Bismarck family
Encyclopedia
The House of Bismarck is a German noble family that rose to great prominence with 19th century statesman Otto von Bismarck
, who was conferred the hereditary title of Prince of Bismarck
in 1871, and additionally a hereditary comital title in 1865 and a ducal title, Duke of Lauenburg
, held only for his own lifetime. Several of Otto's descendants, notably his son Herbert, Prince of Bismarck
, were also politicians.
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The family has its roots in the Altmark
region, descending from one Herebord von Bismarck (d. 1280), the first verifiable holder of the name, mentioned about 1270 as an official (Schultheiß
) at the city of Stendal
in the Margraviate of Brandenburg
. His descent from the nearby small town of Bismark is conceivable though not ascertained. His relative Nikolaus von Bismarck (d. 1377) was a councillor and a loyal supporter of the Wittelsbach margrave Louis I
, over which he fell out with the revolting Stendal citizens and was compensated with the manor of Burgstall
in 1345. By a 1562 agreement with the Hohenzollern
margraves, the Bismarcks swapped Burgstall with Schönhausen
, located east of the Elbe
river and formerly part of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg
, which also had been under Hohenzollern rule since 1513.
A Prussian
Junker
family, their most notable member Otto von Bismarck
gained the comital title (Graf
) of Bismarck-Schönhausen in 1865 and the hereditary princely status of a Fürst von Bismarck
after the Franco-Prussian War
in 1871. Two ships of the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine
), as well as a battleship
from the World War II-era, were named after Otto von Bismarck. Also named in his honour were the Bismarck Sea
and Bismarck Archipelago
(both near the former German colony of New Guinea
), as well as several places in the United States
, among them Bismarck, North Dakota
, the state's capital.
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
, who was conferred the hereditary title of Prince of Bismarck
Fürst von Bismarck
The great German statesman and diplomat Otto von Bismarck received several noble titles during the course of his career.Born into a Junker family as simply Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, he was created Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen in 1865, following the Prussian victory over Denmark in the...
in 1871, and additionally a hereditary comital title in 1865 and a ducal title, Duke of Lauenburg
Duke of Lauenburg
The title Duke of Lauenburg derives from the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg, which, since its foundation in 1269, has been ruled by twenty-nine dukes of six dynastic houses and lines and by an additional four dukes of a temporary dynastic branch line The title Duke of Lauenburg derives from the Duchy of...
, held only for his own lifetime. Several of Otto's descendants, notably his son Herbert, Prince of Bismarck
Herbert von Bismarck
Herbert, Prince of Bismarck was a German politician, who served as Foreign Secretary from 1886 to 1890. His political career was closely tied to that of his father, Otto von Bismarck, and he left office a few days after his father's dismissal...
, were also politicians.
Altmark
The Altmark is a historic region in Germany, comprising the northern third of Saxony-Anhalt. As the initial territory of the Brandenburg margraves, it is sometimes referred to as the "Cradle of Prussia", as by Otto von Bismarck, a native from Schönhausen near Stendal.- Geography :The Altmark is...
region, descending from one Herebord von Bismarck (d. 1280), the first verifiable holder of the name, mentioned about 1270 as an official (Schultheiß
Schultheiß
In medieval Germany, the Schultheiß was the head of a municipality , a Vogt or an executive official of the ruler.As official it was...
) at the city of Stendal
Stendal
Stendal is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of Stendal District and unofficial capital of the Altmark. Its population in 2001 was 38,900. It is located some west of Berlin and around east of Hanover...
in the Margraviate of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
. His descent from the nearby small town of Bismark is conceivable though not ascertained. His relative Nikolaus von Bismarck (d. 1377) was a councillor and a loyal supporter of the Wittelsbach margrave Louis I
Louis V, Duke of Bavaria
Louis V, Duke of Bavaria, called the Brandenburger was Duke of Bavaria and as Louis I also Margrave of Brandenburg and Count of Tyrol. Louis V was the eldest son of Emperor Louis IV and his first wife Beatrix of Świdnica...
