Figure 1.--This photograph looks to have been taken in the early 1950s. It shows the family of Prince Franz Joseph II, including his wife Georgina of Wilczek and four of their five children. The boys wear long knickers.

Franz Joseph was born in 1906. His father was Prince Aloys (1869- ), a grandson of Aloysius II. His mother was Elisabeth Amalia Habsburg-Lotharingen (1878- ). Prince Franz Joseph II ruled Liechtenstein for 51 years. He in 1938 was the first Prince ever to take up residence in the castle of Vaduz. As far as we can tell, there was no Jewish community. Prince Josef Wenzel even banned Jewish commerce—-except at fairs (17th century). Liechtenstein generally followed Swiss policies and border practices. About 400 Jewish refugees tried to flee to Liechtenstein during the NAZI era. Some 235 were accepted but 165 were turned back. 【NAZI crimes】 The Principality allowed 144 Jews to become citizens 'in return for high fees'. Some pro-NAZI elements wanted the Jews deported, but Prince Franz ignored the demands. There were no deportations, slave labor, or property seizures. (Concentration camp labor was utilized for work om estates owned by the Royal Family in Czechoslovakia and Austria.) Apparently the number of Jews was so small that NAZI officials ignored them. Any action would have involved diplomatic complications with Switzerland--something the NAZIs wanted to avoid because Switzerland was so useful to them. Franz Joseph married Georgina of Wilczek in 1943 during World War II. They had five children: John III Adam (1945- ), Philip Erasmus (1946- ), Nicholas (1947- ), Nora (1950- ), and Franz Joseph of Wenceslas (1962- ). The boys appears to have been dressed alike as children. In one curious images all the boys wear the same long knickers, but with both belts and suspenders. Franz Joseph II died in 1989 and was succeeded by his eldest son John III Adam.

Created: May 14, 2002
Last updated: 8:19 AM 1/20/2026