Johann Friedrich Ritz

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Portrait of Johann Friedrich Ritz (18th century)

Johann Friedrich Ritz (born May 2, 1755 in Potsdam , † September 19, 1809 in Potsdam ) was an influential Prussian court official.

Life

The parents of Johann Friedrich Ritz were confidants of the Prussian heir to the throne during his initial game of hide-and-seek with Wilhelmine Enke . They achieved that their son became a Prussian valet and soon gained the trust of his master, the Crown Prince and later (from 1786) King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, whom he also assisted in discreet matters. In particular, he knew his mistress Wilhelmine Enke from childhood and therefore took the mistress of the heir to the throne de facto in 1782 at the request of the latter.

For his services, the future king had him promoted to secret chamberlain. As such, Ritz was responsible, among other things, for financial expenses from the king's private treasury and for the court, for royal stables, for expenses on trips, hunts and campaigns with royal participation as well as for art, building and gardening matters.

family

Palais Lichtenau

He was married to Wilhelmine Enke in his first marriage since 1782 . With considerable support from the king, he had the Palais Lichtenau in Potsdam (now Behlertstrasse 31) built for them. Friedrich Wilhelm II had Wilhelmine Enke elevated to Countess Lichtenau in 1796. After the death of Friedrich Wilhelm II., His successor Friedrich Wilhelm III. who have favourited the Imprisonment of the Countess. The marriage with Johann Friedrich had already been divorced in April 1796 at the request of the king, so that the elevation to Countess Lichtenau could take place.

Ritz married a second time in 1798, this time the actress Henriette Baranius . For them he had the Villa Ritz built in the Berlin suburb in Potsdam , today Berliner Straße 136, according to the plans of Michael Philipp Daniel Boumann .

In 1842 King Friedrich Wilhelm IV ennobled Ritz's grandson from his marriage to Wilhelmine Enke, named Jacob Wilhelm, who founded the von Ritz-Lichtenow family, which still exists today .

estate

The extensive estate of Johann Friedrich Ritz with numerous correspondence and factual files a. a. about building and gardening matters in Berlin and Potsdam is now in the Secret State Archive of Prussian Cultural Heritage in Berlin-Dahlem to the extent of six linear meters .

literature

  • Clemens Alexander Wimmer : The life of the former secret chamberlain Johann Friedrich Ritz in Potsdam 1797-1809. On the history of the White Villa Berliner Straße 136. , Potsdam, 1998.
  • Martin Husen, Peter Sauerwald: Johann Friedrich Ritz, the “nobility maker” - ennobling and awarding orders during the reign of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, 1786–1797 . In: Orders and Medals. Das Magazin für Freunde der Phaleristik, Ed .: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ordenskunde , Issue 82, 14th year, Hof / Saale 2012. ISSN 1438-3772.

swell

  • “View of the situation of the Berlin National Theater at the end of 1796”, Author: Anonymous, in: “Lyceum of Fine Arts”, Volume 1, Part 1, Berlin 1797

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Palais Lichtenau
  2. ^ Villa Ritz
  3. ^ Information on Jacob Wilhelm von Ritz-Lichtenow at genealogy.net
  4. ↑ Entry in the central database for bequests
personal data
SURNAME Ritz, Johann Friedrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Servant of Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia
DATE OF BIRTH May 2, 1755
PLACE OF BIRTH Potsdam
DATE OF DEATH September 19, 1809
Place of death Potsdam