In 1919, as WW I came to an end....the German people came to some decision over the decisions that triggered their entry into the war. Bluntly, blame was shifted onto the Kaiser and this entire deal of royality within Germany. The Kaiser was "fired" and released to leave Germany for the Netherlands.
Unlike the French solution....no one was killed or taken off for torture.
The rest? Well....they simply made up a rule that said you could retain your "rank" and pass it along to your kids. The other rule was that you could keep what property you personally owned. Other than that....no state money would pass into your hands. At the end of the mess...you had no authority over anyone and were just a guy with a title....nothing else.
Over the past one hundred years (almost), there's been various methods invented for some royals to get a local state grant or help in maintaining a historic home or castle.
The titles left?
Crown Prince
Grand Duke/Grand Duchess
Grand Prince
Archduke/Archduchess
Duke/Duchess
Prince or princess
Margrave/Margravine
Landgrave/Landgravine (Hessen title only)
Count or Countess
Burgrave/Burgravine
Altgrave/Altgravine
Count of the Empire
Baron of the Empire
Count or countess
Baron or baroness
Lord
The odds of bumping into one? Strangely enough....they hang out within their circles, and an American touring around Germany could go ten years of his life and never bump into any of these folks. The numbers? Unknown. I'd take a guess at around 2,000 total folks walking around in Germany and using the titles....some earned....some bought..
No comments:
Post a Comment