Monday, April 16, 2012

Saxon prince may have to close castle

April 16, 1932


Schloss Sybillenort, the Silesian home of the late king Friedrich August of Saxony, may be closed, as his son, Prince Friedrich Christian "is unable to keep up the style of his ancestors," reports the Chicago Daily Tribune.

Even members of the former ruling family of Saxony are subject to "hard times and high taxes."

Schloss Sybillenort is one "of the finest and largest palaces in Germany.   The estate includes 50,000 acres of farm and parkland, but "agricultural products return such low prices" that the Prince can no longer afford to pay the "host of flunkeys, gardeners and other servants needed for the upkeep of the palace."

The palace once belonged to Duke Wilhelm of Brunswick.  He died in 1884, and he did not have any direct heirs, he left the property to King Albert I of Saxony.

Former King Friedrich August died at Sibyllenort on February 18.
  When King Friedrich August died recently, he left the estate to his second son, Prince Friedrich Christian, as his eldest son, the former Crown Prince Georg, is a Jesuit priest and is "not entitled to earthly possessions."

Germany's current economic problems have also affected the late king's sister, Princess Mathilde, who can no longer afford to live in her home, Schloss Wachwitz, in Dresden.

Sibyllenort is now known as Szcodre in Wroclaw, Poland, formerly Breslau.

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