Thursday, March 26, 2015

Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Altenburg



March 26, 1955


Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Altenburg, the last ruler of the German principality, died on March 22 of influenza at his castle Schloß Fröhliche Wiederkunft, in the Soviet Zone, according to West German newspapers today, and reported by the Associated Press.

Ernst Bernhard Georg Johann Karl Friedrich Peter Albert of Saxe-Altenburg was born at Altenburg on August 31, 1877, the fourth child and eldest son of Prince Moritz of Saxe-Altenburg and Princess Adelheid of Saxe-Meiningen.  He succeeded his uncle, Duke Ernst I in 1908.

His first marriage to Princess Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe ended in divorce in 1920.  In 1934, he married a commoner Maria Triebel, who was created Baroness von Riseneck.  She died at Wolfersforf on February 28.

The Duke is survived by his four children,  Charlotte (Princess Sigismund of Prussia), Prince Georg Moritz, Elisabeth, and Friedrich, and two grandchildren, Princess Barbara and Prince Alfred of Prussia.

Prince Georg Moritz, 54, succeeds as head of the house.  Neither he nor his younger brother, Prince Friedrich are married.

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