80th birthday celebration of Duke Franz of Bavaria

On Monday 22. July  the official reception on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Duke Franz of Bavaria took place at Schleißheim Castle outside of Munich. Already on Satruday 20. July there had been an mass and and a reception for relatives and Nymphenburg Castle. It was therefore a big feast. From the blue-white sky the sun seemed to the illustrious guests in the castle grounds. Besides family members and personal friends also bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU), several cabinet members and the Cardinals Reinhard Marx and Friedrich Wetter accepted the invitation.
In the castle garden of the birthday boy took off a Ehrenzug. Hundreds of mountain troops, folk costumes, historical civil and militia took part. A highlight was probably the march past of the Bavarian Dachshund Dachshunds six clubs for the confessed dog lover too. The brass band played the Bavarian Defiliermarsch, the Bavaria anthem and a Duke Franz-march.

http://www.br.de/nachrichten/herzog-bayern-franz-100.html 

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/franz-herzog-von-bayern-feiert-royal-und-rustikal-1.1728123 

http://www.merkur-online.de/lokales/muenchen-lk-nord/ober-unterschleissheim/geburtstagsfest-franz-herzog-bayern-bilder-3019428.html?popup=media&firstslide=1

Duke Franz of Bavaria turned 80

He would be King of Bavaria 
Duke Franz of Bavaria is now 80

He avoids the red carpet. If the celebrities waving at the festive opening of the Bayreuth Festival in the cameras  Duke Franz of Bavariais not there.  The head of the Wittelsbach family takes the side entrance. Glamorous appearances are not his thing. The nobleman - he would be King of Bavaria, if there was still a monarchy in this country - appears reticent in public on. This Sunday the passionate collector of modern art and graphic, patron and recognized art expert turn 80 years old.

The Duke is a great supporter of the Pinakothek of the modern  in Munich and found it important works of art from its collection available. He advises numerous museums in Bavaria. He brings his expertise as a member of the International Council for the "Museum of Modern Art" in New York a. In 2008 he became an honorary doctorate from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) in Munich.

The Duke - his name loud completely Franz Bonaventura Adalbert Maria - was born on 14 July 1933 born in Nymphenburg Castle in Munich, where he lives today. He is a great grandson of the last Bavarian King Ludwig III. During World War II his parents were arrested by the Nazis with the children, the family came to different concentration camps and was liberated by the Americans.

After graduation in 1952 at the Gymnasium of the Benedictine monks of Ettal Franz of Bavaria studied business. The line of the Wittelsbach dynasty took over the learned Master of Business Administration  after the death of his father Duke Albrecht of Bavaria in 1996. A wealthy man, he is not thereby become, for the million-dollar fortune of his ancestors is already managed for 90 years in a public foundation.

In the politics of the day, the supreme representative of the Wittelsbach mixes generally not a public. "But I represent my point to me quite important issues in personal conversations or in committees, where I belong."

About his prominent ancestors and "fairytale king" Ludwig II said Franz Duke of Bavaria on the occasion of its 125th Death two years ago: "His human and political tragedy is hard to believe." Conspiracy theories about the assassination of Louis are repugnant to him.

The Duke of Bavaria is confirmed bachelor - friend and dogs. "Liesl" was his Dackelmischling. On 22 July is the Duke on the occasion of his 80th Birthday reception - befitting the Schleißheim castle outside Munich.

Prince Leopold of Bavaria turned 70

On Friday 21.06. Prince Leopold of Bavaria celebrated his 70th birthday. he is the great-great-great-great-grandson of King Ludwig I. of Bavaria and head of the so called adalbertinian line of the House of Wittelsbach. He became known as racer in the German touring car scene a name. Today he has with "Poldi" her own fashion label, he also acts as representative for the brand car manufacturer BMW.
In old age, he can not get to rest, as the father of four children colourfull recently revealed: He must still work with 70 and can not just eat up the family fortune. But the nobles also stated that he passionately engages with  his duties.


Article in Bunte 

On the occasion of his upcoming birthday he gave a short Interview to BILD.  

BILD: How do you feel at 70?Leopold "Poldi" of Bavaria: "I feel like 50! Everybody in our family are very old. 90 often occurs. If one does a lot of sports like me, you can see the curve that goes down from 50 to stop. "

