The Kaiser's men’s medals

[TabsTabs1964]

The Prussian Tiara



Its name is due to the fact that it was designed for Princess Victoria Luisa of Prussia, daughter of Kaiser Wilhelm II. It is a Hellenic-style jewel in platinum, diamond and diamonds.

The Prussian tiara belonged to Princess Victoria Louise (Sissy), and was a gift from her father, Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German emperor, when she married Ernst Augustus III, Duke of Brunswick and heir to Hanover in 1913.


Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia

25 years later, in 1937, Victoria Luisa gave it to her daughter Federica when she married Pablo de Grecia


HRH Princess Frederica of Hanover

... and she, in turn, gave it as an inheritance to the then Princess Sofia, on the occasion of her wedding, on May 14, 1962, although she had already used it for her debut.


Sofía of Spain

Forty-two years later, Doña Letizia also rescued her to marry Felipe de Borbón.


Leticia, current Queen Consort of Spain


four queens....

[TabsTabs1964]

I must admit that the tradition of group portraits on special family occasions by the descendants of Kaiser Wilhelm II has been a great source of little-known images of some of his grandchildren in uniform.

First, birthdays of the Kaiser, later confirmations especially and engagements and marriages were proof that the family remained united over the years and an interesting collection of images...


Kronprinz, Prinz Eitel, Prinz August and Ladies


Konfirmation of Prinz Karl Franz Joseph, 1931



Kaiser's Sons (red numbers)

1 Kronprinz Wilhelm (1882 - 1951)
2 Prinz Eitel Friedrich (1883 - 1942)
3 Prinz August (1887 – 1949)
4 Prinz Oskar (1888 – 1958)

Kaiser's Grandsons (Yellow numbers)

1 Prinz Karl Franz-Joseph (1916 – 1975) Prinz Joachim son
2 Prinz Oskar Friedrich (1915 – 1939) Prinz Oskar son
3
4
5 Prinz Burchard (1917 – 1988) Prinz Oskar son
6 Prinz Alexander Ferdinand (1912 – 1985) Prinz August son
7 Prinz Hubertus (1909 – 1950) Kronprinz son

These were occasions when several of the sons would gather together. Also brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and many of the grandchildren....


Konfirmation of Prinz Wilhelm Karl, 1937






Konfirmation Prinzesin Herzeleide von Preussen


Wedding of Princess Herzeleide (Daughter of Prince Oskar)


Enlarged detail of the previous photo
It is a good exercise in physiognomy to try to recognize them, although some cousins ​​look very similar to others....


Hannovers & Hohenzollerns

[TabsTabs1964]

I close this section with the informal photos prior to the official family photo for the Kaiser's 80th birthday at Huis Doorm in 1939....





And with this nice contact with his second oldest grandson Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1907-1994)



By the way, Princess Leonor of Spain (whom we talked about before) is not the only great-great-granddaughter of the Kaiser to wear the army uniform....



Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia (1976), grandson of the Ludwig Ferdinand whose nose the Kaiser pinches, a German businessman who is the current head of the Prussian branch of the House of Hohenzollern, also wore the uniform of an officer of the Bundeswehr Reserve, during his two years of military service.

And let's discover a tradition of the Bundeswehr....



After putting the new rank insignia on his shoulders and placing their hands on them, they simultaneously slap him on his shoulders as hard as they can, so that the rank "sticks".

[VtwinVince]

I think I see a portrait of Graf von Stauffenberg in the background, I'm not sure how some of his ancestors would feel about this. Viktoria Luise certainly was comely in that hussar's uniform.

[TabsTabs1964]

I agree.
I'm not a fan of colorized photos, but on this occasion...

[Jack59]

You also have my vote Santi

Regards
Jack