Further Reading

As we are often asked what the sources for our various articles are or where you can find more (non-online) information about the Grand Ducal and Princely Families, we have decided to come up with a list of books that we would like to recommend to you. As most of these books are either owned or at least been read by one of us, you can always drop us a line if you have any further questions.


"Dynastie Luxemburg-Nassau von den Grafen zu Nassau zu den Großherzögen von Luxemburg ; eine neunhundertjährige Herrschergeschichte in einhundert Biographien" by Pierre Even

In this book Pierre Even, a multi-talented historian who is both a member of the Historical Commission for Nassau of the German state of Hesse as well as the personal archivar of the Grand Ducal Family since 2010, reflects the the history of the House of Luxembourg-Nassau with the help of the biographies of 100 rulers of the House of Nassau starting in the 1250's until Grand Duke Henri. Not only does he show their lifes but also how each head of the House had a special influence on the respective state they reigned and its people. This German-language book was published by Schortgen in 2000.

"Das Haus Luxemburg. Macht und Mythos. Die grossen Dynastien" by Martha Schad 

This book, which was published by Weltbild Sammler Edition in German, is part of a series about several European Royal Houses. It was published around the time of Grand Duke Henri's enthronement and focuses on the history of the House of Nassau as well as of the state of Luxembourg (and its several rulers) from the Middle Ages onwards. It contains plenty of information and many pictures of former ruling families as well as the current one. The book also has a removable family tree starting with William I.

"Das Haus Nassau bis zu den Großherzögen von Luxemburg" by Pierre Even

Published by the Börde-Verlag in 2011 and written in German, this booklet covers the history of the House of Nassau by focusing on the Walram line of the family that today reigns the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In the booklet Pierre Even traces the history of the family through the biographies of the heads of the House of Nassau(-Weilburg) starting with Count Dudo of Laurenburg until Grand Duke Henri.

"Thron und Dynastie. Aufsätze aus drei Jahrzehnten, zusammengestellt und herausgegeben anläßlich der Silberhochzeit Ihrer Königlichen Hoheiten des Großherzogs und der Großherzogin von Luxemburg" by Jean Schoos

This book published by Saint-Paul in 1978 on the occasion of the silver wedding anniversary of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte includes numerous essays and articles by historian Jean Schoos who also used to write about the Grand Ducal Family for newspaper "Luxemburger Wort". From births to weddings and anniversaries to deaths, the articles cover many of the Family's important events during Grand Duchess Charlotte's and the early years of Grand Duke Jean's reigns. It also includes a few historical essays, some of them written in German and others in French.

"100 Joer Letzebuerger Dynastie: Collections et Souvenirs de la Maison Grand-Ducale" by Jean-Claude Muller (Ed.) 

Written mostly in French with some smaller parts in German, this book was published in 1990 on the occasion of an exhibition at the national history and art museum. It features essays but all kinds of different authors, most of them well-known for their knowledge about the Grand Ducal Family. The book functions as an exhibition catalogue but also includes various essays about the history of the Family as well as all kinds of interesting things related to them.

"Unvergessene Gestalten unserer Dynastie" by Emile-Théodore Melchers & Ursy Melchers-Schmol

The first of the two-part item written in German covers the biographies of Grand Duke Adoph and Grand Duchess Adelheid-Marie as well as Grand Duke Wilhelm IV and Grand Duchess Maria-Ana while also giving a lot of background information about royal life in general. It also includes a few pictures as well as private letters from various European royals such as Queen Victoria or Tsar Nicholas on major family occasions. While the last chapter of the first book it dedicated to all the six daughter of Grand Duke Wilhelm IV and gives short overviews over their lives, the second volume is entirely dedicated.. to Grand Duchess Charlotte and her husband, Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma. The first six chapters of the book are dedicated to the early years of Prince Felix and his family and then trace Felix and Charlotte's years together. A few chapters are also dedicated to their children with a special focus on their daughters' weddings as well as their second son, Prince Charles. The books were published by Saint Paul in 1994 and 1998, respectively.

"Herzog Adolph zu Nassau und das Jagdschloss Platte bei Wiesbaden" by Pierre Even

This booklet of 27 pages by Pierre Even is part of the Bad Emser Hefte series and was published in 1998. The Bad Emser Hefte are published by a local history club from Bad Ems but cover many interesting topics in relation to German history. Jagdschloss Platte was used as the main residence of the Ducal family of Nassau during the hunting season. In the booklet, Even tells the history of the castle from its beginning until its 21st century use as a hotel and restaurant.

"Adolph Herzog zu Nassau, Grossherzog von Luxemburg" by Pierre Even

This book is part of a German-language exhibition catalogue about Duke Adolph's reign published by the government of Hesse in 1992. In the book he presents many documents and pictures, some of which are part of the private collection of the Grand Ducal Family. The book also includes information about Duke Adolph's siblings and their families.

"Herzog Adolph von Nassau und das russische Zarenhaus" by Pierre Even

Yet another booklet of the "Bad Emser Hefte" series and yet again written by Pierre Even. Published in 1988 and containing 47 pages, it gives information the relations between the Russian Tsar family and the Ducal family of Nassau. Naturally, it has a special focus on the relationship and marriage of Duke Adolph and his first wife Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mikhailovna.

"Herzogin Adelheid-Marie zu Nassau, Großherzogin von Luxemburg eine talentierte Malerin" by Pierre Even 

This little piece is a real treasure. Though not even 100 pages thick, the book presents Grand Duchess Adelheid Marie's biggest gift, her talent to paint. She started to paint in her early childhood and never stopped doing so. With the help of her masterpieces she decorated all her homes from Jagdschloss Platte in Wiesbaden to Château de Berg in Luxembourg. The book shows many of Adelheid-Marie's works in detail and tells the stories behind them. The booklet was published by the Verein für Geschichte, Denkmal- und Landschaftspflege e.V. in 2009.

