THE LAST PRINCES

What became of Kaiser Wilhelm’s six sons?

PRINCE ADALBERT 1884-1948

Dropping off the radar with the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party, Wilhelm’s third son Adalbert moved to Switzerland with his wife and two children during the 1930s and lived out the rest of his life there in exile.

PRINCE JOACHIM 1890-1920

The sixth and youngest son Joachim committed suicide in 1920. He was diagnosed in 1918 with the rare hereditary condition of porphyria and was prone to outbursts of rage, which cost him his wife and then his life.

PRINCE AUGUST WILHELM 1887-1949

‘Auwi’ joined the Nazi Party, gaining a rank in the paramilitary Brownshirts and then the SS. He was sidelined in 1942 for making derogatory remarks about Joseph Goebbels.

CROWN PRINCE FRIEDRICH WILHELM 1882-1951

Friedrich Wilhelm was approached by opposition leaders in Germany intent on replacing Hitler as a head of state. The crown prince turned them down, and was put under house arrest in July 1944.

PRINCE OSKAR 1888-1958

Fifth son Oskar was feted as a hero in World War I and accused of war crimes in its aftermath. A member of Stahlhelm, Oskar was active in courting Hitler and held a commission in the Wehrmacht.

PRINCE EITEL FRIEDRICH 1883-1942

Having served in World War I, Eitel Friedrich became an active member of the Stahlhelm. Although later swearing allegiance to Hitler, he was unimpressed with the Führer.