The Ducal House of Hohenberg is an Austrian noble family, descended from Countess Sophie Chotek (1868-1914) who in 1900 married Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este (1863-1914), the heir presumptive to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As their marriage was a morganatic one, none of their three children were in the line of succession to the Austro-Hungarian throne. The House of Hohenberg was established by imperial decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria when upon the couple's marriage in 1900, he created Franz Ferdinand's wife Princess of Hohenberg (in German: Fürstin von Hohenberg) in her own right with the style of Serene Highness (in German: Durchlaucht), and the specifiation that this name and title should also be borne by her descendants. In 1909 the Emperor raised Sophie to the more senior title of Duchess of Hohenberg (in German: Herzogin von Hohenberg) with the style Highness (in German: Hoheit) for her life. This title expired upon Sophie's assassination in 1914.
In 1917 the Emperor Karl I of Austria regulated the titles within the Hohenberg family and awarded them a coat of arms. The Head of the House would be titled Duke with the style Highness, the other male members would be titled Prince and female members titled Princess with the style of Serene Highness. Thus Sophie's eldest son Prince Maximilian of Hohenberg became the first Duke of Hohenberg.
This title was created to be hereditary among Sophie's and Franz Ferdinand's male descendants according to the rule of primogeniture. Following the collapse of the Monarchy, all Austrian titles of nobility were abolished by law in 1919 and since then their names consist only of a forename and surname, without the "von" or any title. In 1938 several members of the family who were opposed to Adolf Hitler were arrested by the Nazis and sent to Dachau concentration camp, most notably Duke Maximilian and his brother Ernst. They were only released on liberation in 1945. The current Head of the House, Georg Hohenberg, was Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Holy See under part of the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. He is also a Knight of the Golden Fleece.
The members of the House of Hohenberg are not only descended from, and married into, the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, but are also through marriage related to many other European dynasties including the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg and the Princely House of Liechtenstein, whereas it should be noted that the Ducal House of Hohenberg is not part of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine as it is descended through the created Ducal line of Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg as declared by the Imperial Letters Patent of Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria, and as such any and all Acts, Laws and Decrees created and inforced by the Austrian, German, Polish and Czech Governments to confiscate the Properties, Lands and all other Possessions thereon of the former Ruling House of Habsburg-Lorraine, can not legally apply to the House of Hohenberg, therefore all properties, lands and possessions taken by any of the aforementioned governments from the House of Hohenberg, from the time of the conficaction have if fact and in law remained the sole legal property of the heirs of the House of Hohenberg therein. Please see the following family website: www.sophie-hohenberg-czech
The Hohenberg family has left such a legacy behind that their Castle of Artstetten was selected as a main motive for a very recent commemorative coin: the 10 euro The Castle of Artstetten commemorative coin minted in October 13, 2004. The reverse shows the entrance to the crypt of the Hohenberg family. There are two portraits to the left, showing Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg. Artstetten Castle (German: Schloss Artstetten or Schloß Artstetten) is a castle near the Wachau valley in Lower Austria, in the community of Artstetten-Pöbring. The castle houses the resting place of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, as well as the Archduke Franz Ferdinand Museum. It remains today the private property of the Hohenberg Family.
Titles and Styles of The Ducal Family - The members of this house and family bear the titles of Prince or Princess of Hohenberg together with the formal appellation of His or Her Serene Highness, the head of the house bears the Title of Duke of Hohenberg together with the formal appellation of His Highness.
Website of HSH Princess Sophie of Hohenberg:
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Almanach de Saxe Gotha Page:
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