"Marie Adelheid: Lebensbild der verstorbenen Grossherzogin von Luxemburg" by Theodor Zenner

Written in German and published by Verlag der Schulbrüder Kirnach-Villingen in 1925, this short book gives an inside into the life and faith of Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde. As it was written by a Catholic priest it is not too surprising that this book mainly concentrates on the religious aspect of the life of Luxembourg's first female ruler though nevertheless still covers all the major events in Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde's life. It is one of the few books that also touches the few years left after the abdication in 1919 until her death in 1924.

"Marie Adelaide, Grand Duchess of Luxemburg, Duchess of Nassau" by Edith O'Shaughnessy 

Written in English and Published by Jonathan Cape & Robert Ballou Inc. of New York, New York, USA in 1932, this book is one of the most extensive histories of the life of Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde. The author was an upper-class Catholic American Southern-belle born only a decade after the end of the American Civil War, who later married an Oxford educated diplomat. The views of her class and time are evident in both her writing style and her biased approach to the subject. The book covers all of Marie-Adélaïde's life from birth til death (some parts in more detail than others). The author had the fortune of being one of the few allowed access to the private letters, papers and notes of Marie-Adélaïde herself. She also conducted extensive correspondence with Marie-Adélaïde's relatives (Habsburg, Braganza and Bourbon), diplomats and notable aristocrats of the time. While the book is sometimes difficult to read due to the literary style of O'Shaughnessy it remains one of the most important works related to the life of Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde. It includes many personal anecdotes of relatives that help show the personality of Marie-Adélaïde.

"The Story of a Soul" by Theodore Marburg 

Written in English by a noted American diplomat, lawyer, author and peace advocate and published by Dorrance & Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA in 1938; this short book (100 pages) is written in the style of a play and even includes stage directions for the cast. The book is based entirely on Edith O'Shaughnessy's biography of Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde and some now-historical proceedings of Luxembourg's Chamber des Députés (Marburg was the US Ambassador to Belgium during part of Marie-Adélaïde's reign). Despite being written as a play and being based largely on O'Shaughnessy's work the book does contain a few gems of information not found elsewhere. Marburg and O'Shaughnessy moved in the same circle of upper-class American diplomats and foreign dignitaries and may have even discussed Marie-Adélaïde in person or correspondence.

"Antonia von Luxembourg: Bayerns letzte Kronprinzessin" by Jean-Louis Schlim

Published by LangenMüller in 2006, this German book traces the life of Princess Antonia of Luxembourg. Born as the fourth daughter of Grand Duke Wilhelm IV, the was the second wife of the last Crown Prince of Bavaria. Opposing the Nazi regime, Crown Princess Antonia and her children were imprisoned at the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentrations camps after Germany occupied Hungary in October 1944. After her health had been irreparably damaged during the time, she died  at the age of only 54 in 1954. The book includes many pictures who also give an insight into the private life of Crown Princess Antonia and her family.

"Die regierenden Fürsten von Liechtenstein" by Harald Wanger

Written by Liechtensteiner Harald Wanger and published in 1995 by the Frank P. van Eck Verlagsanstalt, this book is the only comprehensive history about the House of Liechtenstein and its sovereigns. The book starts by giving an overview over the history of the House before delving deeper with biographies of all the reigning princes since Prince Karl (1569-1627) and giving the chance to see how all the different Fürsten influenced the history of the House of Liechtenstein and more recently also the history of the Principality. The book finishes off with a short history of the country when it wasn't even a country yet.

"Die fürstliche Familie von Liechtenstein - Eine Fotoreportage" by Uve Harder

First off, this book is a real treasure! Books about the Princely Family are few and far inbetween even in the German language so it will delight you to hear that this book even contains English text to accompany almost 300 pages of pictures of the Family. Subtitled "A princely but perfectly normal family", the book gives an insight into the interaction between the reigning family and the people of Liechtenstein as only a handful of the pictures are posed. Set in black and white, the book has its focus on Prince Hans-Adam and Princess Marie as well as Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie but also features nearly all the other descendants of Prince Franz Josef II though they are sometimes a little hidden in the pictures. The book's author Uve Harder is a friend of Prince Hans-Adam since they went to primary school together and has followed the family with his camera for the last two decades. His pictures almost feel like a behind the scenes look though they were all taken at public events, mainly the annual Staatsfeiertag. The last few pages of the book are dedicated to Prince Franz Josef and Princess Gina, in addition there are also pictorial specials about the weddings of Prince Hans-Adam and Hereditary Prince Alois. The book was published by by the Frank P. van Eck Verlagsanstalt in 2013.

"Lion at the Cross Roads - Orders of Luxembourg" by Antti Ruokonen

The English-language "Lion at the Cross Roads - Orders of Luxembourg" written by Finnish expert Antti Ruokonen, who has also published books about Belgian and Romanian orders, is the new definitive work on Luxembourgish orders. After a brief introduction into Luxembourg's general history and short biographies of the two Luxembourgish rulers most essential to the country's orders, Grand Duke Adolph and Grand Duchess Charlotte, the book gives extensive descriptions of the history, development, appearance as well as bestowal criteria and numbers of the four orders of the Grand Duchy, the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau, the Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau, the Order of the Oak Crown and the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. (For a full review of this book, have a look here.)

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