The New York herald., 1922-09-24
Father Was Last of Long
Line of Princes, His Only
Son Insane.
SISTERS WEDDINGS SAD
Hermine's First Marriage
Marred by Husbands Ill
ness and Retirement.
Special Cd0fc TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1929, by TIE New YoRK HERALD

Special Cd6ie TO THE NEW York HERALD.
Copyright, 1929, by TIE New YoRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau
Berlin. Sept. %.
IF the wedding Of the former Kaiser
and Princess Hermine Won Schoenaich-
Carolath is of happy consequence it
will break the spell of sadness which
has followed the family of the Reuss
Princes for twenty years. Thus runs
the gossip in German households,
where the incidents of the Princess's
life are minutely discussed.
Misfortune was the LOT OF Prince
Reuss, her father. His wife died when
Princess Hermine was a baby. In the
following year the Prince died, thereby
extinguishing a long line Of regents.
and leaving five daughters and son,
who were reared in comparative free
dom.
But always there was a shadow over
the family in the fact that the only son
was insane from the age Of 8, when he
was the victim of an accident. In vain
his father and later the children tsav-
eled over Europe seeking specialists who
could restore the boys mind. A special
box was constructed for him at the
thoater to screen him from the public
gaze. He is still alive and still insane.
Daushtcrs' Lives Unhappy.
Following the death OF their father
the five daughters married in quick
succession. Princess Carolina fell in
iove with a member of the bourgeoisie.
but her relatives. to save her from
ignominy. arranged a match with Grand
Duke Wilhelm Ernest of Saxe-Weimar,
ni.A ,-sre laa
first. and the Princess confided to her
sisters that she wanted to run away.
Hermine. though only s. took up the
task OF peacemaker. effecting a recon-
ciliation one Christmas, but a month
later Carolina died. The Grand Duke
fell In love with the intercessor and pro-
posed marriage. Hermine consented on
one condition-the dismissal Of the
Dukes majordomo. who was stickler
FOR etiquette. which the Princess and
her court could not tolerate. 1t was said
that the majordomo was an illegitimate
son of the Dukes father. At any rate.
he refused the Prncess's request, and
the match fell through.
Wilhelm III. always was fond of the
Princess and her mother. the Princess
OF Schaumburg- -Lippe. and several times
he urged his sons to marry Hermine or
her sisters Two OF the latter. however.
mHrrle0 AuStTldll Hiit .
own marriage, which occurred when she
was 90, was marred by her husbands
Illness. which resulted in his resignation
from the army. where he was an officer
in the Uhlan Guards, and his subsequent
death.
Princess Had Five Children.
The Princess had five children by that
marriage, the eldest Of whom is 10. She
saws she will take her younger children
10 Doom after she weds the former
Kaiser She and Wilhelm met before
the war. and she Is distant relative OF
his through her mother. At present she
Is with the Grand Duchess Luisa Won
Baden. the eldest living member Of the
lIohenzolern family. at Bodenzee. The
wedding is TO take place in November.
Retaining at 35 years of age the
beauty for which she is celebrated
throughout southern Germany. Princess
Herminc IL tall and OF truly regal bear
ing Her blond hair has been seen on
more than one occasion lately in the
Doorn house. where she became engaged
10 the former Emperor after she had
touched him by her condolences follow
ing the death of the Kaiserin.
According to the custom OF the Hohen-
zollern line, though ii will not be recog-
nized publicly. the Princess, when she
becomes the former Kaiser's wife. will
be considered also his Kaiserin and so
respected by the private court. She Is
known not only for her beauty. but for
her lively interest in the arts and out
door pastimes.
Already Hcrmne has received her
first wedding presents. They are from
her future spouse and include a silver
service with the Hohenzollern mono-
gram and bracelet OF precious stones.