Princess Maria Karoline of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
German princess (1899–1941)
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Princess Maria Karoline of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (German: Maria Karoline Philomena Ignatia Pauline Josepha Michaela Gabriela Raphaela Gonzaga Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha; 10 January 1899 – 6 June 1941) was a German princess from the Brazilian branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry. She was killed at the Hartheim killing centre as part of the Nazi Aktion T4 program.[1][2]
Pula, Austria-Hungary
Hartheim killing centre, Alkoven, Reichsgau Oberdonau
| Princess Maria Karoline | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||
| Born | 10 January 1899 Pula, Austria-Hungary | ||||
| Died | 6 June 1941 (aged 42) Hartheim killing centre, Alkoven, Reichsgau Oberdonau | ||||
| Burial | |||||
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| House | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry | ||||
| Father | Prince August Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | ||||
| Mother | Archduchess Karoline Marie of Austria | ||||
Early life and family
Princess Maria Karoline was born on 10 January 1899 in Pula, Austria-Hungary (modern day Croatia), a popular vacation site for the Austro-Hungarian imperial and royal family. She was the second daughter of Prince August Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Archduchess Karoline Marie of Austria. She was a great-granddaughter of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil and a fourth cousin of King George VI of the United Kingdom. Her family formed what was known as the Brazilian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry.[3]
After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires, the family was able to retain some of their wealth thanks to the Koháry estates. They resided throughout Hungary and in Schladming, Austria.[4]
Hartheim
Maria Karoline had learning difficulties. In 1938, her family placed her in a religious institution.[5] In 1941, she was forcibly removed from the institution by the Nazis and taken to the killing centre at Hartheim Castle where she was killed as part of the Aktion T4 program.[6][7]
There are questions about whether her relatives, including her brother Prince Rainer of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and head of the family, Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, did anything to protect her.[8] Charles Edward did not intervene because "he had not been concerned that anything would happen to her". He received a letter of condolence claiming that she had died of natural causes, which he did not believe. Unusually for a man who rarely missed family events, he did not attend the funeral.[9]
Her ashes were returned to her family and interred in the crypt of St Augustine's Church in Coburg.[10]