Margrave Max of Baden (1933-2022)

Margrave Max of Baden at the funeral of his first cousin Fürst Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Max and Valerie of Baden at the memorial service of Kraft of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 2004.

Yesterday, 29 December, Margrave Max of Baden died at Schloß Salem in Germany. The margrave was eighty-nine years-old. Margrave Max of Baden was a nephew of the Duke of Edinburgh, a second cousin of King Michael of Romania, a second cousin of King Constantine II of the Hellenes, and a second cousin of Duke Amedeo of Aosta.

Theodora and Berthold.

Margrave Berthold and Margravine Theodora with Prince Max and Princess Margarita.

Born on 3 July 1933 at Salem, Hereditary Prince Maximilian "Max" Andreas Friedrich Gustav Ernst August Bernhard of Baden was the first son and second child of Margrave Berthold of Baden (1903-1963) and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (1906-1969), who wed in 1931. Max joined an older sister, Princess Margarita (1932-2013; married Prince Tomislav of Yugoslavia) and he was followed by a younger brother Prince Ludwig (b.1937; married Princess Marianne von Auersperg-Breunner). After the end of the Second World War, Max attended the Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland, under the administration of Dr. Kurt Hahn. At Gordonstoun, he was brought up according to the educational principles of the Salem school founded in 1919 by his grandfather, Prince Max of Baden. Max, his brother Ludwig, and his cousin Karl of Hesse attended the 1960 wedding of Princess Margaret to Antony Armstrong-Jones.

Archduchess Valerie of Austria and Margrave Max of Baden, 1966.

On 23 September 1966 at Salem, Margrave Max of Baden civilly married Archduchess Valerie of Austria. The couple celebrated their religious wedding on 30 September 1966 at Schloß Salem. Valerie was the ninth child and seventh daughter of Archduke Hubert Salvator of Austria (1894-1971) and his wife Princess Rosemary zu Salm-Salm (1904-2001). Margrave Max of Baden was a nephew of the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Margrave Max and Margravine Valerie of Baden, 1987. Photograph (c) Getty Images / Slim Aarons.

Margrave Max and Margravine Valerie of Baden had four children: Princess Marie Louise (b.1969; married Richard Baker), Hereditary Prince Bernhard (b.1970; married Stephanie Anne Kaul), Prince Leopold (b.1971), and Prince Michael (b.1976; married Christina Höhne). The late Margrave of Baden is survived by his wife, his four children, and his four grandchildren.

Valerie and Max of Baden at the wedding of Hereditary Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 2003.

Valerie and Max of Baden in the 1960s. Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

The Margrave and Margravine of Baden with Duchess Donata of Oldenburg at the wedding of Duke Paul of Oldenburg in 2001. Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse.

Baron Georg Heinrich "Heini" Thyssen-Bornemisza (1950-2022)

The baron's death notice in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung of 15 October 2022.

Georg Heinrich and his father Hans Heinrich in St. Moritz. 

Photo (c) Mike Forster/ANL/Shutterstock.

Georg Heinrich "Heini" Thyssen-Bornemisza passed away recently. The Swiss-born German aristocrat and businessman was seventy-two years-old.

Baron Hans Heinrich Bornemisza de Kászon and Princess Teresa zur Lippe-Weißenfeld. Photo (c) Getty Images.

Born on 19 March 1950 at Lugano, Switzerland, Baron Georg Heinrich Alfred Gábor Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon was the first and only child of Baron Hans Heinrich Bornemisza de Kászon (1921-2002) and Princess Teresa zur Lippe-Weissenfeld (1925-2008), who married in 1946 and divorced in 1954. Georg Heinrich's paternal grandparents were Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon (né Thyssen; 1875-1947) and Countess Margit Bornemisza de Kászon (1887-1971). His maternal grandparents were Prince Alfred zur Lippe-Weissenfeld (1896-1970) and Countess Franziska von Schönborn-Buchheim (1902-1987).

The Thyssen dynasty.

Hans Heinrich with his three sons (left to right) Alexander, Lorne, and Georg Heinrich, ca. 1986.

Photo (c) Wolfgang Kühn / United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo.

From his father's subsequent marriages to Fiona Campbell-Walter and Denise Shorto, Georg Heinrich had three younger half-siblings: Baroness Francesca (b.1958; married and divorced Archduke Karl of Austria), Baron Lorne (b.1963), and Baron Alexander (b.1974). From his mother's subsequent marriage to Prince Maximilian zu Fürstenberg, Georg Heinrich had three younger half-siblings: Princess Teresa (b.1960), Prince Maximilian (b.1962), and Princess Katarina (1966-1992). Baron Georg Heinrich was the godfather of Count Friedrich von Schönburg-Glauchau (b.1985), the son of Count Rudolph von Schönburg-Glauchau and Princess Marie-Luise of Prussia. 

