Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05

sian decoration, STEPPED in an
tiquity. of a star in silver and Jewels,
and hairpins set with diamonds.
The cold brilliance of diamonds
fashioned as English roses and
fleur-de-lis formed tiaras, another
of MargueriteS centered with pearls,
and still another Of big gray pearls
and diamonds with a matching dog
collar Of the same precious stones.
An English decoration, the Order Of
Victoria and Albert, encircled with
diamonds. earrings of emeralds, Of
rubies. chains of pearls and dia-
mondS, others of rubies and sap
phires.
1.-THE watch Of my father" gold,
attached to q chain set with pearls.
my Bibles"-velvet covered and
framed in gold with ribbon markers
hung with jeweled pendants.
Gilt snuff boxes topped with min
iatures and set with precious stones,
and a frivolous hat pin of moon
stone and rubies were claimed by
the Landgraf1n with a lifted finger
or a slight nod of the head.
During World War II, the Jewels
had been brought to Kronberg
Castle for safekeeping from the old
Philippsruhe Castle and a bank in
Frankfurt.
1t was the request of the Princess
Sophia of Hanover (born a Princess
OF Greece, the widow of Prince
Cristoph of Hesse, for the use of
some OF her personal Jewels that
was partly responsible for the dis
covery Of the theft of the crown
Jewels and other possessions, Among
the many items identified by her
was bracelet Of diamonds with a
pendant Of the same stones shaped
in a Greek key.
The questioning and identified.
ton went on and on. These people
were definite in naming their own
property-the articles lying before
them and those yet unrecoyered-
the Landgraf1n, the Princess and
the Princes Wolfgang and August
Wilhelm.
That was given to me by my
uncle, the King Of Bulgaria. at
Easter. 1916" said August Wilhelm.
as ne indicated scarf pin with a
rose pearl and diamond.
Cuff links of all kinds-of r,,bie.
centered with a diamond. a Gift
IRON my mother" CHer Imperial
Majesty August Victoria, Empress
OF Germany and Queen of Prussia).
Others In the shape of an iron
Cross set with sapphires and
diamonds, given to August Wilhelm
oy my parents at Christmas. 1917"
A pin formed as q pheasant. set
with precious stones from the
brother OF my mother"
Settings Destroyed
Two plain paper envelopes held
loose stones-rubies, emeralds and
sapphires-their settings now q
twisted mass Of gold.
The generations had passed
tnese treasures down and as
listened the thought occurred 10
me that these riches had travelled
lar. Supposedly safely hidden in
q wooden zinc-lined box under
the concrete floor of a deep base
ment at Kronberg Castle, they had
been discovered and stolen.
After the theft. some of the
treasure was recovered in Wiscon-
SIN, some in a railway station
locker in Chicago. ILL.,: some in
Houston, Tex; other parcels in
Ireland, and the glass lars Of
jewels and the $4,000 in Falls
church. Va.-places far removed
from the castle at Kronberg. The
valuables recovered in the United
states were taken back TO Ger
many and used. with other re-
covered property, as evidence in
the trials Of the Durants.
The Hesse treasures crossed the
Atlantic ocean again to be used as
evidence in the trial Of a third
defendant. after which they were
impounded by the United States
customs and stored in the vaults of
the Treasury Of the United States
The Hesse family had been prom
ised by the United States Army that
all the jewels and other possessions
recovered would be returned to the
owners when the court actions were
finished and conditions permitted
One day. in July, 1851, two large
Army safes were removed under
armed guard from the Treasure
vaults and taken to the Washing.
ton airport where they were nut
aboard a plane bound for Frank-
furt, Germany. Guards were on the
plane as well as a senior officer OF
the United States Army 10 take
care OF the important legal aspects
OF the transfer Of the custody.
A curious crowd gathered one
morning outside a bank in Frank
furt. Automobiles drew to the curb
and from them various persons, both
military and civilian, involved with
the transfer of the vast horde OF
wealth. hurried through the bank
entrance. Deep in the cold recesses
Of the bank vaults the seals we're
broken and the safes opened In the
presence Of the American officials
and the Princes Wolfgang and
Philip. The ghosts Of the centuries
must have lowered near a. the
treasures Of the House OF Hesse re-
turned unto their own