Grand Duke Friedrich I (1826-1907)
Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden was born on 9 September 1826 in Karlsruhe as the second son of Grand Duke Leopold of Baden. As his older brother was incurably ill, Friedrich I assumed rule in 1852. He was known for his liberal government, which was expressed in numerous landmark reforms. Friedrich promoted domestic industry by building waterways and railroad networks. As an educated sovereign, he created the basis for economic prosperity in south-western Germany.
Due to his passion for art, he had the Grand Duke's Baden School of Art (Großherzogliche-Badische Kunstschule) (today the State Academy of the Fine Arts (Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste)). On Mainau Island in Lake Constance he formed the basis for the park which still exists today with the exotic plants he brought back from his travels.
On 20 September 1856 Friedrich I married Princess Luise of Prussia and had three children with her, on of whom was his son Prince Ludwig Wilhelm.
The Grand Duke maintained his interest in art, science and intellectual movements until a ripe old age. He died on 28 September 1907 on Mainau Island, which he had purchased.
Grand Duchess Luise Marie Elisabeth of Baden (1838-1923)
Princess Luise was born on 3 December 1838 in Berlin as the only daughter of Emperor Wilhelm of Prussia and his wife Princess Augusta of Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach. During her childhood, which she spent in Berlin and Koblenz, the social behavior of the Princess was already marked by visits to orphanages and hospitals.
Due to her marriage to Grand Duke Friedrich I in 1856, the Princess from the Hohenzollern dynasty became Grand Duchess of Baden.
She devoted herself to the needs of women, and therefore founded the first women's association in Karlsruhe, which is considered the precursor to the Red Cross nurses association, in 1859. In addition, se was also active in the care of children, the sick and the poor. In 1917 she was awarded an honorable doctorate by the School of Medicine of the University of Freiburg for her commitment in the service of her fellow human beings.
Like her sister-in-law, the German Empress Victoria, she is considered an opponent of Bismarck. Grand Duchess Luise died in Baden-Baden on 23 April 1923.
Prince Ludwig Wilhelm (1865-1888)
Prince Ludwig Wilhelm of Baden was the younger son of Grand Duke Friedrich I and Grand Duchess Luise, and was born in Baden-Baden on 12 June 1865. He was Margrave of Baden and Duke of Zähringen.
After a short period as a soldier and student, he died at the age of 23 of pneumonia in Freiburg in the Breisgau region.
Court Building Director Friedrich Hemberger (1826-1906)
Following his examination on the subject of architecture, Friedrich Hemberger was accepted as a building trainee in Baden in 1852. Until 1854 he was employed at the District Building Inspection Office (Bezirksbauinspektion) in Karlsruhe. In 1857 he became the Chairman of the Railroad Building Engineering Administration (Eisenbahn-Hochbauverwaltung) in Waldshut. From 1862 to 1864 Hemberger played a major role in a number of public as the District Building Inspector (Bezirksbauinspektor) in Donaueschingen and Lörrach. After being conferred the title of Planning Department Surveyor (Baurat), he was named Director of the Office of Building Engineering (Hofbauamtes) in Karlsruhe, and was therefore entrusted with interior decoration and finishing of the Grand Duke's family in Badenweiler, Freiburg and Zwingenberg. He was named Court Building Director in 1891.
Architect Hermann Hemberger
When the Sepulchral Chapel was built, Hermann Hemberger was employed at the Office of Building Engineering. As the Court Building Director was ill when the Chapel was being built, he supported his father during construction and ultimately completed it independently.
Sculptor Professor Hermann Volz (1847-1926)
Hermann Volz' first public contract was the war memorial in marble at the Gate Square (Torplatz) in Ettlingen. Many sculptures at various locations followed. In Heidelberg he was awarded an honorable doctors title by the University of Heidelberg following the creation of the monument to Bunsen at its dedication. In addition to the marble sarcophagus of Friedrich I, Grand Duchess Luise and the young Prince Ludwig Wilhelm, his works include larger-than-life marble busts of Beethoven, Michelangelo, the painter Hans Thoma and of other members of the Grand Duke's family.