A new addition to my collection: Crown Princess Cecilie of Prussia celebrates her 50th birthday (September 20, 1936) with her family at Potsdam.
The group photo includes all all but one of the Crown Princess's children: Wilhelm, Louis Ferdinand, Friedrich, Cecilie and Alexandrine (Hubertus is missing), as well as Mecklenburg relatives: Queen Alexandrine of Denmark (Cecilie's sister), Grand Duke Franz Friedrich IV of Mecklenburg (Cecilie's brother) and his wife, Alexandra, along with most of their children, Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz, and Duchesses Thyra and Anastasia. Prince Christian Ludwig is not in the photo.
Other royals who attended the birthday celebrations (but were not included in this family photo) included Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid of Denmark (Alexandrine's son and daughter-in-law), Duke Adolf Friedrich and Duchess Elisabeth of Mecklenburg with their daughter, Duchess Woizlawa.
Quick question on Princess Cornelie Cecile von Preussen whom I think you once described as mentally handicapped (or was this Sam Dotson?). What is the source of this information?
ReplyDeleteAnd is the person in the following profile the princess?
https://www.xing.com/profile/Cecile_vonPreussen
Hi Marlene,
ReplyDeleteGreat pix, as always. In looking at the larger group one, though, I have a strong suspicion that it may have been retouched or re-created. (Not accusing anyone or implying any deeper meaning, just noticing.)
The top half of the bodies have a reflection coming off their backs -- they look almost "3D" -- which is usually a telltale sign that figures have been cut and pasted into a new scene.
Similarly, if you look at the lighting on the figures, the lighting is coming from above and slightly behind them them (creating a "halo" effect). But, if you look at the shadow related to bush and flowers on the right side, the light is coming in low and to the right.
I suppose some of this could be attributed to poor artificial lighting, but that would have been quite unusual in those days.
Anyway, I don't know that it means anything, but I found it interesting.
kal
Yes, Cornelie Cecilie is mentally handicapped. This was made known shortly after her birth. There were numerous articles that mention the situation. I do not think it is Downs syndrome (although Princess Alexandrine of Prussia was a downs syndrome baby). Cornelie-Cecilie was seen at some events as a child, but not in recent years.
ReplyDeleteI cannot open the link you provided. A Cecile von Preussen works at a Berlin hotel and also attended a school in Schleswig-Holstein, graduating in 1990. Cornelie-Cecile was born in 1978.
Either someone has adopted a false name or was adopted (but not by someone in the mainline).
The card does have a photographer's name ... it could be the age of the card as well.
ReplyDeleteCan someone provide captions as to who is who in the photos? I am having a hard time recognizing all of the different people. I especially want to know which one is Duchess Thyra of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in the second family photo?
ReplyDelete