Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss

Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss, Count and Lord of Plauen, Lord of Greiz, Kranichfeld, Gera, Schleiz and Lobenstein (26 October 1919 – 20 June 2012) was the Prince Reuss (German: Fürst Reuß) and head of the Princely House of Reuss from 1962 until his death.

Background and career
Prince Heinrich IV was born at his family's summer residence of Schloss Ernstbrunn near Vienna in Austria, the eldest child of Prince Heinrich XXXIX Reuss, head of the non reigning Köstritz branch of the House of Reuss, and his wife Countess Antonia of Castell-Castell.

He was born just under a year after the House of Reuss had ceased to reign on 11 November 1918 following the German revolution at the end of the First World War. The family's two principalities were originally merged into the republican People's State of Reuss before becoming part of Thuringia in 1920. Despite the House of Reuss losing their thrones, Prince Heinrich IV's branch of the family retained their possessions in Köstritz where they lived part of the year, spending their summers at Schloss Ernstbrunn.

After taking his high school exams in Dresden in 1937, Prince Heinrich IV pursued a career in the German Army achieving the rank Rittmeister (cavalry master). He served during the Second World War and was decorated with the 1st and 2nd Class of the Iron Cross, as well as the War Order of the German Cross in Gold.

Prince Heinrich IV later studied for a degree in economics (Diplom-Volkswirt) and worked as an economist.

Prince Reuss
In the autumn of 1945 the head of the House of Reuss, Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line went missing. The following year Prince Heinrich IV’s father died leaving him as head of the Köstritz branch of the family and the immediate dynastic heir to the missing Hereditary Prince Heinrich XLV who was the last male member of the Schleiz branch.

At the end of the Second World War Prince Heinrich IV's possessions in Köstritz, which fell into communist East Germany, were expropriated by the communist government. Likewise Schloss Ernstbrunn in Austria was confiscated by the Soviet Union before being returned in the early 1950s.

On 5 January 1962 Hereditary Prince Heinrich XLV was legally declared dead with effect from 31 December 1953, at which point Prince Heinrich IV became the official head of the entire House of Reuss.

With German reunification in 1990 Prince Heinrich IV was able to return to his Reuss homeland where, with his son, he opened an agricultural and forestry business. He was also able to recover a number of his possessions which had been expropriated in 1945.

Prince Heinrich IV died at Ernstbrunn where he was also buried.

Marriage and children
On 10 June 1954 the prince married Princess Marie Luise of Salm-Horstmar (1918-2015), daughter of Otto II, Prince of Salm-Horstmar and Countess Rosa of Solms-Baruth. They had one son and three daughters:


 * Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss (b. 14 July 1955)
 * Princess Anna Elisabeth Johanette Reuss (b. 29 June 1957)
 * Princess Karoline Adelma Henriette Anna Elisabeth Reuss (b. 23 June 1959), married to Carl Philipp, Baron von Hohenbuhel gennant Heufler zu Rasen.
 * Princess Anna Elisabeth Eleonore Reuss (b. 22 July 1962), married to Count Johannes Ferdinand Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau.

Titles, styles and honours
Prince Heinrich IV was styled as His Serene Highness Prince Heinrich IV 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. As head of the House of Reuss he was styled His Serene Highness The Prince Reuss, Count and Lord of Plauen, Lord of Greiz, Kranichfeld, Gera, Schleiz and Lobenstein.

As head of the House of Reuss, Prince Heinrich IV was the grand master of the Cross of Honour of Reuss. He was also a Commander of the Bailiwick of Brandenburg Order of St John and the holder of the Grand Officer's Cross of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.