| Prinzenerlaß | |
|---|---|
| Adolf Hitler | |
| Territorial extent | Nazi Germany |
| Enacted by | Adolf Hitler |
| Enacted | 1940; 85 years ago (1940) |
Prinzenerlass (German:[ˈpʁɪntsn̩ʔɛɐ̯ˌlas], "princes' decree", also spelledPrinzenerlaß)[1] was the name of a 1940 decree issued byAdolf Hitler that prohibited members of Germany'sformerly reigning houses from participating in any military operations in theWehrmacht.
In May 1940,Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, the grandson of KaiserWilhelm II, took part in theinvasion of France. He was wounded during the fighting inValenciennes and died in afield hospital inNivelles on 26 May 1940. His funeral service was held at theChurch of Peace, and he was buried in theHohenzollern family mausoleum in theAntique Temple inSanssouci Park. The service drew over 50,000 mourners.[2] His death and the ensuing sympathy of the German public toward a member of theimperial family greatly bothered Hitler, and he began to see the Hohenzollerns as a threat to his power.[citation needed] Shortly afterwards, thePrinzenerlass was issued, and all members of the former German royal houses were relieved from combat duties.[2] The decree prohibited members of Germany's formerly reigning families from actively serving in the Wehrmacht, fearing that this would increase the public's sympathy for the deposed dynasties and threaten Hitler's grip on power.[3]