Prinz Ludwig Ferdinand Paul Franz Stanislaus Ulrich Otto Ludolf zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (4 April 1910 – 22 November 1943) was a highly decorated

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...

in the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...

during

World War II 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 ...

. He was also a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Ludwig-Ferdinand Prinz von Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was killed on 22 November 1943 near

Zhytomyr Zhytomyr ( uk, Жито́мир, translit=Zhytomyr ; russian: Жито́мир, Zhitomir ; pl, Żytomierz ; yi, זשיטאָמיר, Zhitomir; german: Schytomyr ) is a city in the north of the western half of Ukraine. It is the Capital city, a ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 20 January 1944 and was also promoted to Oberst.

Early life

Ludwig was the son of

Richard, 4th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Richard, 4th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (german: Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, 27 May 1882 – 25 April 1925) was Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg from 1904 to 1918. Life Prince Richard was born on 27 May 1882 at Berlebu ...

and Princess Madeleine of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg. He had two older brothers, Gustav Albrecht who was also killed in 1944, and Christian Heinrich who died in 1983. Gustav's son

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...

was married to

Princess Benedikte of Denmark Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (Benedikte Astrid Ingeborg Ingrid, born 29 April 1944) is a member of the Danish royal family. She is the second daughter and child of Frederick IX of Denmark, King Frederi ...

, sister of

Queen Margrethe II Margrethe II (; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, born 16 April 1940) is Queen of Denmark. Having reigned as Denmark's monarch for over 50 years, she is Europe's longest-serving current head of state and the world's only incumbent femal ...

and of former

Queen Anne-Marie of Greece Anne-Marie, ( el, Άννα-Μαρία ; born 30 August 1946) is a Greek and Danish royal who was the last Queen of Greece from 1964 to 1973 as the wife of King Constantine II. The Greek monarchy was abolished with the 1974 Greek Republic R ...

Personal life

Ludwig Ferdinand married in 1935 Princess Friederike Juliane of

Salm-Horstmar Salm-Horstmar was a short-lived Napoleonic County in far northern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located around Horstmar, to the northeast of Münster. It was created in 1803 for Wild- and Rhinegrave Frederick Charles Augustus of Salm-Grumbach ...

, daughter of Otto II, Prince of Salm-Horstmar (1867-1941) and Countess Rosa of

Solms-Baruth Solms-Baruth was a Lower Lusatian state country, from 16th century until 1945. History The House of Solms had its origins at Solms, Hesse, and ruled several of the many minor states of the Holy Roman Empire. These lost their independence in the G ...

(1884-1945). They had five children: * Marita, Princess zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1936-2000), married Count Ulrich Wolf Adolf Grote (b.1940); had issue * Otto-Ludwig, Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b.1938), married Baroness Anette von

Cramm {{More citations needed, date=September 2022 CRAMM (CCTA Risk Analysis and Management Method) is a risk management methodology, currently on its fifth version, CRAMM Version 5.0. History CRAMM was created in 1987 by the Central Computer and Telec ...

(b.1944); had issue * Johann-Stanislaus, Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b.1939), married Almut Leonhards (b.1943); had issue * Ludwig-Ferdinand, Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b.1942), married Countess Yvonne

Wachtmeister af Johannishus The Wachtmeister family is a Swedish noble family from Livonia, who immigrated to Sweden in the 16th century. The name '' Wachtmeister'' is German for 'sergeant'. The family branched out in 1683, and was "introduced" at the Swedish House of Nobi ...

(b.1951); had issue * Ulrike-Christine, Princess zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1944-2021), married Hano von Wulffen (b.1940); had issue His descendants include Ludwig-Ferdinand's children

Princess Anna of Bavaria , image = 2019-11-20-Anna von Bayern-Maischberger-7728.jpg , image_size = , caption = Pictured in 2019 , spouse = , issue = Prince LeopoldPrincess AlvaPrince Gabriel , house = Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berl ...

and Prince August Fredrik zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.

Awards and decorations

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...

(1939) ** 2nd Class (20 May 1940) ** 1st Class (10 June 1940) *

Eastern Front Medal The Eastern Medal (german: Ostmedaille), officially the Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal (german: Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42, links=no), was a military award of the ''Wehrmacht'' which was created by ordinance of Adolf Hi ...

German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...

in Gold (15 December 1941) *

on 20 January 1944 as ''

Oberstleutnant () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedis ...

'' and commander of Kavallerie-Regiment Süd Fellgiebel 2000, p. 302.

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * *

External links

TracesOfWar.comDas-Ritterkreuz.de
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Ludwig-Ferdinand Prinz von 1910 births 1943 deaths German Army personnel killed in World War II Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Ludwig-Ferdinand Prinz von Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Reichswehr personnel People from Siegen-Wittgenstein Military personnel from North Rhine-Westphalia German Army officers of World War II