Maximilian Egon II, Prince of Fürstenberg (13 October 1863 – 11 August 1941) was a German landowner, investor and nobleman who was the head of the House of Fürstenberg from 1896 to 1941.

Early life

Born as Prince Maximilian Egon Christian Karl Aloys Emil Leo Richard Anton zu Fürstenberg, he was the son of Prince Maximilian Egon I of Fürstenberg and his wife, Countess Leontina von Khevenhüller-Metsch, a daughter of Richard, 5th Prince of Khevenhüller-Metsch. He had a younger brother, born in 1867, named Prince Karl Emil Egon zu Fürstenberg.

Career

A close friend and adviser of Emperor

Wilhelm II of Germany Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as the Hohenzollern dynasty ...

, Max of Fürstenberg inherited territorial titles in

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...

and Baden, and by virtue of them had a seat in the House of Lords in each of the five states. Until the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he was vice-president of the Prussian House of Lords. His principal residence was the Princely Palace in Donaueschingen, near the source of the

Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...

, where he owned large deer forests. Emperor Wilhelm II frequently visited him there, and Max invariably accompanied the Emperor on his hunting expeditions and Norwegian trips. As well as his vast ancestral forests, he also owned coal mines, hotels and breweries. Although he was a member of the high Roman Catholic '' Uradel'' who had long stood aloof from party politics, after meeting

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

and Ernst Roehm in November 1933, Max became enthusiastic about Hitler's leadership, commenting that "It was wonderful, to be able to meet such a great man".Eckart Conze, Monika Wienfort, eds., ''Adel und Moderne: Deutschland im europäischen Vergleich im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert''
p. 136
"Es war herrlich, diesem einzig grossen Mann gegenueberstehen zu duerfen." The same year, 1933, he joined the

Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...

and the ''

Sturmabteilung The (; SA; or 'Storm Troopers') was the original paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party of Germany. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and early 1930s. I ...

'' (SA). In 1938, he was appointed to the rank of ''SA- Standartenführer''.

Personal life

In 1889, he married Countess Irma von Schönborn-Buchheim (1867–1946), a daughter of Erwein, 4th Count of Schönborn-Buchheim, and Countess Franziska von Trauttmansdorff-Weinsberg. Together, they were the parents of three sons and two daughters: * Prince Charles Egon of Fürstenberg (1891–1973), who married Countess Franziska Ida "Mena" von Nostitz-Rieneck. * Princess Leontina of Fürstenberg (1892–1979), who married Hugo, 4th Prince of Windisch-Graetz in 1912. * Princess Anna of Fürstenberg (1894–1928), who married Franz, 8th Prince of Khevenhüller-Metsch in 1913. * Prince Maximilian Egon of Fürstenberg (1896–1959), who married Countess Wilhelmine von Schönburg-Glauchau in 1921. * Prince Friedrich Eduard of Fürstenberg (1898–1916), who was killed in action during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He also had an illegitimate daughter, Marie-Louise-Auguste von Almey, by a liaison with Baroness Marguerite von Almey. He died in 1941, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and was succeeded by his son, Karl Egon V (1891–1973).John Kennedy, John E. James, eds., ''Almanach de Gotha 2004'', Vol. 1, p. 508

Descendants

Through his daughter Anna, he was a grandfather of Maximilian, 9th Prince of Khevenhüller-Metsch, who married Countess Wilhelmine Henckel von Donnersmarck.

Gallery

File:Max Egon II. zu Fürstenberg 1897.jpg, Photograph, 1897. Fürst Maximilian Egon II Von Fürstenberg.jpg, Photograph, . Maximilian Egon II, Prince of Fürstenberg.jpg, Portrait, by

Philip de László Philip Alexius László de Lombos (born Fülöp Laub; ; 30 April 1869 – 22 November 1937), known professionally as Philip de László, was an Anglo-Hungarian painter known particularly for his portraits of royal and aristocratic personages. ...

, 1899. Max Egon II Fürst zu Fürstenberg.jpg, Portrait, by Philip de László, 1899. Irma Fürstin zu Fürstenberg, née Countess Schönborn-Buchheim.jpg, Portrait of his wife Irma, by Philip de László, 1899. File:Maximilian Egon II. zu Fürstenberg by E. Bieber.jpg, Photograph and signature, 1913. Max Egon Fürst zu Fürstenberg.jpg, Portrait from the Market Hall of Freiburg.

Honours and awards

Ancestry

Citations

General references

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Furstenberg, Maximilian Egon 2 1863 births 1941 deaths 19th-century German landowners 20th-century German landowners Businesspeople from Baden-Württemberg Maximilian Egon II Knights of Malta Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria Members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Members of the Prussian House of Lords Nazi Party politicians Pretenders Royalty in the Nazi Party SA-Standartenführer Stahlhelm members