Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg


Gustav Albrecht Alfred Franz Friedrich Otto Emil Ernst, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, 28 February 1907 – 1944 was Prince and head of the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein. He was the son of Richard, 4th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.

Personal life

Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, daughter of Charles Fouché, 6th Duc d'Otrante, on 26 January 1934 at Björnlunda, Södermanland Län, Sweden.
In June 1944, he was serving as an officer in the German army during the campaign against the Soviet Union. After disappearing during a mission near the Belarusian city of Orsha, Gustav Albrecht was declared missing in action. His family did not seek to have him declared dead until after the birth of his grandson and heir eventual Prince Gustav on 12 January 1969; 29 November 1969 is listed as the official date of death for Gustav Albrecht.
He is alternately known as Gustav Albrecht Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.

Military service honors

Prince Gustav Albrecht served in the German Army in the rank of field officer/field-grade officer with the title of Rittmeister der Reserve in the 23rd Panzer-Division. Nearly two months after his disappearance during Operation Bagration in June 1944, he was awarded the German Cross in Silver on 18 August 1944. Additionally, he was awarded the War Merit Cross 1st. class with swords, also known as the KVK 1, which was instituted on 18 October 1939 by Hitler; the date of this honor is not known.

Children