Georg von und zu Franckenstein

Georg Albert Maria, Freiherr von und zu Franckenstein (18 March 1878 – 14 October 1953), known as Sir George Franckenstein, was an Austrian diplomat and a member of the Franckenstein family. Opposed to the Nazis, he became a British citizen when his post was suppressed in 1938.

Early life

Franckenstein was born in Dresden, Saxony, the son of Karl, Baron von und zu Franckenstein (1831–1898), a diplomat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife, Elma, née Countess von Schönborn-Wiesentheid (1841–1884). He was the younger brother of the composer and General Intendant of Munich Clemens von und zu Franckenstein (1875–1942). He then served as Austrian Minister to the Court of St. James's for eighteen years, from 1920 to 1938.

Due to his sumptuous and representative style of living, especially by hosting concerts and masked balls, he strongly assured his high society esteem, where – although aristocracy had been abolished in Austria by 1919 – he was still addressed as "Baron Franckenstein". and was knighted on 26 July 1938 by King George VI, becoming Sir George Franckenstein.

Together with his brother Clemens, his cousins Joseph von Franckenstein, an active intelligence and field agent at the OSS, and Heinrich von Franckenstein, he tried to keep up an active network and opposition against the Nazi-Regime out of London. Unlike networks of some occupied countries, this activity was not successful, as the majority of Austrians at the time identified themselves as German.

Personal life On 31 July 1939, he married Englishwoman Editha King (1916–1953). Together, they were the parents of:

Clement von Franckenstein (1944–2019), an actor who never married.

Franckenstein and his wife were among forty-four people killed in a plane crash in Kelsterbach, Hessen, outside Frankfurt on 14 October 1953. Their son was then raised by family friends.