Georg II, herzog von Sachsen-Meiningen |
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BORN 2 Apr 1826, Meiningen, Thüringen: Schloss Elisabethenburg - DIED 25 Jun 1914, Bad Wildungen, Hessen GRAVE LOCATION Meiningen, Thüringen: Parkfriedhof, Am Steinernen Berg |
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Georg II von Sachsen-Meiningen was the son of Duke Bernhard II of Sachsen-Meiningen. His mother was Marie Friederike von Hessen-Kassel. he was educated by Moritz Seebeck and Friedrich Fröbel. In 1844 he entered Bonn University, where he studied under E.M. Arndt, F.C Dahlmann and G. Kinkel. In 1847 he finished his studies in Leipzig. Later he took painting lessons with Paul Schelhorn. He fulfilled his military service and in 1850 he married princess Charlotte of Prussia. They had three children but Charlotte died together with her fourth child in 1855. In 1858 he married Feordora von Hohenlohe-Langenburg. They had three children before she died in 1865. In 1866 Bismarck forced his father to andicate and he succeeded his as Duke. He had only limited powers after the creation of the German Empire in 1871 but he was a friend of Emperor Wilhelm II. He loved the theatre. Apart from reorganizing the Court Theatre in Meiningen he directed plays himself and he also designed costumes. In 1873 he married the actress Ellen Franz, who had been his mistress since 1868. He also brought the Hofkapelle to fame, after he contracted Hans von Bülow in 1880. His relations with emperor Wilhelm II were not good because the emperor his liberal and humanistic views didn't match with the emperor's conservatism. Georg II supported equal rights for women in educational and academical professions and he supported culture and arts. Family • Son: Ernst, Prinz von Sachsen-Meiningen • Daughter: Marie-Elisabeth, Prinzessin von Sachsen-Meiningen • Wife: Charlotte von Preussen (1850-1855, Berlin: Charlottenburg) • Wife: Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Feodora Victoria zu (1858-1872) • Wife: Franz, Helene, Freifrau von Heldburg (1873-1914, Liebenstein) Related persons • was pupil of Arndt, Ernst Moritz • employed Bülow, Hans von • was a friend of Reger, Max • was a friend of Wagner, Richard • was a friend of Wilhelm I, emperor of Germany |
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 The grave of Georg II, Herzog von Sachsen-Meiningen and Helene, Freifrau von Heldburg at the Parkfriedhof, Meiningen. Picture by Androom (30 Aug 2013) |
 The grave of Georg II, Herzog von Sachsen-Meiningen at the Parkfriedhof, Meiningen. Picture by Androom (30 Aug 2013) |
Sources • Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909 • http://www.meiningermuseen.de/georg2.html |
