Alfred von Niezychowski

Germany entered World War I in August 1914, while the ship was in port in New York City, and the Kronprinz Wilhelm was ordered into service with the Imperial German Navy as an auxiliary cruiser.

Her captain headed for Virginia, and successfully evading the British ships guarding the port, entered safe harbor at Newport News, in 1915.

[1] Niezychowski was known as the "jolly Polish count" and after his release from Fort McPherson, Georgia in August 1919, he moved to Washington DC, where he was welcomed into diplomatic and society circles.

[1] Having renounced his European titles, Niezychowski became an American citizen in January 1926; the affianced couple married on December 27, 1927, with Admiral Walter McLean, commander of the Norfolk Navy Yard (where the groom's ship had been interned ten years earlier) was his best man.

[5] After their wedding, Niezychowski and his wife moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he entered the business world;[5] He first worked as a salesman with a printing and advertising company, and later with the Seldon & Johnson real estate firm.

According to the Detroit News, Alfred worked with Senator Homer Ferguson of Michigan, to obtain visas so that the orphaned children could enter the United States in the 1940s.