Prince Adalbert of Bavaria () (3 June 1886 – 29 December 1970) was a member of the

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

n Royal House of

Wittelsbach The House of Wittelsbach () is a former Bavarian dynasty, with branches that have ruled over territories including the Electorate of Bavaria, the Electoral Palatinate, the Electorate of Cologne, County of Holland, Holland, County of Zeeland, ...

, historian, author and a

German Ambassador to Spain This list contains the German ambassadors and heads of mission in Spain. Since 1995, the German ambassador in Madrid has also been double accredited to Andorra and traditionally presents his credentials for Andorra to the Co-Prince of Andorra, the ...

Early life

Adalbert was born at the

Nymphenburg Palace The Nymphenburg Palace (, Palace of the Nymphs) is a Baroque palace situated in Munich's western district Neuhausen-Nymphenburg, in Bavaria, southern Germany. The Nymphenburg served as the main summer residence for the List of rulers of Bavaria, ...

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

. He was the second son of

Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Bavaria Prince Ludwig Ferdinand Maria Karl Heinrich Adalbert Franz Philipp Andreas Konstantin of Bavaria (22 October 1859 – 23 November 1949) was a member of the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach and a General of Cavalry. Following his marriage to Infant ...

and his wife

Infanta María de la Paz of Spain Infanta María de la Paz of Spain (23 June 1862 – 4 December 1946) was a Spanish infanta. A daughter of Queen Isabella II, she married her cousin Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Bavaria. She lived the rest of her life in Germany, dedicating her time ...

. As was the case with most of his peers, following the

Abitur ''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...

, Adalbert joined the Bavarian Army and remained an officer throughout 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 served with the artillery as a battery commander and later as a

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, Enlisted rank, enlisted, and civilian staff who serve the commanding officer, commander of a ...

and a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

officer on both the Western and the Eastern Fronts. For his merits during the war, Prince Adalbert was decorated with the Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Crown and Swords, the

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

1st and 2nd Class, the Austro-Hungarian Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with War Decoration 3rd Class, the Brunswick

War Merit Cross The War Merit Cross () was a state decoration of Nazi Germany during World War II. By the end of the conflict it was issued in four degrees and had an equivalent civil award. A " de-Nazified" version of the War Merit Cross was reissued in 1957 ...

2nd Class, the Ottoman Golden

Liakat Medal The Liakat Medal () translated as "Medal of Merit," was a decoration of the Ottoman Empire established in 1890. It could be awarded in two classes, gold or silver. The medal was a common military decoration of the late Ottoman Empire, through the ...

and the Ottoman War Medal.

1920s-1940s

After Germany's defeat in 1918, Prince Adalbert left the military and began study history at the

Ludwig Maximilian University The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich, LMU or LMU Munich; ) is a public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Originally established as the University of Ingolstadt in 1472 by Duke Ludwig IX of Bav ...

in Munich; later publishing several works on Bavarian and royal history. With the outbreak of

World War II 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 ...

, Adalbert was recalled back to the military and served as a staff officer under close family friend

Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Wilhelm Josef Franz Ritter von Leeb (5 September 1876 – 29 April 1956) was a German ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (Field marshal, Field Marshal) of the ''Wehrmacht'' during the Second World War, who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. Leeb w ...

. With the Army Group C, he took part in the German invasion of France, but his return to the German Army was short-lived. In early 1941, Prince Adalbert was relieved from all combat duties as a result of the so-called '' Prinzenerlass''. By this decree,

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 ...

ordered that all members of the former German reigning royal houses were forbidden from joining or participating in any military operations in the

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

. Later, in May 1941, Prince Adalbert was cashiered from the military and withdrew to the family castle

Hohenschwangau Hohenschwangau is a former village and now an urban district of the municipality of Schwangau, Ostallgäu district, Bavaria, Germany. It is located between Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau and is visited by about 2 million peop ...

in southern Bavaria, where he lived for the rest of the war.

Post World War II

After the war he worked shortly for the Bavarian

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

office and in 1952 was appointed by

Konrad Adenauer Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer (5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967) was a German statesman and politician who served as the first Chancellor of Germany, chancellor of West Germany from 1949 to 1963. From 1946 to 1966, he was the first leader of th ...

as the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Spain. He remained in this post until 1956.

Marriage

On 12 June 1919 Prince Adalbert married Countess Augusta von Seefried auf Buttenheim (1899-1978), the daughter of

Count Otto von Seefried auf Buttenheim Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility.L. G. Pine, Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty'' ...

and

Princess Elisabeth Marie of Bavaria Princess Elisabeth Marie of Bavaria (; 8 January 1874 – 4 March 1957) was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach. Early life Elisabeth was born in Munich, Bavaria on 8 January 1874, as a member of the House of Wittelsbach, reigni ...

. The wedding took place in

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

, Austria. The couple had two sons: * Prince Konstantin of Bavaria (1920–1969) *

Prince Alexander of Bavaria A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The fem ...

(12 Jun 1923 - 6 May 2001, born and died in Munich, Germany)

Death

Prince Adalbert of Bavaria died on 29 December 1970 at

and is buried at the Andechs Abbey cemetery in Bavaria.

Ancestry

Published works

* ''Das Ende der Habsburger in Spanien'' (2 Bände). Bruckmann Verlag, München 1929 * ''Vier Revolutionen und einiges dazwischen. Siebzig Jahre aus dem Leben der Prinzessin Ludwig Ferdinand von Bayern, Infantin von Spanien''. Hans Eder Verlag, München, 1932 * ''An Europas Fürstenhöfen. Lebenserinnerung der Infantin Eulalia von Spanien 1864-1931''. Verlag Robert Lutz Nachfolger Otto Schramm, Stuttgart, 1936 * ''Eugen Beauharnais. Der Stiefsohn Napoleons. Ein Lebensbild''. Propyläen Verlag, Berlin, 1940 * ''Nymphenburg und seine Bewohner''. Oldenbourg Verlag, München, 1949 * ''Max I. Joseph von Bayern. Pfalzgraf, Kurfürst und König''. Bruckmann Verlag, München, 1957 * ''Die Herzen der Leuchtenberg. Chronik einer napoleonisch-bayerisch-europäischen Familie''. Prestel Verlag, München, 1963 * ''Der Herzog und die Tänzerin. Die merkwürdige Geschichte Christians IV. von Pfalz-Zweibrücken und seiner Familie''. Pfälzische Verlagsanstalt, Neustadt/Weinstraße, 1966 * ''Als die Residenz noch Residenz war''. Prestel Verlag, München, 1967 * ''Die Wittelsbacher. Geschichte unserer Familie''. Prestel Verlag, München, 1979 * ''Erinnerungen 1900-1956''. Langen-Müller Verlag, München, 1991

References

* ''Das Bayernbuch vom Kriege 1914-1918''. Konrad Krafft von Dellmensingen, Friedrichfranz Feeser, Chr. Belser AG, Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1930 * ''Die Wittelsbacher. Geschichte unserer Familie''. Adalbert, Prinz von Bayern. Prestel Verlag, München, 1979 {{DEFAULTSORT:Adalbert, Prince Of Bavaria 1886 births 1970 deaths Ambassadors of Germany to Spain German Roman Catholics German Army personnel of World War I German Army officers of World War II House of Wittelsbach Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain Knights of Santiago Crosses of Military Merit Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni Members of the Bavarian Reichsrat Military personnel of Bavaria People from the Kingdom of Bavaria Princes of Bavaria Burials at Andechs Abbey