Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt

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"Frederick Anhalt" redirects here. For the Seattle building contractor, see Fred Anhalt.
Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt
File:Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt.jpg
Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt at the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin, 2008
Born Hans Georg Robert Lichtenberg
(1943-06-18) 18 June 1943 (age 81)
Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland, Germany[1]
Residence Bel Air, California, U.S.
Nationality German
Other names Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt[1]
Citizenship Germany;
United States (naturalized)[1]
Known for Adoptive son of Marie-Auguste of Anhalt
Marriage to Zsa Zsa Gabor
Spouse(s) Zsa Zsa Gabor (m. 1986)
Website www.princefrederic.com

Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt (born Hans Georg Robert Lichtenberg, 18 June 1943) is the adopted son of Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt. He is best known as the last husband of film actress Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Early life

Hans Lichtenberg was born in Bad Kreuznach in the Rhineland, Germany,[1] one of five children of a criminal police councillor, Ferdinand, and his wife, Barbara.[1]

He became a medical entrepreneur, specialising in remedial treatments - particularly with women - later opening a brothel, and furthermore a nightclub; an industry later taken on by his eldest son.

Adoption and title

In 1980 at the age of 36, Lichtenberg was adopted as an adult by Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt (1898–1983), whose first husband was Prince Joachim of Prussia, son of German Emperor Wilhelm II.[1]

Upon adoption, Lichtenberg's name became "Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt", although "Prinz von Anhalt" is a surname, not a title. Since 1919, royal and noble titles in Germany have been incorporated as surnames. However, von Anhalt styles himself "Prince Frédéric of Anhalt, Duke of Saxony and Westphalia, Count of Ascania".

Some reports state that Prinz von Anhalt claims to have been be a childhood friend of Princess Marie Auguste's only child, Prince Karl Franz of Prussia (1916–1975), and that the grieving mother adopted him out of kindness, calling him "Prince" and "Duke of Saxony". However, British press reports indicate that Princess Marie Auguste was bankrupt and the adoption was a business transaction, allegedly masterminded by Hans Hermann Weyer, a former window dresser who became the honorary consul of Bolivia in Luxembourg.[2] Weyer was known for selling certificates of nobility, doctoral degrees from fictitious universities and other spurious decorations in Germany in the 1960s.[3][4] Lichtenberg was but one of approximately 35 adults adopted by the Princess, all styling themselves Princes of Anhalt.[5]

Despite his adoption by Princess Marie-Auguste, the ducal family of Anhalt (the House of Ascania) has never recognized Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt as being part of their lineage, or any of the other adult adoptions of Princess Marie Auguste. While the adoption laws of Germany allow adult adoptions with almost no conditions (with the exception of Bavaria where, since 1998, the transfer of formerly noble attributes in surnames is banned), the website of the House of Ascania makes no mention of Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt.[6]

Marriage to Gabor

In 1984 von Anhalt moved to America, becoming a socialite and living a flamboyant lifestyle. On 14 August 1986, he married Hungarian-born American actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, who was 26 years his senior. It was his seventh marriage: he had married and divorced six times prior, including once in exchange for $4 million.[7]

It was factually Gabor's ninth marriage, but legally her eighth; her marriage to Felipe de Alba having been annulled because she was still married to Michael O'Hara when she married de Alba.[citation needed]. In concert with von Anhalt's new surname, Gabor styled herself "Princess Zsa Zsa, Duchess of Saxony". It also became her longest marriage. "We didn't marry for love", von Anhalt later said. "It was a friendship, but when you're with someone over a certain time you fall in love."[8]

Gabor has claimed that, shortly after their marriage, she came close to arranging von Anhalt's adoption by a (anonymous) member of the British Royal Family.[9]

Business interests

Frédéric Prince von Anhalt's business interests encompass a range of investments, including film, food and gambling, while his political ideology is limited to various social and environmental issues; expressed primarily when he campaigned to become Mayor of Los Angeles and later for Governor of California. He withdrew from both of those races after poor showings in the polls.[10] He has been an executive producer of several films, notably a film starring Ben Affleck,[11] and has invested in restaurants, including Hofbrau; a buffet-style food service. He has also (legally) promoted gambling and has invested in casinos in Las Vegas.

