Princess Johanna of Hesse and by Rhine was a German Hessian and Rhenish child princess, who was born on September 20, 1936 in Darmstadt, Germany. She was the third child and only daughter of Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse, and Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark. She had two older brothers, Ludwig and Alexander, and a stillborn younger brother, whose remains were found among the wreckage of a plane crash that killed her entire family
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A Royal Family in Turmoil
Princess Johanna’s parents were cousins, as they were both grandchildren of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. They married in 1931 and had four children in the span of five years. However, their marriage was not a happy one, as Georg Donatus was unfaithful and abusive to his wife. He also had Nazi sympathies, which caused a rift with his father, Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse, who opposed Hitler’s regime
In 1937, Georg Donatus inherited the title of Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse, after his father’s death. He became the head of the House of Hesse-Darmstadt, one of the oldest and most prestigious German noble families. However, his reign was short-lived, as he and his family were involved in a tragic accident the following year
A Plane Crash that Shook the World
On November 16, 1937, Princess Johanna’s parents and brothers boarded a plane in Berlin, bound for London. They were going to attend the wedding of Georg Donatus’ younger brother, Ludwig, to Margaret Campbell Geddes, the daughter of the British ambassador to Germany. Princess Johanna, who was only 14 months old, stayed behind in Darmstadt, under the care of her nanny
The plane, a Sabena Fokker F.XX, encountered heavy fog and poor visibility as it approached Brussels, Belgium, where it was supposed to make a stopover. The pilot attempted to land, but missed the runway and crashed into a factory chimney. The impact caused a massive explosion and fire, killing all 11 passengers and crew on board. Among the victims were Princess Johanna’s parents, brothers, paternal grandmother, Eleonore, and two aunts, Sybille and Theodora
The news of the plane crash shocked the world, as it was one of the worst aviation disasters in history. It also wiped out most of the Hessian royal family, leaving only two surviving members: Ludwig, who was about to get married, and Johanna, who was orphaned
An Orphaned Princess Adopted by Her Uncle
After the plane crash, Princess Johanna became the sole heiress of the House of Hesse-Darmstadt, as well as a potential claimant to the thrones of Greece and Denmark, through her maternal lineage. However, she was too young to inherit or rule, and needed a guardian to take care of her
Her uncle, Ludwig, who had just married Margaret, decided to adopt his niece and raise her as his own daughter. He also renounced his rights to the Hessian throne, in favor of Johanna, and became a naturalized British citizen. He and his wife moved to London, where they lived in a modest apartment and worked as publishers. They hoped to give Johanna a normal and happy life, away from the spotlight and the turmoil of Nazi Germany
However, their plans were shattered by another tragedy, less than two years later. Princess Johanna developed meningitis, a serious infection of the brain and spinal cord, and died on June 14, 1939, at the age of two and a half. She was buried with her parents and brothers at the Rosenhöhe, the mausoleum of the Hessian royal family, in Darmstadt
Her death marked the end of the Hesse-Darmstadt line, which had ruled the region for over 300 years. It also left Ludwig and Margaret heartbroken, as they had lost their only child. They never had any biological children of their own, and devoted their lives to their publishing business and charitable causes
A Forgotten Princess Remembered by History
Princess Johanna of Hesse and by Rhine was a princess who never got to enjoy her royal status or her inheritance. She was born into a troubled family, orphaned by a horrific accident, and died of a fatal disease, all before reaching the age of three. She was a victim of fate, who had no control over her destiny
However, she was not forgotten by history, as she left a legacy that transcended her short and tragic life. She was the last member of the House of Hesse-Darmstadt, which had produced many illustrious rulers and consorts, such as Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, Queen Victoria of Sweden, and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, the mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. She was also a relative of many European royal families, such as the British, Greek, Danish, and Norwegian
Princess Johanna of Hesse and by Rhine was a princess who never got to live, but who lives on in the memories and genealogies of her royal kin. She was a princess who died of meningitis, but who lives on in the hearts and minds of those who remember her story
