Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, 5 Mark 1908

For 350th anniversary of the University of Jena. Mined only one year!

Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
5 Mark 1908
Av.: Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst
Rs.: Eagle
 

Historical:

Wilhelm Ernst Karl Alexander Friedrich Heinrich Bernhard Albert Georg Hermann of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1876-1923) was the last Grand Duke of Saxony from January 5, 1901 until the November Revolution of 1918. He was the eldest son of the Hereditary Grand Duke Karl August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach from his marriage to Pauline of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Since his father had already died in 1894, Wilhelm Ernst succeeded his grandfather Carl Alexander on the throne in 1901. Due to his grandmother's fortune, the Grand Duke was considered the richest German prince of his time.

Wilhelm Ernst poured much of his considerable financial resources into promoting culture, thus creating the New Weimar.  For example, he supported the University of Jena by building the new college building according to the designs of the Munich architect Theodor Fischer. This project was probably particularly close to the prince's heart, as his former teacher Karl Georg Brandis was in charge of the associated university library from 1902 to 1926. Wilhelm Ernst also brought well-known names such as Hans Olde, Harry Graf Kessler Henry van de Velde to Weimar. Later, however, he increasingly promoted conservative Prussian forces, so that Weimar developed into a center of völkisch-nationalist artistic views.

One of Wilhelm Ernst's last official acts at the time of the November Revolution in 1918 was the appointment of Walter Gropius. Since the Soldiers' Council under the leadership of August Baudert forced the regent to abdicate, he at least wanted to ensure that the responsibility for government was placed in hands suitable for him. Thus, shortly before his resignation, the prince remarked: "I had done everything I could. I still had many good things in store."

The former Grand Prince spent his last years at his private estate, Heinrichau Castle in Silesia. After the prince's settlement, moreover, the entire inventory of Allstedt Castle was moved there. Thus, the Heinrichau estate consisted of 30 estates, which required a large administrative operation. In addition, Wilhelm Ernst's second wife Feodora von Sachsen owned a so-called hereditary estate Alt Heinrichau with three small secondary estates since 1937. Only in 1945, in the course of expropriation, the family lost these estates. Wilhelm Ernst died in 1923 at Heinrichau Castle and was buried in the park there.