, over which he fell out with the revolting Stendal citizens and was compensated with the manor of Burgstall
Burgstall, Saxony-Anhalt
Burgstall is a municipality in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany....
in 1345. By a 1562 agreement with the Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
margraves, the Bismarcks swapped Burgstall with Schönhausen
Schönhausen
Schönhausen is a municipality in the district of Stendal in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, located 70 km north of the state capital of Magdeburg. It is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Elbe-Havel-Land.- History :...
, located east of the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
river and formerly part of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg
Archbishopric of Magdeburg
The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Roman Catholic archdiocese and Prince-Bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River....
, which also had been under Hohenzollern rule since 1513.
A Prussian
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
Junker
Junker
A Junker was a member of the landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany. These families were mostly part of the German Uradel and carried on the colonization and Christianization of the northeastern European territories during the medieval Ostsiedlung. The abbreviation of Junker is Jkr...
family, their most notable member Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
gained the comital title (Graf
Graf
Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...
) of Bismarck-Schönhausen in 1865 and the hereditary princely status of a Fürst von Bismarck
Fürst von Bismarck
The great German statesman and diplomat Otto von Bismarck received several noble titles during the course of his career.Born into a Junker family as simply Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, he was created Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen in 1865, following the Prussian victory over Denmark in the...
after the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
in 1871. Two ships of the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
), as well as a battleship
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
from the World War II-era, were named after Otto von Bismarck. Also named in his honour were the Bismarck Sea
Bismarck Sea
The Bismarck Sea lies in the southwestern Pacific Ocean to the north of the island of Papua New Guinea and to the south of the Bismarck Archipelago and Admiralty Islands. Like the Bismarck archipelago, it is named in honour of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck...
and Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.-History:...
(both near the former German colony of New Guinea
German New Guinea
German New Guinea was the first part of the German colonial empire. It was a protectorate from 1884 until 1914 when it fell to Australia following the outbreak of the First World War. It consisted of the northeastern part of New Guinea and several nearby island groups...
), as well as several places in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, among them Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...
, the state's capital.
Schönhausen line
- Jkr. Karl Alexander von Bismarck (1727–1797) – married Christiane Charlotte Gottliebe von SchönfeldtSchönfeld, SaxonySchönfeld is a municipality in the district of Meißen, in Saxony, Germany....
at WerbenWerben, BrandenburgWerben is a municipality in the district of Spree-Neiße, in Brandenburg, Germany....
in 1762- Jkr. Ernst Friedrich Alexander von Bismarck (1763–1820)
- Jkr. Theodor von Bismarck (1790–1873), married Karoline Countess von Bohlen in 1817, progenitor of the Bismarck-Bohlen branch
- [...]
- Jkr. Theodor von Bismarck (1790–1873), married Karoline Countess von Bohlen in 1817, progenitor of the Bismarck-Bohlen branch
- Jkr. Friedrich Adolf Ludwig von Bismarck (1766–1830), Prussian General Lieutenant
- Jkr. Ferdinand von Bismarck (1771–1845), landowner at Schönhausen, married Luise Wilhelmine Mencken in 1806
- Jkr. Bernhard von Bismarck (1810–1893), Prussian chamberlainChamberlain (office)A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
(Kammerherr), member of the Prussian LandtagPreußischer LandtagPreußischer Landtag or Prussian Landtag was the Landtag of the Kingdom of Prussia, which was implemented in 1849 after the dissolution of the Prussian National Assembly, building on the tradition of the Prussian estates that had existed from the 14th century in various forms and states in Teutonic...
, married Adelheid Fanninger (died 1844) in 1841, secondly Malwine von Lettow-Vorbeck in 1848- Jkr. Philipp von Bismarck (1844–1894)
- Jkr. Gottfried von Bismarck (1881–1928)
- Jkr. Klaus von BismarckKlaus von BismarckKlaus von Bismarck was the Director General of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk from 1961 to 1976, and the President of the ARD from 1963 to 1964...
