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The Duchess of Baden’s $1,3M diamond tiara has been stolen from a German museum

Brad Smithfield

A Duchess’ tiara adorned with exactly 367 diamonds has been stolen from a throne room in a German museum, according to the Associated Press.

The daring theft is something from a heist movie, as the high-priority object was well-guarded and belonged to the last Duchess of Baden, Hilda Charlotte Wilhemine.

Princess Hilda Charlotte Wilhelmine of Nassau was the daughter of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg,  deposed in 1866. The theft was discovered missing on April 29th, in the Badisches Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe, as the Baden-Wuerttemberg police reported on Monday.

Photograph of the Grand Duchess Hilda of Baden  (November 5th,  1864 – February 9th, 1952), with her diamond-encrusted tiara
Photograph of the Grand Duchess Hilda of Baden  (November 5th,  1864 – February 9th, 1952), with her diamond-encrusted tiara

The authorities are still looking for any witnesses and clues which may be of use for the search. The tiara is worth at least 1.2 million euros, an object of priceless value and a symbol of power.

The Grand Duchess Hilda von Baden lived from 1864 to 1952 and married Frederick II, the Grand Duke of Baden on September 20th, 1885. The marriage was held at the castle “Schloss Hohenburg.”

The young Duchess
The young Duchess

Sadly, the marriage was barren, and the Duchess did not have any children. They were dubbed Grand Duke and Duchess in 1907.

Amusingly enough, the Duchess was described as an intelligent young woman with a passion for art and culture, never missing an exhibition or other cultural manifestations. Many streets, landmarks, and schools are named in her honor.

The last Grand Duke Friedrich II of Baden (July 9th, 1857 in Karlsruhe –   August 9th, 1928 in Badenweiler) Photo Credit
The last Grand Duke Friedrich II of Baden (July 9th, 1857 in Karlsruhe –   August 9th, 1928 in Badenweiler) Photo Credit

When all the German monarchies were overthrown in the early 20th century, Frederick and Hilda were deposed as Grand Duke and Grand Duchess in 1918. During the revolution at that time, Queen Victoria of Sweden, the Duchess’ sister-in-law, was visiting the family.

Riots were ignited in Karlsruhe after the German Emperor had been abdicated on November 11th. Reportedly, Crowds were gathered to the front of the Emperor’s palace where shots were fired. Hilda, along with the rest of her family, fled the riots through the back door and went to the Zwingenberg palace in the Neckar valley.

Tiara of Grand Duchess Hilda of Baden. Crafted with extreme care and priority, the tiara was made in the early 20th century. The local authorities are still looking for suspects and witnesses  Photo Credit
Tiara of Grand Duchess Hilda of Baden. Crafted with extreme care and priority, the tiara was made in the early 20th century. The local authorities are still looking for suspects and witnesses  Photo Credit

By order and permission of the newly formed government, the family was to stay at the Langenstein Palace. The palace was in possession by a Swedish count.

Well-protected by the government, the family stayed at the Langenstein, and it was off-limits for soldiers. This was because the Queen of Sweden kept them company, and offending Sweden was the last thing on the Duke’s mind.

Queen Victoria of Sweden (1862-1930)
Queen Victoria of Sweden (1862-1930)

Even though the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess didn’t have any heirs, they bequeathed their castle in Mainau to Count Lennart Bernadotte. He was the grandson of Fredrick’s sister, who incidentally was a great-grandson of Hilda’s aunt as well.

Read another story from us: The Portuguese Crown Jewels: the remarkable set of jewels worn by the Monarchs of Portugal

Hilda’s natural cheerful attitude calmed her husband who was weakened and old. With a healthy sense of humor, she took good care of the Duke during and after the revolution.

Brad Smithfield

Brad Smithfield is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News