Prince of the Panzertruppen

[Lars Gyllenhaal]

Thanks, Simon!

And thank you, Lohengrin, for the other Panzer prince! Interesting indeed

And yes, the prince that I am after was very much related to the British royal family. The Windsors is a recent name for Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha. Some of you British members should now when the name was changed. I think it was as late as in 1914, is that right?

Cheers,

Lars

[TWP]

Just read the link about Prinz von Bayern. What a great guy he was. Trying to save the lives of his countrymen from Czech revenge. It is a tragedy that he was not allowed to return to his country much earlier, as it was so close by. It makes me mad to think of it. I hope the Czech govt makes some formal apology?

[Kuifje69]

Hi Lars,

I am not British but I know they chane their name at the beginning of the 1st Worl War, the name sounded to German.

Saksen Coburg (without Gotha) is also the name of the Belgium Royal Family.

Best regards,

Rene

[Lars Gyllenhaal]

another Panzer prince

Dear Rene,

Glad you are from the Netherlands, bacause there is actually one more "Panzer prince" that I am interested of - and that has a lot to do with your country. I am thinking of the husband of Queen Beatrix. I am pretty sure he served in the German army´s Panzertruppen but have never been able to find anything about which unit he belonged to. Nor have I ever seen a photo of him in uniform. Have you

And what about Prince Bernhard of Belgium? He was not in the Panzertruppen, but definatley in a German uniform (some years before the outbreak of WWII). Has anyone ever seen a photo of him in his German uniform? And what was his unit?

Cheers,

Lars

[Kuifje69]

Hi Lars,

Claus von Amsberg (the husband of our current Queen) served at the RAD when he was 16 (1943), after this he was send to the Italian Front were he served at the 90 (reserve) Panzerdivison in May 1945 he was captured by the Americans.

There is a pic were he is wearing an uniform.

Prins Bernard (the Father of our current Queen) was a member of the Reiter SS and NSDAP. There are a lot of rumours about his role with the Germans (he was also a German) before the WAR and at the ebginning of thw War. But I am afraid we will never know the truth.

Best regards,

Rene

[sbas]

There are 2 princes burried at IJsselstein German cemetary here in The Netherlands:

1. Egmont Prinz zur Lippe Weissenfeld (killed: 12-3-44)
2. Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn Wittgenstein (killed: 21-1-44)

I have a picture of their graves (they are resting alongst side each other)...but my scanner isnt working right now, Ill shall post it later on.

Sebas

[torstenbel]

talking about Princes...does anyone know what Prinz W. von Hessen did in the war? I have a diary (for the German soldier in Norway for 1941), where the owner of the diary had marked a meeting with Prinz W. von Hessen in Norway in February 1941....so, Prinz W. was certainly in Norway in early 1941. Cheers, Torsten.

[Lars Gyllenhaal]

Nl

Thanks Rene!

So, the 90th Panzer Div! Will have to read up on that one.

Hopefully someone will find a photo of Claus von Amsberg in his Panzer outfit, and post it here...

Cheers,

Lars

[sbas]

I must have that somewhere in my newspaper articles archive, but WHERE

Maybe Ill look for it tonight but I cant promise of finding claus in his uniform!

Sebas

[rexmundi]

Hi Lars,

Claus von Amsberg (the husband of our current Queen) served at the RAD when he was 16 (1943), after this he was send to the Italian Front were he served at the 90 (reserve) Panzerdivison in May 1945 he was captured by the Americans.

There is a pic were he is wearing an uniform.

Prins Bernard (the Father of our current Queen) was a member of the Reiter SS and NSDAP. There are a lot of rumours about his role with the Germans (he was also a German) before the WAR and at the ebginning of thw War. But I am afraid we will never know the truth.

Best regards,

Rene

The truth is simple. Everybody who wanted a high function needed to join the NSDAP. Prins Bernhard worked for I.G. Farben in Paris and was of Royal blood, because of that he joined the NSDAP. He joined the NSFK to fly, The Reiter SS to race horses and the SA to race. He didn't care much for Ideology and fought against the Germans from the moment they attacked the Netherlands.

[Kuifje69]

Dear Rexmundi,

I do not totally agree with you. With reference to Prince Bernard you can hardly say, especially in the beginning, he was against the NSDAP. The Dutch government did everything to hide this the last 55 years, but bit by bit the other story is coming tot he Daylight. (like the pictures of Bernard and Juliana's Wedding).

Like always the truth is not Black en White, so the same with Bernard. But again it will takes years and years before we will evenr to know this.

Best regards,

Rene

[TWP]

Dear Rexmundi,

I do not totally agree with you. With reference to Prince Bernard you can hardly say, especially in the beginning, he was against the NSDAP. The Dutch government did everything to hide this the last 55 years, but bit by bit the other story is coming tot he Daylight. (like the pictures of Bernard and Juliana's Wedding).

Like always the truth is not Black en White, so the same with Bernard. But again it will takes years and years before we will evenr to know this.

Best regards,

Rene

Rene, what is the statute/time limit when they give these up for public research?

[Kuifje69]

IMHO a lot of the files are in the hands of the Royal Family and they can decide when to put it public.
Which is strange, for example: only 1 Historian in Holland is now granted by the Royal Family to investigate in their Files os he is able to write a Biography on Juliana or Bernard (I am not sure which one right mow). But because the Royal Family deciced who and which Files he can look in too, the truth can be manipulated!

If it were Files in the hands of the Government than 50 years, but it depends on the subject.

About Prince Bernard there is for example a Rumour that he wrote Hitler a letter some where in 1940 were he offeres to be the new Leader or King under the the Germans, This is the so called "Stadshouders Letter".
But until today there is no proof found about this letter.

Best regards,

Rene

[Douglas Jr.]

This is Prince Ernst-August of Hanover in 1940.

Mr. Lumsden,

Nice picture of a Steyr-Solothurn (a.k.a. MP34ö) submachine-gun! And still has the bayonet lug. This picture made my day!

Douglas.

[TWP]

Thanks Rene, that is some interesting information for me. They really keep a strict monopoly on anything they do. Well, I guess it isnt surprising that they need to with so many skeletons in the closet.