Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia (1893–1917)

Prince Friedrich Karl was born in Schloss Klein-Glienicke, Potsdam, Berlin, as a member of the House of Hohenzollern, that ruled over the German Empire. He was the son of Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia (1865–1931) and Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (1866–1952) and a grandson of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia.

He was a member of the 1912 German Olympic equestrian team, which won a bronze medal in the team jumping event. His horse during the Olympic competition was "Gibson Boy".^[2]

He fought in World War I as an aviator between 1914 and 1917. He commanded Fliegerabteilung (Artillerie) 258, an artillery spotting unit, but flew patrols in a single-seat fighter with Jasta Boelcke whenever possible. During one such patrol, on 21 March 1917, he was forced to land because of a bullet in his engine and with a slight wound to his foot, suffered in combat with Fl Lt Charles Edward Murray Pickthorn. He landed his Albatross aircraft in no-man's land, but while running towards his own lines, he was shot in the back and severely wounded by Australian troops.^[3] He was taken into captivity.

During the captivity, he died from his injuries on 6 April 1917 (his 24th birthday) at Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray.^[4]

His body was buried in the Cimetière, Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray.^[5]

Friedrich Karl's mother later told a friend that upon learning of her son's death, Kaiser Wilhelm II sent the family a two-word telegram, reading only: "Noblesse oblige."^[6]

In 1927, his remains were transferred to the Hohenzollern family crypt at Klein Glienicke, Potsdam, Berlin, Germany.^[7]

• 1. Garderegiment zu Fuß (1st Regiment of Foot Guards), Leutnant à la suite from 1903; Leutnant by 1908.^[8]
• Fliegerabteilung (Artillerie) 258 (artillery aerial observer squadron), squadron commander, 1917.

Source:^[8]

• Knight, Order of the Black Eagle, 1903
• Knight Grand Cross (with Crown), Order of the Red Eagle, 1903
• Knight, First Class, Prussian Crown Order, 1903
• Knight Grand Commander, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, ca 1903

• Iron Cross, Second Class
• Iron Cross, First Class
• Flugzeugführerabzeichen (Pilot's qualification badge), ca. 1917

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  Prince Friedrich Karl running (1910)
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  Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia at the 1912 Summer Olympics
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  Prince Friedrich Karl and his equastrian team (1912)

• List of Olympians killed in World War I