- Why the Bavarian baby is called "Rupprecht"
This former royal family remains an exception: No German dynasty is more closely associated with its land than the Wittelsbachs, who ruled in Bavaria uninterruptedly since 1180 – first as dukes, then as electors, later as kings. After the November Revolution, they were the first to have to relinquish their reign.
Royal Resister as Patron of the House of Wittelsbach
How deeply this family is still rooted in a positive tradition is evident now with the birth of the heir: Prince Ludwig and Princess Sophie want to baptize their firstborn, who was born on August 6, 2024, into the light of the 21st century, after a special representative of the dynasty: Rupprecht, that brave man who, as the successor of his childless uncle King Ludwig III, arranged himself as the last Crown Prince of Bavaria with the republic and bravely opposed the advances of the National Socialists.
Rupprecht's grandson Franz von Bayern, 91, the current Duke, had recently reported in stern about the dramatic consequences of this decision, which forced him, at the age of 11, to fear for his life in concentration camps. "My grandfather thought analytically, and he saw through Hitler's plans from the beginning," said Duke Franz. "Although he had repeatedly tried to win over the family, the Crown Prince realized that there was nothing else to do but to fight this evil ideology. After the war, it helped to have been on the right side."
The choice of name can be seen as a special commitment to this important decision, which unfortunately found few followers in the rest of the German high nobility. Ludwig and Sophie von Bayern, the new parents, are considered open-minded and unconventional representatives of the high nobility and are therefore popular among the Bavarians. Ludwig, the eldest son of Prince Luitpold, the brewer and host of the Knight's game on Schloss Kaltenberg, has made a name for himself early on.
Young Parents with Impressive Careers
The 41-year-old has been active as a development aid worker in Africa for years, but with entirely new approaches. Under the motto "Africa Rising", he invited a thematic evening at Schloss Nymphenburg, where he presented his projects. This includes the "Learning Lions" project, which he started in 2015 and uses an IT campus in the semi-desert at Lake Turkana in Kenya to give young Africans access to the digital job market. The prince sees digital craftsmanship as "a resource of Africa". The young mother, born Evekink, has Dutch-Canadian roots and has so far mainly committed herself to human rights. The former employee of the UN Secretary-General is researching and promoting at the Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford the concept of justice for victims of sexual violence in conflict areas.
Succession in Republican Times
Even if the "throne succession" in the 21st century is extremely theoretical, it still plays a significant role within the House of Wittelsbach. The newly born Prince Rupprecht Theodor Maria would thus be in fourth place. The succession in the Wittelsbach House has always been complicated. There are several lines, besides the Duke of Bavaria himself, his brother Max is a Duke in Bavaria – due to the adoption by Duke Ludwig Wilhelm in Bavaria in the year 1965, thereby securing the continuation of this line. Also, the Princes Luitpold, Wolfgang, and Leopold von Bayern are heads of a respective family branch of the Wittelsbach dynasty. However, only two of them bear the title of Duke.
What also belongs to a tradition of the House is a cultivated sense of belonging to the land. Therefore, the young family enjoys their happiness in Bavaria and perhaps even glad that no royal responsibility awaits Baby Rupprecht.
The Wittelsbach family's deep connection with their land is evident in their decision to baptize their newborn Prince Rupprecht Theodor Maria in the light of the 21st century, following the path of Rupprecht, the brave grandson of Duke Franz von Bayern who opposed the National Socialists during a difficult period.
Rupprecht's grandson, Prince Ludwig von Bayern, has distinguished himself through his work in Africa, using innovative approaches to provide digital opportunities for young Africans and viewing digital craftsmanship as a "resource of Africa".