Adult adoptees & "knights"

Together with Gabor, von Anhalt has adopted at least ten adult males. "If someone offers you $2 million, you do it," von Anhalt is reported to have said.[8] Among them are: Marcus Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Marcus Eberhardt), who refers to himself as "Prinz Germany";[12] Oliver Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Oliver Bendig); Michael Prinz von Anhalt (formerly known as Michael Killer).[13] Adoption entitled the men to use the surname "Prinz von Anhalt". German newspapers have speculated that Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt is effectively selling the name, which would be a criminal offence in Germany and render the adoptions, which were made under German law, invalid.[citation needed]

In addition to selling his name in marriage, von Anhalt has sold a many as 68 "knighthoods" for $50,000 apiece.[7]

Anna Nicole Smith affair

On 9 February 2007, von Anhalt stated that he had a decade-long affair with Anna Nicole Smith and could potentially be the father of her infant girl Dannielynn Birkhead. However, later in March, it was determined that von Anhalt was not the father of the baby; Smith's ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead was the biological father.[14]

Politics

Candidacy for Governor of California

On 16 February 2010, von Anhalt announced his candidacy for Governor of California, as an independent candidate, against Arnold Schwarzenegger.[15] He withdrew his candidacy on 2 August 2010, citing his wife's health issues.[16]

Personal life

Clash with Gabor's daughter

Zsa Zsa Gabor's daughter, the late Francesca Hilton, alleged von Anhalt compromised her mother's dignity, security and health for attention and profit. Hilton claimed von Anhalt prohibited Gabor from having visitors, including her own daughter.[17]

Hilton claimed he fostered a circus atmosphere surrounding her mother's health,[18] had plans to have her body preserved with plastic for public display, and claims Gabor wanted to mother a child at the age of 94, which she described as "just weird."[19] Hilton remained worried about her mother's health, home, and fortune.

At the time of her death, relations between Hilton and von Anhalt had been sour for nearly a decade. In 2005, he sued Hilton, alleging she had attempted to defraud her mother. However, Gabor refused to sign the papers in her husband's suit against her daughter so the court dismissed it.[20]

Health

On 20 October 2010 von Anhalt was taken to the hospital after swallowing a bee, which then stung him in the throat.[21]

On 22 December 2010 von Anhalt was rushed to the hospital after gluing his eye shut with nail glue.[22]

On 2 September 2011 von Anhalt was hospitalized after being hit by a car in Beverly Hills.[23]

Robbery and stripping

On 25 July 2007, von Anhalt was allegedly approached by three women he described as attractive while sitting in his Rolls-Royce in Southern California. They asked him to pose for pictures with them, at which point one of the women robbed him at gunpoint, taking his car keys, jewellry, wallet, driver's license and all his clothes. According to von Anhalt, his assailants bound him and placed him in handcuffs, yet he managed to call the authorities on a cellular phone. Los Angeles police found him completely naked approximately one hour later. No handcuffs were found at the scene. The culprits apparently drove away in a Chrysler convertible.[24]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Contains a short interview with von Anhalt.
  2. ↑ Der Mantel des schönen Konsuls Archived September 28, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ New York Times article mentioning Weyer's career, 1982
  4. ↑ John Vinocur, "For German Who 'Awarded' Titles, First Gold, Then Bars", The New York Times, 16 March 1978, page A2
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2007/10/zsazsa200710
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 http://web.archive.org/web/20070303114807/http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/14/annanicolesmith.prince.ap/index.html
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/Prinz-Frederic-Offizielle-Fanseite-255763054450756/
  11. ↑ http://prinzforgovernor.com/joomla-us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=93
  12. ↑ PrinzGermany Homepage
  13. ↑ Prinz Michael Homepage
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Zsa Zsa's Husband To Run For Governor Archived October 4, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Zsa Zsa’s socialite husband drops out of California governor’s race to tend to ailing wife
  17. ↑ [1]
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ [2]
  21. ↑ [3]
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ [4]
  24. ↑ CNN: Zsa Zsa Gabor's Husband Found Naked In Car, Says He Was Mugged Archived November 30, 2007 at the Wayback Machine

External links

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