Charlotte (Luxembourg)
Charlotte von Nassau-Weilburg (born January 23, 1896 at Berg Castle in Luxembourg; † July 9, 1985 at Fischbach Castle ; full name Charlotte Adelgonde Élisabeth Marie Wilhelmine ) was Grand Duchess of Luxembourg , Duchess of Nassau from 1919 to 1964 .
Life
Charlotte was the second oldest of the six daughters of Grand Duke William IV of Luxembourg (1852-1912) and Infanta Maria Anna of Portugal (1861-1942). After her sister Marie-Adelheid abdicated , Charlotte succeeded her as Grand Duchess of Luxembourg on January 15, 1919. The referendum of September 28, 1919 confirmed the constitutional hereditary monarchy under Grand Duchess Charlotte.
On November 6, 1919, she married her cousin Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma , the brother of Zita , the last Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, with whom she had six children: Jean , who was born on January 5, 1921, and her He was succeeded by Elisabeth (1922–2011), Marie-Adelheid (1924–2007), Marie-Gabrielle (* 1925), Charles (1927–1977) and Alix (1929–2019).
After the occupation of Luxembourg by German troops on May 10, 1940, the Grand Duchess fled with her family and the government via France , Portugal and the United States into exile in Canada and London .
From 1940 to 1944 the Grand Duchess became a symbol of her country's freedom and independence through her radio addresses on the BBC . During this time in 1941 she also visited Luxembourgish emigrant groups and associations in the United States. Then she traveled in 1942 and 1943 on the so-called "Good Will Tours" through the United States.
On August 25, 1942, the grand ducal family was received by US President Roosevelt .
Finally, on September 10, 1944, the city of Luxembourg was liberated by American troops. Prince Felix and Hereditary Grand Duke Jean returned that same day and were enthusiastically received by the population.
The Grand Duchess returned from exile on April 14, 1945. In the following time she visited the villages and towns of the country destroyed during the Ardennes offensive . On June 29, 1945, the small Luxembourg army within the Allied troops, the so-called Brigade Piron or La Luxembourg battery, was officially demobilized in the capital in the presence of Charlotte and Félix.
On November 12, 1964, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg abdicated in favor of her son Jean after a term of 45 years.
On July 9, 1985, Grand Duchess Charlotte died at the age of 89 at Fischbach Castle and was buried in the crypt of Luxembourg Cathedral.
ancestors
| Pedigree: Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1919–1964) | ||||||||
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| Great-great-grandparents |
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (Nassau-Weilburg) (1768–1816) |
Duke |
Hereditary Prince Friedrich von Anhalt-Dessau |
Landgrave Wilhelm von Hessen -Kassel-Rumpenheim |
King Peter III (Portugal) (1717–1786) |
King Charles IV (Spain) |
Prince Karl (Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg) |
Prince Karl Ludwig (Hohenlohe-Langenburg) |
| Great grandparents |
Duke |
Prince Friedrich August von Anhalt-Dessau |
King |
Hereditary Prince Konstantin zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg |
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| Grandparents |
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King Michael I (Portugal) |
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| parents |
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progeny
Charlotte married Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma (1893–1970) in 1919 . The couple had six children:
- Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano (1921–2019) ⚭ Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium
- Elisabeth Hilda Zita Marie Anna Antoinette Friederike Wilhelmine Louise (1922–2011) ⚭ Franz Ferdinand Hohenberg (son of Maximilian Hohenberg , grandson of Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este )
- Marie-Adélaïde Louise Thérèse Wilhelmine (1924–2007) ⚭ 1958 with Carl Joseph Count Henckel von Donnersmarck (grandson of Count Edwin Henckel von Donnersmarck )
- Marie Gabrielle Aldegunde Wilhelmine Louise (* 1925) ⚭ Knud Graf von Holstein-Ledreborg
- Charles Frédéric Louis Guillaume Marie (1927–1977) ⚭ Joan Douglas-Dillon, daughter of C. Douglas Dillon
- Alix Marie Anne Antoinette Charlotte Gabrielle (1929–2019) ⚭ Prince Antoine von Ligne
literature
- André Linden: Léif Lëtzebuerger,… dir dohém a mir hei baussen… the radio speeches of Great-Duchess Charlotte in exile. In … ët wor alles net esou simply. Questions about Luxembourg et la Deuxième Guerre mondiale . Luxembourg 2002
Movie
- Léif Lëtzebuerger… D'Grande-Duchesse in exile 1940–1945. British-Luxembourgish documentary by Ray Tostevin, 2007
Web links
notes
- ↑ Image: Charlotte and Félix say goodbye to the Piron Brigade, 1945. Luxemburger Wort , September 15, 2014
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Marie-Adelheid |
Grand Duchess of Luxembourg 1919–1964 |
Jean |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Charlotte |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Nassau-Weilburg, Charlotte von |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Luxembourg Grand Duchess, Duchess of Nassau (1919–1964) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 23, 1896 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Berg Castle |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 9, 1985 |
| Place of death | Fischbach Castle |