Europe | Hohenzollern rehab

The Kaiser’s family accepts it will not get all its stuff back

The House of Prussia drops two post-Soviet restitution claims

09 March 2023, Berlin: Georg Friedrich Prince of Prussia speaks before a panel discussion on the history of the House of Prussia in the 20th century at the Haus der Bundespressekonferenz. The Prince of Prussia has announced that he will withdraw his lawsuits seeking millions in compensation for expropriated castles and villas and the return of works of art and inventory. Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa — Image: dpa

Mar 23rd 2023|BERLIN

It seemed odd for Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia to stage an event at a press centre used by the government, since Prussia has no government: indeed, it has not existed since 1947. The event on March 9th was billed as a presentation of historical research on the Hohenzollerns, the family that ruled the kingdom and later all of Germany. Improbably, it made headlines. The prince, a great-great-grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II, announced he was dropping two claims for restitution of property seized by the Soviets after the second world war.

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “The Kaiser’s family gives up on its stuff”