Figure 1.--
|
Figure 1.-- |
Oscar Charles Gutav Adolf Hohenzollern (1888-1973) was a son of Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was given the title of Prince of Prussia. He became an early supporter of the NAZIs.
Oscar Charle's Wilhelm's father was Kaiser William II of Germany. His mother was Augusta Victoria von Schleswig-Holstein.
August Wilhelm, Prince of Prussia, was born July 27, 1888 at Marmorpalis, Potsdam.
He was the fifth son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, (1859-1941). HBC has little information on Oscar Charles's childhood. While there are a lot of photographs showing how the Kaiser's grandchildren, including August Wilhelm, were dressed, HBC so far as relatively little information how August and his brothers were dressed.
Prince Oskar morganatically married Countess Ina-Marie von Bassewitz (1888-1973) She was created Countess of Ruppin. She was the daughter of Count Karl von Bassewitz-Levetzow and Countess Margarete von der Schulenburg. They were married in both religious and civil ceremonies on July 31, 1914 at Schlo? Bellevue, near Berlin. This was a fatefull year for German royalty and the wedding took place just days before World War I began.
Prince Oskar commanded the Liegnitz King's grenadiers. The Kaiser had hoped to place Oskar on the Finnish throne. In the aftermath of Revolution in Russia, Finland declared its independence. The Finns voted for a monarchy, but chose Friederich Karl of Hesse. The monarchy, however, proved to be very short lived.
He joined a far-right veterans group the Stanlhelm. Like many Hohenzollernes, he felt that the rise of right wing poarties like the NAZIs would lead to the reinstatement of the monarchy. His father the old Kaiser was much more suspicious of the NAZIs.
Figure 2.--The photo is of Prince Oskar with family. Given the children's age, the photograph was probably taken about 1925. Note the button-on sailor suits and strap shoes. |
Prince Oskar had four children:
Became Prince Oskar of Prussia in 1919. He was killed in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland.
Became Prince Burchard of Prussia 1n 1919 . He mairred Countess Eleonore Fugger
von Babenhausen (1925-1992) in 1961.
Princess Herzeleide-Ina-Marie of Prussia was born after World War I ended on Christmas, Secember 25, 1918 at Bristow, Mecklenburg. She married Karl, Prince Biron von Kurland and Francoise de Montigny de Jaucourt (1907-1982), in a civil ceremony during 1938 at Potsdam. She died in 1989 at Munich, Germany, age 70.
Prince Wilhelm Karl was the youngest son of Prince Oskar. As a boy he wore dresses, a fashion that was becoming less common after World War I in the 1920s. I'm not sure when he was breeched, but he looks to still be wearing dresses ar age 4. He is pictured here about 1927 or 28 wearing a long pants sailor and strap shoes with older sister Princess Herzeleide. Many boys who normally wore short pants might have a long pants sailor suit. Actually the long pants suits were common among royal families. He wore bangs as a boy, but when he was breeched his hair at the side was cut shorter. We have no information on his childhood at this time. Aklmost surely as he was 11 years old when the NAZIs seized power and his father was an ardent NAZI, he mist have joined the Hitler Youth. He mairred Armgard von Veltheim (*1926) in 1952.
Prince Oskar's wife appears to have dressed the boys in dresses until about age 4. The one avilable image shows Pribe Wilhelm-Karl wearing a white dress. His dresswas different from that of his sister in that there was no waist. The German royals even after abdication continued to favor sailor suits for the boys. Prince Wilhelm Karl is pictured here in a white long pants sailor suit. The suit pants button on to the middy blouse. The middy blouse has traditional styling with blue detailing on the collar and cuffs. The pants are quite narrow, about as far as you can get from real sailor flare pants as possible. He wears white socks and Mary Jane strap shoes just like his sister. I'm not sure what color they were. The only images we have at this time is of the younger children, Prince Wilhelm-Karl and Princess Herzeleide. I do not know if the older children were dressed differently.
Prince Oskar died on January 27, 1958 at Munich, Germany, at age 69
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site royal pages:
[Return to the Main Wilhelm II page]
[Return to the Main German royal page]
[Austria]
[Belgium]
[Denmark]
[France]
[German states]
[Italy]
[Luxenburg]
[Monaco]
[Netherlands]
[Norway]
[Romania]
[Russia]
[Spain]
[United Kingdom]