Prince Eduard of Anhalt, Princess Teresa, Princess Corinne of Anhalt, and Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, ca. 1987.

Photo (c) Wolfgang Kuhn/United Archives via Getty Images.

According to the website of the NOMIS Foundation, Georg Heinrich Thyssen studied mathematics at the University of Munich; and he went on to receive a law degree from the University of Zurich. For thirty-five years, he held a series of executive positions within the Thyssen-Bornemisza Group (TBG). Georg Heinrich Thyssen chaired TBG AG and oversaw several major acquisitions.

https://nomisfoundation.ch/2022/10/15/nomis-foundation-grieves-loss-of-chairman-georg-heinrich-heini-thyssen-bornemisza/

May Georg Heinrich Rest in Peace.

The 90th Birthday of Count Bertram zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, First Cousin of Swedish King

Count Bertram at an exhibition of his art, 1997. Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Born on 12 July 1932 at Golßen, Count Bertram Friedrich zu Castell-Rüdenhausen was the first child of Count Friedrich zu Castell-Rüdenhausen (1906-1940) and Princess Karoline-Mathilde "Calma" of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1912-1983), who wed in 1931. Bertram was joined by two younger siblings: Count Conradin (1933-2011; married Marta Lönegren) and Countess Viktoria (b.1935; married Sir John Miles Huntington-Whiteley, 4th Baronet). In 1938, Bertram's parents divorced; that same year, his mother Princess Calma married Captain Max Schnirring, a union that gave Bertram three younger half-siblings. In 1939, his father married Countess Elizabeth zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, a union that gave Bertram a younger half-brother.

The Royal Bridges organisation provides an insightful look into Bertram's education and career:

"After sporadically attending school, he was educated as a wood-carver, building fitter, and grain merchant. For four years, Castell served as a Federal Border Guard (Bundesgrenzschutzbeamter), followed by work as a salesman for beauty care and hygiene products, as an ice cream vendor and a bookseller. In 1963, Castell moved to Vienna, Austria, where he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts (Akademie der bildenden Künste) to study painting in Herbert Boeckl’s master class. Since 1965 he has been working as a freelance artist, graphic designer, art director, creative director, and occasionally as a bartender and decorator."

On 10 October 1964 at Vienna, Count Bertram zu Castell-Rüdenhausen married Countess Felizitas von Auersperg (b.1944). The couple have two sons: Count Dominik (b.1965) and Count Michael (b.1967). 

Count Bertram is a first cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, as their mothers were sisters.

Our best wishes to Count Bertram on his birthday!

Rüdiger Prinz von Sachsen (1953-2022), Great-Grandson of Last King of Saxony

Rüdiger von Sachsen with his grandson Moritz at the wedding of Rüdiger's son Daniel, 2011.

Photo (c) Zoonar / Türpe Tuerp / AGE Fotostock.

On 29 March 2022, Rüdiger Prinz von Sachsen died at his home near Moritzburg after suffering a heart attack. He was sixty-eight years-old.

Prince Timo of Saxony and Margrit Lucas on their wedding day, 1952.

Born on 23 December 1953 at Mülheim an der Ruhr, Rüdiger Karl Ernst Timo Ali Prinz von Sachsen was the first child and only son of Prince Timo of Saxony (1923-1982) and his first wife Margrit Lucas (1932-1957), who wed in 1952. Rüdiger was followed by younger sister Iris (b.1955). Rüdiger and Iris were raised by their maternal family following the tragically early death of their mother Margrit.

Left to right: Prince Dedo, King Friedrich August III, Princess Sophie with Prince Timo, and Prince Ernst Heinrich in 1925.

Rüdiger's paternal grandparents were Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony (1896-1971) and his first wife Princess Sophie of Luxembourg (1902-1941). His paternal great-grandparents were King Friedrich August III of Saxony and Archduchess Louisa of Austria as well as Grand Duke Guillaume IV of Luxembourg and Infanta Maria Anna of Portugal. Rüdiger was the only male-line great-grandson of King Friedrich August III of Saxony. 

Astrid and Rüdiger with their three sons in 1980.

In 1974, Rüdiger married Astrid Linke (1949-1989). The couple had three sons: Daniel (b.1975; married Sandra Scherer), Arne (b.1977; married Sarah Schneider), and Nils (b.1978; married Jedida Taborek). In 2004, Rüdiger married Diana Dorndorf (b.1958); the couple later separated.

Rüdiger with his uncle Prince Dedo of Saxony in Dresden, 2008.
Photo (c) Imago.

Rüdiger Prinz von Sachsen is survived by his three sons and daughters-in-law and his grandchildren.

May Rüdiger Rest in Peace.