Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld

Prince Wilhelm of Hesse (Wilhelm Ernst Alexis Hermann; 1 March 1905 - 30 April 1942) was German soldier and heir to the headship of the Hesse-Philippsthal line of the House of Hesse.

As a member of the House of Hesse he was styled His Highness Prince Wilhelm of Hesse.

Early life

Prince Wilhelm was born in Rotenburg an der Fulda, the eldest child of Prince Chlodwig of Hesse and his wife, Princess Caroline of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. On 16 August 1905 his father succeeded to the headship of the Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld line of the House of Hesse.^[1]

From a non reigning branch of the House of Hesse, Prince Wilhelm was closely related to the reigning Darmstadt line through his aunt, Princess Eleonore, who was married to Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse. Through his father he was the nephew of Leopold IV of Lippe, who was married to his aunt, Princess Bertha.

Post World War I

With the end of the First World War the monarchy in Germany was abolished. Prince Wilhelm lived at Schloss Augustenau in Herleshausen where he was engaged in forestry and agriculture. In 1932 he joined the Nazi party and the SS rising to the rank SS-Hauptsturmführer.^[1] His application to join to the SS ran into some problems due to the epilepsy of his brother, Prince Alexander Friedrich, which caused an investigation to be carried to see if his condition was the result of a hereditary illness.^[2]

Prince Wilhelm was married on 30 January 1933 in Tabarz to Princess Marianne of Prussia. They had three children: Wilhelm (born 1933), Hermann (born 1935) and Johanna (born 1937).^[1]

During the Second World War Prince Wilhelm refused to join an SS unit instead switching to the regular German Army where he became a captain of infantry.^[2][3] He was killed in action during the fighting at Gor on the Eastern Front.

Honours

• Iron Cross^[2]

References