Bernhart, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein

Bernhart
Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein
Head of the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein
Period 17 August 1983 - present
Predecessor Prince Christian Heinrich
Heir-Apparent Prince Wenzel
Spouse Countess Katharina von Podewils-Durniz
Issue
Wenzel, Hereditary Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein
Father Christian-Heinrich, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein
Mother Princess Dagmar of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein
Born 15 November 1962 (1962-11-15) (age 49)
Religion Lutheran

Bernhart Otto Peter, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (born 15 November 1962)[1] is German businessman and the current head of the Princely House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein.

Contents

Family and career

Prince Bernhart was born in Marburg the son of Christian-Heinrich, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein and Princess Dagmar of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (1919–2003).

Prince Bernhart was married at Schwarzenau, Germany on 31 August 1996 to Countess Katharina von Podewils-Durniz, the daughter of diplomat Count Max von Podewils-Dürniz and his wife Baroness Elisabeth von Hirschberg. His wife, now known as Katharina Prinzessin zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, has a Doctorate in Art History and in 2003 was appointed Sotheby's representative in Hamburg. The couple have one child, Wenzel Hereditary Prince Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (b. 1997).[2]

Prince Bernhart is Chairman of the Board of the Fürst Wittgenstein`sche Waldbesitzergesellschaft Forestry company and also joint Managing Director of Verlag Dashoefer publishers.[3][4] Among his roles, Prince Bernhart was the patron of the 300th Anniversary celebrations for the Schwarzenau Brethren, which were held on his grounds in 2008.[5]

Head of the House

Prince Bernhart is currently the heir to both the (junior) branch of the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, and to the more senior House of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. This is because the Hereditary Prince of the Berleburg House, Gustav, Hereditary Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, remains unmarried and childless, and Prince Robin of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (as the younger brother of the current Prince, Richard, would be the presumed next heir after Gustav,) is ineligible to become Head of the Princely House due to his two morganatic marriages.[6]

The reuniting of two of the three branches of the family would specifically involve the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleberg branches, first separated in 1605.[7] The re-merging of the two branches will create one of the most substantial private estates in Germany, encompassing six major estates, the 5,000 acre Forest Estate Ditzrod,[7] Schloss Wittgenstein in Bad Laasphe, Schloss Berleburg and the town of Bad Berleburg, all in North Rhine-Westphalia. The third branch or line, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, became extinct (insofar as accordance with House laws) in 1846.

Additional Notes on Inheritance

Son: Hereditary Prince Gustav zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg;has no brothers
Father: Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg; one brother (see "Uncle" on next line)
Uncle: Prince Robin zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg; is excluded (married in contravention of House law)

Grandfather: Prince Gustav-Albrecht zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Great Uncle (Older of two younger brothers of grandfather): Prince Christian-Heinrich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein; married according to House law with Beatrix Countess von Bismarck-Schönhausen (firstly) and with Dagmar Fürstin zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (secondly)
Sons of Prince Christian-Heinrich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein: with Beatrix Countess von Bismarck-Schönhausen, Prince Albrecht zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein; died in infancy with Dagmar Fürstin zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, Bernhard, the present Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, who is married in accordance with House laws to Katharina Countess von Podewils-Dürniz, with legitimate issue

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ "Person Page - 6461". thePeerage.com. 13 June 2007. http://www.thepeerage.com/p6461.htm#i64610. Retrieved February 14, 2011. 
  2. ^ Rattmann, Cornelis (April 20, 2004). "Brücken schlagen zur Kunst". Welt Online. http://www.welt.de/print-wams/article131039/Bruecken_schlagen_zur_Kunst.html. Retrieved February 14, 2011. 
  3. ^ "Unsere Organisation". Fürst Wittgenstein`sche Waldbesitzergesellschaft. http://www.rentkammer-wittgenstein.de/html/kontakt.htm. Retrieved February 14, 2011. 
  4. ^ "Das Team". Verlag Dashöfer. http://www.dashoefer.de/Wir-%C3%BCber-uns/Das-Team/. Retrieved February 14, 2011. 
  5. ^ "Newsline: Brethren hold international celebration of their roots in Germany". COBNews Newsline. Church of the Brethren. August 4, 2008. http://www.wfn.org/2008/08/msg00024.html. Retrieved February 14, 2011. 
  6. ^ See Additional Notes from Gustav, Hereditary Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg for explanation
  7. ^ a b "History". Jagd- und Forstgut Ditzrod. http://www.ditzrod-forst.de/main_index.php?site=2&lang=en. Retrieved February 14, 2011.