THE LIPPE SUCCESSION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5731, 28 October 1905, Page 5

THE LIPPE SUCCESSION.

SETTLEMENT OF A LONG-STAND-ING DISPUTE. BERLIN, October 26. Tlio Court of Arbitration appointed by tlio Federal Council of the German Empire last November to decide matters in dispute regarding the Lippo succession has decided that Count Leopold is entitled to the succession. Prince Georgi, who is the reigning prince of Schauraburg-Lippe, immediately telegraphed congratulations to Prince Leopold.

Since the Lippo controversy first arose in 1335 it has gathered round it issues constitutional and political, personal and dynastic, which throw a curious light on some of the anomalies m tho fabric of the Gorman Empire. Ten years ago tlio reigning Prince AVa-ldomiir of Lippe died, and owing to the fact that his younger brother, Prince Alexander, was, as ho still is, insane, Princo Walclemar had in his lifetime nominated as future regent Princo Adolphus of Bchaumburg-Lippo, himself a claimant to tho succession of Lippe. and brother-in-law of tho Emperor William 11. by his marriage with the Princess AMctoria of Prussia. In tho meantime, however, a protest against this settlement had been entered by tho head of tho collateral line of Lippe-Bicstorfold, Count Ernest, who claimed both "tho regency and the ultimate succession. A special Court of Arbitration, composed of six members of the Supreme Court of the Empire, with the iate King Albert of Saxony at their head, sat to decide tho question; and, dismising the contention of tho rival lines that tne Lippe-Biester-feld claim was vitiated because Count Ernest's grandmother had been a lady of the petito noblesse, it declared him entitled to the ultimate succession. Prince Adolphus of Schaumburg-Lippo thereupon withdrew from Detmold, proclaiming his Regency at an end. Count Ernest of Lippe-Biesterfeld stepped into his place, aud was welcomed as tho '‘popular” candidate to tlio dignity, which ho occupied until his death. No sooner, however, was Count Ernest’s personal claim established than tho controversy entered on a fresh phase. The rival lines of Schauraburg-Lippe and Lippo-Woissenfeld challenged the claim of his dcecondents to succeed, on the ground that his wife, like his ancestress already referred to, was merely of the petita noblesse. Tho Government of Lipnc-Detmold, with tho Diet’s consent, settled this question, as far as they were concerned, by promulgating a law giving the succession to Count Leopold, Count Ernest’s oldest sou. Thpro was an appeal bv the rival linos to tho Federal Council of tho Empire, and speculation was rifo in Germany as to this body would or would not declare itself conqietent to deal with tho case. In January, 1899. it did so in a guarded judgment, which affirmed that there was then no adequate necessity for actually settling tho succession, while adding that its verdict was without prejudice to any future decision on the validity of the Lippe-Detmold law.