Franz Joseph II (Franz Josef Maria Alois Alfred Karl Johannes Heinrich Michael Georg Ignaz Benediktus Gerhardus Majella[a]; 16 August 1906 – 13 November 1989) was the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein from 25 July 1938 until his death in November 1989.
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.
Franz Joseph was made heir presumptive of Prince of Liechtenstein on 26 February 1923 when his father renounced his right of succession in his favour as he was concerned about his age should he assume the role.[8][9] On 17 April 1930 Franz Joseph was appointed to be the deputy of Franz I, in which he frequently travelled between the principality as a representative of him. He also visited several European countries during this time and the United States.[10]
Although officially Franz stated that he had given the regency to Franz Joseph due to his old age it was speculated that he did not wish to remain in control of Liechtenstein if Nazi Germany were to invade, primarily because his wife, Elisabeth von Gutmann was of Jewish relation.[13][14] Upon becoming Prince of Liechtenstein in 1938 Franz Joseph settled permanently in the principality, making him the first ruling prince to live there full-time.[10]
In March 1939 he along with Josef Hoop paid an official visit to Berlin where they met Adolf Hitler and Joachim von Ribbentrop where they discussed safeguarding Liechtenstein's independence and neutrality while maintaining good relations.[21] Franz Joseph later reminisced on the visit and stated that Hitler showed little interest in them and that it only took place in order to "flatter Hitler's ego".[22]
While Franz Joseph was on this visit in March 1939, the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VBDL) staged an amateurish coup attempt, first trying to provoke a intervention from Nazi Germany by burning swastikas, followed by declaring an Anschluß with Germany. The leaders were almost immediately arrested and the hoped-for German invasion failed to materialise.[23][24] Despite this, he periodically sent congratulatory letters to Hitler throughout the war, such as the thwarting of the 20 July plot, of which he briefly replied.[18]
Just before the end of the war, Franz Joseph granted political asylum to First Russian National Army pro-Axis pro-emperor Vladimir White emigres led by General Boris Smyslovsky, who were being cared for by the Liechtenstein Red Cross.[27] On 16 August 1945, the Soviet Union sent a delegation to Liechtenstein in an attempt to repatriate the Russians, which was refused despite increasing Soviet pressure to participate in the repatriation program.[28] Eventually the government of Argentina offered the Russians asylum, and about a hundred people left.[10]
Franz Joseph oversaw a family-ownedbank ran by the House of Liechtenstein with branches in London, Zürich, New York City and Frankfurt which made the principality an ideal tax haven for wealthy individuals and private foreign companies, this allowed Liechtenstein to experience rapid economical growth throughout his reign, transforming the principality into one of the richest countries in the world.[29]
During his reign, women received voting rights for the first time, following a referendum on the topic (among men only) in 1984.[32] He exercised his veto power just once, in 1985, against a new hunting law that would have granted increased rights to hunters.[19][33] He explained this by saying “It was a silly law. It would have turned every garden into a shooting ground".[19]
Franz Joseph handed over most of his powers to his son, Hans-Adam on 26 August 1984.[34] Franz Joseph II had been suffering from poor health and died on 13 November 1989, 26 days after his wife.[19] Ruling Liechtenstein for 51 years, he was among the longest-ruling sovereigns in Europe and the longest-serving national leader in the world at the time of his death.[35] He was succeeded by his son Hans-Adam as Hans-Adam II.
Marriage and children
Franz Joseph and his family in 1955.
On 7 March 1943, at St. Florin's in Vaduz, Franz Joseph II married Countess Georgina of Wilczek (24 October 1921 – 18 October 1989).[36] It was the first time that the wedding of a ruling Prince had taken place in Liechtenstein.[37] They had five children, twelve grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren:
Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein (19 August 1946, Zürich) he married Isabelle de l'Arbre de Malander on 11 September 1971. They have three sons and four grandchildren.
^Énache, Nicolas (1999). La descendance de Marie-Thérèse de Habsburg (in French). Paris. p. 61. ISBN978-2-908003-04-8.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