(1912–1997) - Jkr. Philipp von Bismarck (1913–2006), former member of the BundestagBundestagThe Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
- Jkr. Klaus von Bismarck
- Jkr. Herbert Rudolf von Bismarck (1884–1955)
- Jkr. Gottfried von Bismarck (1881–1928)
- Jkr. Philipp von Bismarck (1844–1894)
- HSH Otto, Prince von Bismarck, Duke of LauenburgOtto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
(1815–1898), First Chancellor of GermanyChancellor of GermanyThe Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
, Fürst von BismarckFürst von BismarckThe great German statesman and diplomat Otto von Bismarck received several noble titles during the course of his career.Born into a Junker family as simply Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, he was created Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen in 1865, following the Prussian victory over Denmark in the...
from 1871- Countess Marie von Bismarck-Schönhausen (1847–1926)
- HSH Herbert, Prince von BismarckHerbert von BismarckHerbert, Prince of Bismarck was a German politician, who served as Foreign Secretary from 1886 to 1890. His political career was closely tied to that of his father, Otto von Bismarck, and he left office a few days after his father's dismissal...
(1849–1904)- Countess Hannah Leopoldine Alice von Bismarck-Schönhausen (1893–1971)
- Countess Goedela von Bismarck-Schönhausen (1896–1981) ∞ Count Hermann Keyserling (1880–1946)
- Count Arnold KeyserlingArnold KeyserlingCount Arnold Alexander Keyserling was a German philosopher and theologian. He is the son of Hermann Graf Keyserling and great-grandson of Otto von Bismarck.- External links :...
(1922–2005), renowned philosopher
- Count Arnold Keyserling
- HSH Otto Christian Archibald, Prince von Bismarck (1897–1975), former member of the BundestagBundestagThe Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
- HSH Ferdinand, Prince von BismarckFerdinand von BismarckFerdinand, Prince von Bismarck is a German politician and the Prince of Bismarck since 1975.The son of politician and diplomat Otto Christian Archibald von Bismarck and great-grandson of statesman Otto von Bismarck, the founder of modern Germany, he grew up in London, Rome and Sweden, and went to...
(born 1930)- Count Carl-Eduard von Bismarck-SchönhausenCarl-Eduard von BismarckCount Carl-Eduard Otto Wolfgang Jayme Anders von Bismarck-Schönhausen is a German politician .-Background and education:...
(born 1961), former member of the BundestagBundestagThe Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier... - Count Gottfried von Bismarck-SchönhausenGottfried von BismarckCount Gottfried Alexander Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen was a German nobleman best known for his flamboyance and parties.-Family:...
(1962–2007) - Count Gregor von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1964)
- Countess Marina von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1986)
- Countess Vanessa von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1971)
- Count Carl-Eduard von Bismarck-Schönhausen
- Countess Maximilian von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1947)
- Count Konstantin von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1987)
- Count Alexander von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1989)
- Countess Gunilla von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1949)
- Count Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1951)
- HSH Ferdinand, Prince von Bismarck
- Count Gottfried von Bismarck-SchönhausenGottfried Graf von Bismarck-SchönhausenCount Gottfried von Bismarck-Schönhausen was a German politician and German Resistance figure.Born in Berlin, he was a grandson of the Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. He was a member of the Nazi Party and in 1933 he was elected to the Reichstag as a Nazi member...
(1901–1949), member of the ReichstagReichstag (Weimar Republic)The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
- Count Andreas von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1941)
- Countess Stephanie von Bismarck-SchönhausenStephanie zu GuttenbergStephanie Freifrau von und zu Guttenberg , née Stephanie Gräfin von Bismarck-Schönhausen, is a German activist against child abuse, and the President of Innocence in Danger, an NGO advocating Internet censorship of child pornography and a co-author of a book about these topics.She is the wife of...
(born 1976) ∞ Baron Karl-Theodor zu GuttenbergKarl-Theodor zu GuttenbergKarl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg is a German politician of the Christian Social Union ....
(born 1971)
- Countess Stephanie von Bismarck-Schönhausen
- Count Andreas von Bismarck-Schönhausen (born 1941)
- Count Albrecht von Bismarck-Schönhausen (1903–1970) ∞ Mona Strader (1897–1983)
- Count Wilhelm von Bismarck-SchönhausenWilhelm von BismarckCount Wilhelm von Bismarck was a German counselor, civil servant and politician, who served as a member of the Reichstag from 1880 to 1881 and president of the Regency of Hanover from 1889 to 1890...
(1852–1901)
- Jkvr. Malwine von Bismarck (1827–1908)
- Jkr. Bernhard von Bismarck (1810–1893), Prussian chamberlain
- Jkr. Ernst Friedrich Alexander von Bismarck (1763–1820)