Figure 1.--Here we see Prince Louis-Ferdinand with his children and grandchildren on his 70th birthday during 1977. From left to right: Prince Christian Sigismund of Prussia (b. 1946), Princess Michael of Prussia, Princess Kira of Prussia (1943 - 2004), Prince Michael of Prussia (b.1940), Duke Friedrich August of Oldenburg (b. 1936), Princess Xenia of Prussia (1949-1992), Princess Marie-Cécilie (Duchess Friedrich August of Oldenburg, b. 1942), Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1907-1994), Princess Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (née Ehrengard von Reden, b. 1943), Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (b. 1939), children of Marie-Cécilie + Friedrich August (left to right): Duchess Bibiane of Oldenburg (b. 1974), Duchess Rixa of Oldenburg (b. 1970) and Duke Paul of Oldenburg (b. 1969).

During the remaining years of his life, Prince Louis-Ferdinand remained in his villa. He continued his constant traveling and enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life. A visit he made to the Holy Land Louis-Ferdinand considered one of the most memorable trips he ever undertook. Always a German prince, he would attend royal occasions and family gatherings throughout Europe. He also spent a considerable amount of time restoring the image of the Hohenzollerns. In Particular, Louis-Ferdinand defended the actions of his grandfather and tried to excuse the Kaiser's role in the events leading to the outbreak of World War I in 1914. I'm not sure just what his arguments were. The tragic loss of his son Louis-Ferdinand II was a diffucilt family tragedy as was the death of his daughter Princess Xenia. The constant marital troubles of his children tortured the serene aging head of the House of Hohenzollern. One of Louis-Ferdinand's final satisfactions was witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall and being able to see the reunification of Germany (November 1989). And once Germany was reunified, Louis-Ferdinand also arranged the transfer of several Hohenzollern coffins from the family's ancient castle in Southern Germany to the imperial vault in Potsdam. As Potsdam was in the DDR, this was not possible earlier. This was his final act for the House ofHohenzollern. Prince Louis-Ferdinand died on September 26, 1994 at the age of 86 years.

Created: 1:51 AM 8/16/2004
Last updated: 1:51 AM 8/16/2004