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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Zoubkoff asks France for a passport



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March 17, 1929

Alexander Zoubkoff, the 29-year-old brother-in-law of the Kaiser Wilhelm II, arrived in Paris today from Luxembourg, according to a United Press report published in the Chicago Daily Tribune. He promptly went into hiding as friends sought out a visa for his passport.

He would like for his wife, 63-year-old Princess Victoria of Schaumburg-Lippe to join him in Paris. Zoubkoff told reporters that he has signed a contract to work as a circus performer "in order to leave Luxembourg." As soon as he gets a French visa, he will return to Luxembourg, and "then make formal reentry into France."

Zoubkoff has denied that Princess Victoria is bankrupt, despite the official proceedings that have been brought against her by members of her family. The Schaumburg-Lippes want to "get control of her jewels and other properties, most of which are family inheritances."

The Princess is the widow of Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe.

He told reporters: "They'll never get her jewels. Only Victoria and I know where they are. Her family tries to paint me as living on her money, but for the last eight months I have sent money to her.

"German royalists were greatly angered by my marriage. On the wedding day I received eight thousand letters and telegrams, many of them threatening me with death. But the Hohenzollerns, except the Kaiser, really weren't angry.

"I met Prince Adalbert, brother of Victoria and the Kaiser, who asked me: 'I am only curious to know why you want to marry my sister.'

[Victoria does not have a brother, Adalbert. She has two brothers, Wilhelm II, the former Kaiser, and Henry, who lived at Hemmelmark, with his wife, Irene. Prince Adalbert is the Kaiser's son. It is unlikely that Zoubkoff talked with Prince Henry, who is gravely ill, at his home. The AP reported on February 13 that Prince Henry, is suffering from cancer of the larynx, the same cancer that killed his father, Friedrich III. Prince Henry was not well enough to attend the Kaiser's 70th birthday celebrations at Doorn in January.]

"He laughed when I told him. I still get letters from Victoria, constantly while I was in Luxembourg. She still loves me. Victoria has an income of only ten thousand dollars a year, so I must help make a living. I can sing, dance, ride and look pretty, so I don't expect much trouble finding a job in a theater or a circus."

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