Maximilian, Duke of Hohenberg, was the eldest son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary,
and his morganatic wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg.
By definition of a morganatic marriage, he was excluded from the succession to the throne
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Life Maximilian was born with the lesser rank and
style of Serene Highness, but in 1917 was elevated to Highness.
Following the assassination of his parents in Sarajevo in 1914, which resulted in the
outbreak of World War I, Prince Maximilian, his sister, Princess Sophie and their brother,
Prince Ernst, were taken in by their father's brother-in-law and shooting partner Prince
Jaroslav von Thun und Hohenstein.
As the oldest son, Maximilian inherited his father's title of Duke of Hohenberg.
In 1919, following the collapse of the Empire and the Monarchy, the new republic of Czechoslovakia
expropriated Konopiště Castle, Maximilian's chief residence, and other family properties
in Czechoslovakia, and expelled the brothers to Austria.
Subsequently they lived in Vienna and at Artstetten Castle in lower Austria.
Maximilian received a law degree from the University of Graz in 1926.
He managed the family properties and worked as a lawyer.
In March 1938 Austria became part of the German Reich as a result of the Anschluss.
Having spoken out for the independence of Austria and against the Anschluss, Maximilian
and his brother were arrested by the Reich authorities and interned in Dachau concentration
camp, where they were chiefly employed in cleaning the latrines.
According to Leopold Figl, they did so cheerfully, and maintained comradely relations with fellow
prisoners.
Maximilian was released after six months and was then compelled to stay at Artstetten Castle;
the Reich authorities also expropriated the family's properties in Austria.
After the liberation of Austria in 1945 the residents of Artstetten elected Maximilian
mayor, with the concurrence of the Soviet occupation authorities; he served two five-year
terms.
Marriage and issue Duke Maximilian married Countess Maria Elisabeth
Bona von Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee on 16 November 1926.
He had six children by her, all sons with the rank of Serene Highness:
Franz, Duke of Hohenberg,, married Princess Elisabeth of Luxembourg and Bourbon-Parma;
had issue: Princess Anna of Hohenberg, born at Schloss
Berg, Luxembourg, 18 August 1958; married firstly in Luxembourg on 15 July 1978 and
religiously in Artstetten on 22 July 1978 Romée de la Poëze Count d'Harambure with
issue; married 2nd Schloss Kornberg 9 July 2005 Count Andreas von Bardeau no issue.
Princess Sophie of Hohenberg, born Schloss Berg, Luxembourg, 10 May 1960; married Artstetten
18 June 1983 Jean-Louis Marie René Ghislain de Potesta with issue.
She is currently trying to regain ownership of Konopiště Castle, in the Czech Republic,
on grounds that Hohenberg was never recognized as part of the House of Habsburg, and therefore
the provisions of Article 208 of the Treaty of Saint Germain, and the Article 3 of Law
no.354 of 1921 in Czechoslovakia, do not apply to them.
* Dukes of Hohenberg
Georg, Duke of Hohenberg, former Austrian Ambassador to the Holy See, married Princess
Eleonore von Auersperg-Breunner; had issue: Prince Nikolaus of Hohenberg, born Boulogne-sur-Seine
3 July 1961; married Fürstenberg, Westfalen 6 May 1989 Countess Marie Elisabeth von Westphalen
zu Fürstenberg with issue.
Princess Henriette of Hohenberg, born Boulogne-sur-Seine 9 November 1962.
Prince Maximilian of Hohenberg, born Buenos Aires 25 January 1970; married Lucca 9 September
2000 Emilia Oliva Cattaneo Vieti.
Prince Albrecht of Hohenberg, married Countess Leontine von Cassis-Faraone; had issue:
Archduchess Margarete of Austria, born Vienna 19 June 1963; married Vienna 20 April 1991
Archduke Carl of Austria with issue.
Prince Leo of Hohenberg, born Vienna 28 September 1964; married Lisbon 3 September 1994 Rosalind
Roque Alcoforado with issue.
Prince Johannes of Hohenberg, married Elisabeth Meilinger-Rehrl with issue:
Princess Sophie of Hohenberg, born Salzburg 26 May 1970.
Prince Stephan of Hohenberg, born Salzburg 3 July 1972; married Salzburg 30 September
2000 Leonie von Kloss.
Prince Peter of Hohenberg, also a Knight of Malta, KCSG, married Christine-Maria Meilinger-Rehrl
with issue: Princess Marie-Christine of Hohenberg, born
Salzburg 25 November 1970.
Princess Marie-Therese of Hohenberg, born Salzburg 31 July 1972, married Salzburg 27
October 2007 to Anthony J Bailey OBE, GCSS with issue.
Bailey was made OBE by the Queen in her Birthday Honours List in 2008.
Prince Gerhard of Hohenberg.
No issue.
Titles and styles 1902-1914: His Serene Highness Prince Maximilian
of Hohenberg 1914-1917: His Serene Highness The Duke of
Hohenberg 1917-1962: His Highness The Duke of Hohenberg
Ancestry Notes