35: Alexander’s descendance

Alexander’s second marriage was not befitting, he retired as Count of Hachenburg in 1883 to his castles in the Westerwald. A pastel by Lambert shows him at the age of almost 70. We wrote the “Saynsche Chronik” and a library full of local literature, left us a large collection of Saynian coins and hundreds of his caricatures from an eventful life. Alexander died at the age of 94 and found his final resting place in Marienstatt Abbey near Hachenburg, with his Pekingese dog Rila sculpted in stone on the grave slab.

His eldest son Stanislaus had to take over as the 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn when he was only 10 years old. He died childless in 1958 and was followed by his nephew Ludwig, son of Prince Gustav Alexander and Walburga Baroness of Friesen. “Sandy”, as Gustav Alexander was called, was Leonilla’s favourite grandson. She took care of him and promoted his training as a diplomat.

“My grandparents had three sons, of whom only my father Ludwig, called “Udi” survived the last war. When in 1962 he died only 46 years old in a tragic accident, me, as his eldest son, became head of the house of Sayn at the age of 18.”