DEATH IN POVERTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22332, 1 February 1936, Page 13

DEATH IN POVERTY

NOTORIOUS RUSSIAN MARRIED GERMAN PRINCESS LONDON. Jan. 30 The former waiter, Alexander koff, who married' Princess Victoria of Hohenzollern, the ex-Kaiser's sister, has died in poverty. Zoubkoff, who last year was working as a luggage porter in LiTxernburg, having been refused permission to live? in France, Germany , Belgium, or Italy j married the German Princess in 1927. He wan then 30 years old and she was 61. Zoubkoff made the acquaintance of the Princess while on a visit to Bonn? She became infatuated with the Russian and against the wishes of Wilhelm married him on November 20, 1927. The pair set off oil their honeymoon on a motor-cycle. A fortnight later Zoubkoff was seriously injured by being thrown from his machine. Extraordinary rumours as to his conduct appeared, in the German press, but the truth of these was repeatedly denied by the Princess. In February, 1928, the couple arrived at Berlin, where they proposed to settle. As the result of a violent scene i:a a night bar, where Zoubkoff savagely assaulted an attendant who, had displeased him, he'was taken to a police station for examination. Next day he was fined J225 for living in Germany without a permit. After, that he lived at various-places outside Germany. His extravagances resulted iff the bankruptcy of hus wife, whose properly at Bonn was sold at auction. The Princess, in November, 1929, began an action for divorce on the ground that Zoubkoff had made himself impossible in Germany, and did not provide for her. She died, however, in the same month. Zoubkoff was alrrested. near Bonn while attempting to attend her funeral, and deported. In February, 1930, it was reported that he hadbecome engaged to a German barmaid.