February 14, 1932
The Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg has won his lawsuit against the state of Prussia for the "restoration of his fortune," reports United Press, to "its prewar value of 40,000,000 gold marks."
This decision has "precipitated another storm in liberal and radical quarters" for the revision of indemnity awards "by the republic in favor of its former rulers."
Radicals are particularly furious about the awards because of the "flood of emergency decrees" that have "slashed wages and salaries" of ordinary workers, and they now demand the "cutting of pensions and awards" of the former rulers, who are now largely in the "ranks of unemployed."
Fifteen "blue-blooded jobless" receive about $425,000 in pensions from different governments.
Landgrave Alexander Ferdinand of Hesse receives a "modest dole" of $153,000; Landgrave Clodwig of Hesse, $40,000; and the Duke of Arenberg, who lives in Belgium, receives $13,000. The Prince of Salm-Horstmar has a pension of $15,000, and the Prince of Salm-Salm receives $14,000.
A motion to the Prussian diet to set aside the "many court decisions indemnifying" the former ruling families was defeated. The Duke of Brunswick's claim "arose out of the depreciation of Prussian bonds during the inflation." In 1867, when Hanover was incorporated into Prussia, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck promised a cash payment to the Guelph family. He later changed his mind, and "paid in state bonds which declined after the war."
No other European country has treated its former rulers in the same way, "so free-handedly" like Germany. Former Kaiser Wilhelm II received 5 million marks in cash after the settlement. This was followed by a further 5 million in February 1927, and 5 million three months.
The "grants of castles and estates" exceeded this sum. Radicals cite the need "for cutting aristocratic pensions" along with civil service salaries.
The Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg is married to Wilhelm II's only daughter, Viktoria Luise.
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