Georg Gyssling, German Consul to Los Angeles, Consular Report: 1940 Duke Of Saxe Coburg And Gotha LA SB Visit
This report provides an overview of the LA area visit of Carl Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha on 4-8 April, 1940. The Duke was a British royal, Head of the German Red Cross and an ally to Hitler.
This document was unearthed by Volker Welker and referenced in his book Tremaine Houses, regarding Emily Hall Tremaine (previously Spreckels and Von Romberg) and the design for Brünninghausen. This notable villa in Montecito, CA was designed by architect Lutah Maria Riggs between 1936 and 1938.
The list of scheduled events includes one hosted by Emily Hall Tremaine (previously Spreckels) in Montecito, next to Santa Barbara.
The Duke’s visit became part of a scandal later in the year in the sensational “He’s a Nazi, no SHE IS” divorce action, Emily Hall Tremaine (previously Spreckels) vs. Adolph B. Spreckels, Jr.
This occurred in September 1940-April 1941, reported nationally via wire services.
Specifically regarding the Duke, his name and the event came forward in the divorce action c. 10 December 1940. This was among counter-allegations of pro-Nazism directed by Adolph to Emily.
In a once-thought secret deposition, Emily said that she held the event as “a favor” for her friend, former Berlin silent film actress Elza Chancellor, previously Elza Klecker, with stage name Elza Temary. Elza fled Berlin in 1933 when Hitler took power.
Emily said in deposition that Georg Gyssling supplied the guest list.
In 2017, documentation came forward in Gyssling’s Nuremberg file after WWII by Steven Ross’s Hitler in Los Angeles. That documentation showed that Gyssling, to some degree, was a double agent to US military. Regarding Emily Hall Tremaine, documentation in recent years has shown that Emily was in some way connected to legendary Nazi hunter, Ellis M. Zacharias, who headed the US Naval Intelligence gathering of Nazi activity in southern California.
For more information, see Nazi duke tour across America, darling of the US social set in March-April 1940 at artdesigncafe. Also listen to the three-part podcast: Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha & Emily Hall Tremaine: Nazis in California.