Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Dietmar Hubertus Friedrich Wilhelm Philipp; 24 August 1909 – 26 November 1943) was a German courier pilot and a member of the
House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (; german: Haus Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) is a European royal house. It takes its name from its oldest domain, the Ernestine duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, its members later sat on the thrones of Belgium, B ...
, which reigned over the
eponymous duchy in the
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
. Born a
prince of Great Britain and Ireland
Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a royal title normally granted to sons and grandsons of reigning and past British monarchs. The title is granted by the reigning monarch, who is the fount of all honours, thro ...
as a great-grandson of
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
, Hubertus lost this title during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. He became
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
to the headship of his house in 1932, and he never married. Hubertus joined the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...
upon the outbreak of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
despite his opposition to
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
and
Nazism
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
. He served in the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
on the
Eastern Front until he was
killed in action. He is the maternal uncle of King
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. He ascended the throne on the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, on 15 September 1973.
He is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, D ...
.
Family
![Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R14328, Kinder des Herzogs v](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-R14328%2C_Kinder_des_Herzogs_v._Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha.jpg)
Prince Hubertus was born on 24 August 1909 at
Reinhardsbrunn
Reinhardsbrunn in Friedrichroda near Gotha, in the German state of Thuringia, is the site of a formerly prominent Benedictine abbey, the house monastery of the Ludovingian Landgraves of Thuringia abbey extant between 1085 and 1525. Later used as ...
Castle,
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
.
A 72-
gun salute
A gun salute or cannon salute is the use of a piece of artillery to fire shots, often 21 in number (''21-gun salute''), with the aim of marking an honor or celebrating a joyful event. It is a tradition in many countries around the world.
Histo ...
took place at
Friedenstein Palace
Friedenstein Palace (german: Schloss Friedenstein) is an early Baroque palace built in the mid-17th century by Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha at Gotha, Thuringia, Germany. In Germany, ''Friedenstein'' was one of the largest palaces of its time and ...
40 minutes after the Prince's birth.
[ The third child and second son of ]Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
''
, house = Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
, father = Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany
, mother = Princess Helen of Waldeck and Pyrmont
, birth_name = Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Clar ...
, and ,[ he was christened Dietmar Hubertus Friedrich Wilhelm Philipp on 21 September with his maternal grandfather, , serving as godfather.] Besides ruling a state of the German Empire, Charles Edward was a British peer
The peerages in the United Kingdom are a legal system comprising both hereditary and lifetime titles, composed of various noble ranks, and forming a constituent part of the British honours system. The term ''peerage'' can be used both collec ...
and a British prince
Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a royal title normally granted to sons and grandsons of reigning and past British monarchs. The title is granted by the reigning monarch, who is the fount of all honours, thro ...
as the grandson of Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
. Charles Edward lost his Coburg and Gotha throne during the German Revolution of 1918–19
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, and then was stripped of his British titles in 1919 for siding with Germany in the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.[
Hubertus had an older brother, Hereditary Prince Johann Leopold, who was ]heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
to their father, and three more siblings: Princess Sibylla, Princess Caroline Mathilde
Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark (Caroline-Mathilde Louise Dagmar Christine Maud Augusta Ingeborg Thyra Adelheid; 27 April 1912 – 12 December 1995) was a daughter of Prince Harald of Denmark and granddaughter of King Frederick VIII of Denmar ...
, and Prince Friedrich Josias.[ Though Charles Edward was brought up as an Englishman and the family mainly spoke English at home, Hubertus spoke German fluently, as did his siblings. He was hindered by timidity but was nevertheless the favourite of the family.][ He was especially close to his sister Sibylla and remained her confidant in adulthood.][ The children lived in fear of their father, who ran his family "like a military unit".][
]
Youth
Little is known about the career of Prince Hubertus.[ He received a private education before enrolling at the Gymnasium Casimirianum in ]Coburg
Coburg () is a town located on the Itz river in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Long part of one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined Bavaria by popular vote only in 1920. Until the revolution of 1918, it was ...
.[ He then studied law.][ According to Harald Sandner, biographer of Duke Charles Edward, it became evident during the studies that Prince Hubertus was homosexual,][ but his sexual orientation remained secret.][
When his brother Hereditary Johann Leopold renounced his succession rights in order to marry a commoner in 1932, Hubertus became the new heir apparent to the defunct throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.][ The same year, Hubertus attended the wedding of his sister Sibylla and Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten, staying close to the bride during the ceremony.][ Hubertus himself was not willing to marry.]
Second World War
The father of Prince Hubertus, Duke Charles Edward, was an ardent supporter of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
.[ The entire family enthusiastically welcomed the rise of ]German nationalism
German nationalism () is an ideological notion that promotes the unity of Germans and German-speakers into one unified nation state. German nationalism also emphasizes and takes pride in the patriotism and national identity of Germans as one na ...