BILD: did you manage much good in life ...Poldi "Yes, four wonderful children and the marriage holds with Uschi. We love each other now for over 42 years. "
BILD: The secret?Poldi: "My parents got married too young - a marriage of convenience. I just thought if I marry again, I pick my wife for life itself. "
BILD: Petra Schürmann has made it known to each other ...Poldi "Uschi wanted to marry off with a model myself actually. I was in a flutter. I have stored in my marriage. It is indeed reasonable. "
BILD: your wife was your first love?Poldi (winking): "Love, yes. But I believe the first woman I've fallen for me, Uschi was glass. She was executive secretary in a law firm. She was very sweet. We met more often. "
BILD: You let it rip?Poldi: "For a mechanical engineering degree I was in America. I've done everything except studying. I was a late bloomer, I became a butterfly with 21 and enjoyed it. 1969 my father died in a plane crash. I had to return to Germany and had other responsibilities. "
BILD: How do you describe yourself?Poldi "twin, perfectionist and stickler. I am a punctual person insane. I hate it when someone comes too late. "
BILD: This is why you become a racing driver ...Poldi (laughing): "Maybe. So I was always faster on the spot. "
BILD: How did you get into racing?Poldi: "At eleven I bribed with our chauffeur 50 cigarettes so that I could go alone. I felt like a pilot, flying alone for the first time. "
BILD: Never been afraid?Poldi: "My only fear is to burn the car."
BILD: your worst accident?Poldi: "In Africa I crashed with 150 against a wall, my spine was crushed. I was two inches shorter, I have noticed in my pants. Meanwhile, I'm going to go with my vintage age. "
BILD: What is planned for today?Poldi "My children want to surprise me, we probably will not celebrate in Germany. And very small. The 60th was so great. I can not afford such festivals every year. "
BILD: But on the gas?Poldi: "Yes, but sometimes I get caught up. At the 69th Birthday I had a cardiac arrest. Debt was myocarditis. I've realized nothing in seconds. Then it was over. My wife noticed it immediately intervened and saved my life. I have learned from listening into my body. "

Article in BILD 

† Princess Editha of Bavaria

 

According to Royal Musings Princess Editha ob Bavaria passed away on Saturday 04.05.2013 at the age of 88. She was born on 126.09.1924 at Hohenburg as second daughter and thrid child of the last bavarian Crown Prince Rupprecht and his second wife Antonia, née Princess of Luxembourg. In 1946 she married Tito Brunetti by whom she had 3 daughters. After his death in 1954 she married in 1959 Gustav Schimert who passed away in 1990. From her second marriage she had 3 sons.

Article at Royal Musings

Memorial Mass for King Ludwig II.

A memorial mass took place on Monday 13.06.2011 in honor of the famous King Ludwig II. of Bavaria who died exactly 125 years ago a mysterious death. The Mass took place at the shore of Lake Starnberg.

The mass was also attended by members of the Wittelbach Family among them: Duke Franz of Bavaria, Duke Max and Duchess Elizabeth in Bavaria, prince Luitpold and Princess Beatrix, Prince Rasso and Princess Therese, Prince Leopold and Princess Ursula, Prince Ludwig, Prince Manuel and Princess Anna and Duchess Helene in Bavaria.

Photos

more Photos

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/starnberg/gedenkfeier-fuer-ludwig-ii-der-kini-ein-symbol-unerfuellter-traeume-1.1107956

http://www.merkur-online.de/lokales/berg/ludwig-ii-hunderte-erinnern-maerchenkoenig-1281804.html

† Princess Irmingard of Bavaria

Princess  Irmingard of Bavaria passed away on Saturday 23.10.2010 at Leutstetten. The Princess was born on 29.05.1923 at Berchtsgaden as oldest daughter and second child of the last bavarian Crown Prince Rupprecht and his second wife Antonia, née Princess of Luxemburg. After her the couple got four more daughters. She spend her childhood in Berchtesgaden, Hohehenschwangau Castle and the Leuchtenberg Palais in Munich which where the homes of her parents. In 1940 she and her Family had to flly because of the National Sozialists. The princess lived the next 5 years near Florence. In 1944 first her mother and her sisters where arrested by the Gestapo and the Princess 2 months later.  There the Princess fell ill of Typhus. Only in February 1945 she was reunited with her Family when she was able to be transported to the KZ Flössenbürg. In 1950 Princess Irmingard married her first cousin Princess Ludwig of Bavria in a ceremony which took place at Nymphenburg Castle on 20.07.1950. They had one son prince Luitpold who runs one Bavaria's most successfull breweries Kaltenberg.

The Princess and her husband lived together at Leutstetten Castle outside of Munich. There Prince Ludwig passed away in October 2008 at the age of 95 and his widow followed him in death almost exactly 2 years later. The funeral will take place in private and a official Requiem is planned for 04. November at the Theatiner Church in Munich.

http://www.ovb-online.de/nachrichten/stars/irmingard-prinzessin-bayern-gestorben-zr-977627.html

Possenhofen Castle

Today Possenhofen Castle is best known as being the childhoodhome of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, née Duchess in Bavaria but it's History is much older. The Castle was build in 1536 for Jakob Rosenbusch who was Cancellor under Duke Ludwig of Bavaria. In 1600m the Castle came in the posession of the Hans Caspar von Horwarth. In the 30year long War the Castle was destroyed but rebuil by von Horwarth. After the died the Castle was bought by Elector Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria. It then changed his ownership a few times until it ended in the posession of the Counts of la Rosée. 1834 it was then acquired by Duke Maximilian in Bavaria the father of the Empress. It remained in the posession of the Ducal Family until 1940. After that it had different destination. In 1981 the Castle was bought by Prof. Franz Schilke who restored it to it's former Glory. As the Castle is owned prvat it can not be visited but one can walke around an has a good view on it.