King Friedrich August III of Saxony, his family and descendants

[HerrKaiser]

Right, Kmerov, the Dresden of pre 1945 was completely destroyed in February 1945. The damage, both in terms of structural losses and human life, was far greater than even the A-bombs dropped on Japan later that year.
Since Dresden was in the Soviet sector which ultimately became East Germany, the rebuilding was essentially a joke. Few original buildings were reconstructed, the notable exceptions were the Semper Opera house that took 40 years to rebuild and the Zwinger. Most of the other grand historical structures were left in ruin. In the mid 1980s, much of the inner city looked like the war just ended except for the weeds growing up in the rubble.
Most of the building completed during the communist era were communist style structures--large, looming rows of concrete boxes to house the population and commercial needs.
When the Wall fell, eastern Germany went on a mad rush to make up for 45 years of neglect and bad architecture/planning/rebuilding asap. It has worked out pretty well. The show piece of the reconstruction in Dresden is the largest baroque cathedral in the world rebuilt from ashes and due to be dedicated next October.

[grandduchessella]

Although I did not see the exhibit, I do have a bokk [rather lacish] from that tour. The treasures were incredible, equal to the most exquisite  Faberge I thought. From that book alone I have always wanted to see them.

The items taken by the Soviets- are they being returned in this new spirit of exchange ?

I was lucky enough that the exhibition went through Mississippi *gasp!* The items were quite something--very baroque. Not really my style though a little _too_ much ala Versailles or Neuschwanstein. It's lovely to look at in small doses but too much makes you a little queasy.  :-/

bluetoria--I'll look around for some info on George. I've only found bare sketches--once when I was looking at info regarding German royal opposition to WW2 and another time in William Lalor's book Royalty Before the Wars where it's mentioned briefly in the caption.

[Eurohistory]

The Royal House of Saxony is about to become extinct in the male line.  Keeping this in mind, Margrave Maria Emanuel of Saxony had hoped that his sister Mathilde's son, Prince Johannes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, would become the next heir.  Unfortunately Johannes died in a harrowing climbing accident in the Alps and that put a tragic end to this solution.

Then the Margrave consulted with his family and decided that the new heir would be his other nephew Alexander Afif-Gessaphe, raised in Mexico, and the eldest son of Princess Maria Anna of Saxony by her late husband Roberto Afif.  The Afifi family claim membership in a Middle eastern "royal" clan as Princes of Gessaphe.

Anyhow, Alexander was elevated to the title of Prince by his uncle the Margrave and made everyone extremely happy by finding himself a royal bride, Princess Gisela of Bavaria.  she happens to be the youngets daughter of Prince Rasso of Bavaria and Archduchess Theresia of Austria-Tuscany, a great-granddaughter of Emperor Franz Joseph.  Prince Rasso himself is a grandson of King Ludwig III of Bavaria' the country's last monarch.

Prince Alexander and Princess Gisela are the parents of four children.  The couple have lived in Dresden since the last 6 years and he works for the Saxon government's office of international investment.  It is his duty to attract foreign business to Saxony, a position he has fulfilled with great distinction.

Initialy all male and female members of the Saxon family (the Margrave, Prince Albert, Princess Maria Anna, Princess Maria Josepha, princess Mathilde and their cousins Princes Dedo and Gero) signed a document in which all agreed that Alexander would be the family's "dynastic" heir.  However, since then there have been problems and Albert, Gero and Dedo, decided to throw their support behind Herr Rüdiger Prinz von Sachsen, the morganatic son of the late Prince Timo of Saxony, the much-married brother of Dedo and Gero.  Rüdiger has had a checkered career to say the least, with prison stints, fraud, lawsuits and even the suicide of his poor suffering wife.

The Margrave has never wavered in his support of Alexander's cause however and to royal Europe, Alexander is the accepted heir.

Arturo Beéche

[bluetoria]

 Her eldest son George is interesting to me as he renounced his rights in 1923 and  became a Jesuit  priest and was perhaps murdered by the Nazis as he was an outspoken opponent  

I found from a Jesuit paper that he was drowned on May 14 1943 for sheltering Jewish people...but where and under what exact circumstances it didn't say...nor how he was caught. He is buried in Dresden.

[Eurohistory]

I found from a Jesuit paper that he was drowned on May 14 1943 for sheltering Jewish people...but where and under what exact circumstances it didn't say...nor how he was caught. He is buried in Dresden.

Rest assured that poor Georg was done in by the nazis

Arturo Beéche

[grandduchessella]

Anything you'd like to add to that enigmatic statment?  

[Eurohistory]

No enigma at all...former Kronprinz Georg of Saxony, who became a Jesuit priest in 1924, was caught helping Jews by the SS, who quickly disposed of him and made it seem like a drowning. (Source: Prince Albert of Saxony, noted historian of the Royal House, as well as nephew of Kronrinz Georg)

Arturo Beéche

[bluetoria]

Do you have any MORE information, please, Arturo? Such as was he hiding the Jews as part of a Jesuit scheme, or was he acting by himself? Did he save many people or just hide one or two? Was he hiding them of helping them to escape? Was his family aware of what had happened to him? Was he betrayed or just caught? How was he 'supposed' to have drowned etc etc. ? Anything at all would be interesting, please

[Robert_Hall]

I think [not positive] I read some time ago that there was a cause for his beatification and also that he was declared "righteous gentile" ?? Rather appropriate topic for today, as it is the commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz.

[bluetoria]

Is that so, Robert? (Beatification) That's partly what I was trying to find out...if you come across anything else, ever, please will you post it?

[Robert_Hall]

Sure, would be happy to. However, Arturo is far more likely to find out, as he is "into" royal saints and such. Did he not just attend the rites in the Vatican for Karl [Habsburg]?

[Eurohistory]

Prince Albert of Saxony stated the following:

It can however be said that Crown Prince Georg was in fact murdered, as it has been clearly established that he hid Jews from persecution by the Nazis during his time in Berlin.  As I (Prince Albert) have learned from several interviews, it can be assumed that the SS had a part in his death.

Arturo Beéche

[kmerov]

Why did some of the family members change their views on Alexander being "heir"? Doesnt seem quit fair, unless for a very good reason!
And their new choice dosnt seem an obvious one with his history!

[Robert_Hall]

Want to bet that it involves  $$$ ? I understand the family is very involved in business.

[Eurohistory]

Want to bet that it involves  $$$ ? I understand the family is very involved in business.

Bobby,

In answer to this...BINGO - Cha-ching!

Money is the reason why Gero. Dedo and Albert recanted their signatures, as well as ambion on Albert's morganatic wife, who expects to be treated as a full-titled princes and uses the HRH, to which she is not entitled as an unequal spouse.

Arturo Beéche