. Soon, however, Hubertus and his mother, Duchess Victoria Adelaide, grew to despise the rising Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...
. After witnessing the torture of Jews, Prince Hubertus was forbidden to discuss it at home.[ The ]Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
broke out in September 1939, and all of Charles Edward's sons were enlisted in the German Army (Wehrmacht)
The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the German Navy, '' ...
. Prince Hubertus formally became a member of the Nazi Party on 19 October 1939,[ but remained opposed to Hitler for the rest of his life.][ In 1940, Hitler issued the '']Prinzenerlass
''Prinzenerlass'' (, "princes decree", also spelled Prinzenerlaß) was the name of a 1940 decree issued by Adolf Hitler that prohibited members of Germany's formerly reigning houses from participating in any military operations in the Wehrmacht ...
'', a decree prohibiting members of Germany's formerly reigning families from actively serving in the Wehrmacht, fearing that this would increase the public's sympathy for the deposed dynasties and threaten his grip on power. Such was Charles Edward's loyalty to Hitler, however, that the decree did not apply to the Duke's sons.[ During the war it was even reported that Hitler considered making Hubertus his '']Gauleiter
A ''Gauleiter'' () was a regional leader of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) who served as the head of a ''Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany, Gau'' or ''Reichsgau''. ''Gauleiter'' was the third-highest Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party, rank in ...
'' for the United Kingdom.[
]
Prince Hubertus was an accomplished aviator. Serving in the ''Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
'' as a courier pilot in the Eastern Front, Hubertus obtained the rank of ''Oberleutnant
() is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces.
Austria
Germany
In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...
'' (senior pilot).[ He was killed in action when his plane was shot down by the ]Soviet Air Forces
The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
on 26 November 1943 in Mosty, modern-day Ukraine.[ It was his last flight before he was to be relocated.][ News of his death spread on 3 December.][ Hubertus was buried the following day at the Coburg family cemetery at ]Callenberg Castle
Callenberg Castle (''Schloss Callenberg'') is a castle on a wooded hill in Beiersdorf, an ''Ortsteil'' of Coburg, from the town centre. It was a hunting lodge and summer residence and has long been the principal residence of the House of Saxe-Cob ...
. The Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha announced the death of their son and heir in ''Gothaer Beobachter'' with a very short obituary on 11 December.[ The ducal couple's youngest son, Prince Friedrich Josias, became heir apparent in his stead.][
Princess Sibylla was distraught by the death of her favourite brother. In 1946, she had a son, the long-awaited heir to the Swedish throne, and named him Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; he later became King ]Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. He ascended the throne on the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, on 15 September 1973.
He is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, D ...
. When King Carl XVI Gustaf's grandson was christened Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil, the choice of the name Hubertus was criticized by journalist Henrik Arnstad due to Prince Hubertus' membership of the Nazi Party. Arnstad was rebuked for his comments by political commentator Ivar Arpi
Ivar Arpi (born November 21, 1982) is a Swedish columnist and debater. He has written op-eds for ''Göteborgs-Posten'', ''Hallandsposten'' and ''Svenska Dagbladet''. Arpi claims that he supports freedom of speech and that he believes that Pluralis ...
.
Titles and honours
Hubertus was styled as "His Highness
Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style (manner of address), style used to address (in grammatical person, second person) or refer to (in grammatical person, third person) certain members of a reigning or formerl ...
Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha".[ Being a member of the ]House of Wettin
The House of Wettin () is a dynasty of German kings, prince-electors, dukes, and counts that once ruled territories in the present-day German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The dynasty is one of the oldest in Europe, and its ori ...
, he also held the title Duke of Saxony.[ As a male-line great-grandson of a ]British monarch
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiwi ...
, Hubertus was Prince of Great Britain and Ireland
Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a royal title normally granted to sons and grandsons of reigning and past British monarchs. The title is granted by the reigning monarch, who is the fount of all honours, thro ...
until the use of the title was restricted to the children and grandchildren of a monarch by letters patent of 1917. He was a knight of the Swedish Royal Order of the Seraphim
The Royal Order of the Seraphim ( sv, Kungliga Serafimerorden; ''Seraphim'' being a category of angels) is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the P ...
.[
]
Ancestry
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hubertus Of Saxe-Coburg And Gotha, Prince
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (United Kingdom)
Princes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Princes of the United Kingdom
1909 births
1943 deaths
Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II
People from Friedrichroda
LGBT royalty
LGBT people in the Nazi Party
Royalty in the Nazi Party
Luftwaffe pilots
Sons of monarchs