Prince Heinrich I Reuss

Prince Heinrich I Reuss (8 October 1910 - 10 March 1982) was a member of the Princely House of Reuss, a farmer and German army officer.

Family and life
Prince Heinrich I was born at Krietern, Breslau, which was then part of Prussia and is today known as Krzyki, Wrocław. He was the eldest child of Prince Heinrich XXXIV Reuss Younger Line (1887–1956) and his wife, Princess Sophie Renata Reuss Younger Line (1884–1968). As the first Reuss Younger Line male born in the 20th century he was given the roman numeral I after his name which is used to differentiate every male member of the Reuss family who are all named Heinrich in honour of Heinrich VI, Holy Roman Emperor. The numbering of the Heinrich's in the Reuss Younger Line resets every century.

Through his mother Prince Heinrich I was a great grandson of King William II of the Netherlands and was 8th in line to the Dutch throne at birth.

In 1918 Prince Heinrich's family lost their thrones along with the rest of the German monarchies during the German revolution. He further lost his rights to the Dutch throne in 1922 when an amendment to the constitution limited the succession to the direct descendants of Queen Wilhelmina.

Prince Heinrich I studied at the University of Breslau in the early 1930s. In 1935 he was adopted by the head of the House of Reuss, Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line (1895–1945), the adoption took place for inheritance reasons, but not for succession rights to the headship of the House of Reuss, instead Prince Heinrich IV as the next agnate succeeded as Prince Reuss upon the death of Heinrich XLV.

Prince Heinrich I served in the German Army reaching the rank of Oberleutnant. He later worked as a farmer.

Marriage
Heinrich I married 15 September 1939 at Bad Doberan to Duchess Woizlawa of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1918–2019), daughter of Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and his wife, Princess Victoria Feodora Reuss Elder Line. His wife was the niece of his adoptive father Heinrich XLV.

Prince Heinrich I and his wife initially lived at Schloss Oberstein in Gera. In the autumn of 1945 Prince Heinrich I's adoptive father Prince Heinrich XLV went missing, being declared legally dead on 5 January 1962 with effect from 31 December 1953.

In 1945 Prince Heinrich I and his wife themselves fled from Gera which fell into the Soviet zone of occupation, initially they lived at Schloss Büdingen with Prince Heinrich I's sister Princess Felizitas Reuss and her husband Otto Friedrich, Prince of Ysenburg and Büdingen before eventually moving into a large house on the market square.

Prince Heinrich I and Duchess Woizlawa had six children (one daughter and five sons).


 * Princess Feodora Reuss (b. 5 February 1942), married in 1967 to Count Gisbert of Stolberg-Wernigerode, had issue.
 * Prince Heinrich VIII Reuss (b. 30 August 1944), married in 1973 to Baroness Dorit of Ruffin, had issue.
 * Prince Heinrich IX Reuss (b. 30 June 1947), married in 1984 to Baroness Amélie Besserer von Thalfingen, had issue.
 * Prince Heinrich X Reuss (b. 28 July 1948), married firstly in 1976 to Baroness Elisabeth Akerhielm af Margarethelund, divorced in 1990, had issue; Married Secondly in 1991 to Countess Antoinette of Arnim, no issue.
 * Prince Heinrich XIII Reuss (b. 4 December 1951), married morganatically in 1989 to Susan Doukht Jaladi, had issue.
 * Prince Heinrich XV Reuss (b. 9 October 1956), married morganatically in 1999 to Anja Charlotte Nooth-Cooper, had issue.

Titles, styles and honours
Prince Heinrich I was styled as His Serene Highness Prince Heinrich I Reuss Younger Line from birth until 5 June 1930 when the designation Younger Line was dropped, the princes Reuss Elder Line having become extinct in the male line in 1927.

Prince Heinrich I was a Knight of the Bailiwick of Brandenburg Order of St John.