsbach, Albrecht was traditionally known as His Royal Highness the Duke of Bavaria. He also held other historical titles.
Special Awards
Albrecht received several important awards:
From the Württemberg Royal Family: He was a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Crown.
From the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Family: He was a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (given in 1953).
Vatican From the Vatican: He was a Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.
Liechtenstein From Liechtenstein: He was a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Grand Star.
See Also
- List of rulers of Bavaria
