Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Princess Cecile works in drugstore

Marlene A Eilers Koenig collection

December 16, 1939

Princess Cecile of Prussia, 22, has found work as a druggist's assistant in the Potsdam Military Hospital. The youngest child of Crown Prince Wilhelm and Crown Princess Cecile, Princess Cecile reports to work each morning at the hospital's prescription counter. She travels by bicycle from her home, Schloss Cecilienhof in Potsdam.

Her cousin, Princess Luise of Prussia, 22, works next to her. Luise, who visited America, in 1936, is the daughter of the late Prince Friedrich Sigismund, "the internationally-famed gentleman tournament rider."

Princess Cecile told the Associated Press: "Like every patriotic German, I wanted to do my bit when the war's call for duty came. Hearing the army drug store needed two assistants, my cousin Luise and I volunteered.

Six months ago, Princess Cecile was a "diademed sponsor" at the baptism of her nephew, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, the first great-grandson for Kaiser Wilhelm II, who lives in exile in the Netherlands.

In perfect English, Princess Cecile said: "It has been a tradition of our family for all-male Hohenzollern males to learn some trade. Why shouldn't we women in the family also work as one?"

The chief surgeon of the Army Hospital said that "We were happy when their Royal Highnesses offered to work. We thus have the most competent assistance and I didn't have to increase my budget. The two young ladies are as hard-working as anybody here."

Their principal duty is to "fill orders for the various army units," where  
"Clichen (Cecile's nickname) also does all the typing for our department."

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