Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein

Franz Joseph II (Franz Josef Maria Aloys Alfred Karl Johannes Heinrich Michael Georg Ignaz Benediktus Gerhardus Majella; 16 August 1906 – 13 November 1989) was the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein from 1938 until his death.

Francis Joseph II
Franz Joseph II official portrait
Prince of Liechtenstein
Reign25 July 1938 – 13 November 1989
PredecessorFranz I
SuccessorHans-Adam II
Prime Ministers
Born(1906-08-16)16 August 1906
Schloss Frauenthal,
Deutschlandsberg, Austria-Hungary
Died13 November 1989(1989-11-13) (aged 83)
Grabs, Switzerland
Burial
St. Florian Cathedral, Vaduz
Spouse
​
(
m. 1943; died 1989)
Issue
Full name
Franz Josef Maria Aloys Alfred Karl Johannes Heinrich Michael Georg Ignaz Benediktus Gerhardus Majella
HouseLiechtenstein
FatherPrince Aloys of Liechtenstein
MotherArchduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria
ReligionRoman Catholic

Franz Joseph was the son of Prince Aloys of Liechtenstein and Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria. He succeeded his childless grand-uncle, Prince Franz I, after his father renounced his right of succession in his favour in 1923.

During his reign women received voting rights for the first time, following a referendum on the topic (among men only) in 1984.

Franz Joseph was an extremely popular sovereign in Liechtenstein. He was the first ruling prince to live full-time in the principality. He also oversaw the economic development of Liechtenstein from a poor agricultural backwater into one of the richest countries (per capita) in the world.

World War II

Liechtenstein remained neutral throughout World War II, and its neutrality was not violated by any of the combatants.

Just before the end of the war, the Prince granted political asylum to 494 First Russian National Army pro-Axis pro-emperor Vladimir White emigres led by General Boris Smyslovsky.[1]

Marriage and children

On 7 March 1943, at St. Florin's in Vaduz, Franz Joseph II married Countess Georgina of Wilczek (24 October 1921 – 18 October 1989). They had five children, twelve grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren:

Final years

Franz Joseph handed over most of his powers to his son, Hans-Adam, on 26 August 1984.[2] Franz Joseph II died on 13 November 1989, a mere twenty-six days after his wife. Ruling Liechtenstein for 51 years, he was among the longest-ruling sovereigns in Europe and the longest-serving national leaders in the world at the time of his death.

Titles, styles and honours

Titles and styles
  • 16 August 1906 – 25 July 1938: His Serene Highness Prince Franz Joseph of Liechtenstein, Count Rietberg
  • 25 July 1938 – 13 November 1989: His Serene Highness The Prince of Liechtenstein

Honours

Ancestry
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See also
  • Princely Family of Liechtenstein

References
  1. ARGENTINA: Last of the Wehrmacht – Monday, Apr. 13, 1953 Archived 23 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Principality of Liechtenstein". oocities.org. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  3. Prince Franz Joseph II wearing the Austrian and Greek Orders Archived 8 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Reply to a parliamentary question" (PDF) (in German). p. 231. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  5. "Fiestas y bailes anteriores a una boda real by Manuesevilla :: Foros Realeza | Wedding of Juan Carlos of Spain and Sophia of Greece". realeza.foros.ws. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  6. Iran Collection
  7. "Erste feierliche Investitur der Schweiz | Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem". oessh.ch. Archived from the original on 18 February 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein
House of Liechtenstein
Born: 16 August 1906 Died: 13 November 1989
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Franz I		 Prince of Liechtenstein
1938–1989		 Succeeded by
Hans-Adam II
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