Michał Radziwiłł Rudy

Michał Radziwiłł Rudy (8 February 1870 – 6 October 1955 The nickname "Rudy", or "Red", was a reference to the color of his hair. His friends also called him "Munio", while his relatives often referred to him as just "the Renegade" or "the Degenerate". As a count (Hrabia) whose property was based around the village of Antonin he was also known, especially locally, as the "Maharaja of Antonin (the Przygodzice ordynacja)", due to his luxurious and excessive lifestyle.

Career He served as a diplomat in Russian service until the Russian Revolution in 1917, reputedly speaking eight languages. He served as a lieutenant colonel in the German army and as a major in the British army. He returned to the Second Polish Republic in 1926, assuming Polish citizenship that year. After he was disinherited by his father, he tried to get back several properties through the Russian government (at that time, those properties were part of the Russian partition).

After his divorce, Michał Radziwiłł had multiple debts and developed an addiction to gambling. When Hitler's army entered Poland Michał Radziwiłł hoped to enter the Volksliste (Nazi Party list classifying inhabitants of the German-occupied territories) and in order to do so, he delivered speeches promoting Polish surrender to the German army. Michał Radziwiłł also wanted to dislocate the family catacombs in the cellars of the Antonin property, and in 1939 is alleged to have offered the castle as the gift to Hitler.

This however failed to generate him enough good will with the new authorities, and he was put under house arrest.

Personal life He married three times. He had two children from his first marriage to Maria Nikołajewna de Bernardaky (in 1898). was seen as possibly illegal, and caused him a new wave of legal problems and scandals.