Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg

Borwin
Duke of Mecklenburg
Duke Borwin in Titisee Village in November 2010
Head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Period 26 January 1996 - present
Predecessor Duke Georg Alexander
Heir-Apparent Duke Alexander
Spouse Alice Wagner
Issue
Duchess Olga
Duke Alexander
Duke Michael
Full name
Georg Borwin Friedrich Franz Karl Stephan Konrad Hubertus Maria
House House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Father Georg Alexander, Duke of Mecklenburg
Mother Archduchess Ilona of Austria
Born 10 June 1956 (1956-06-10) (age 55)
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Grand Ducal Family of Mecklenburg

Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg[1] (German: Borwin, Herzog zu Mecklenburg; given names: Georg Borwin Friedrich Franz Karl Stephan Konrad Hubertus Maria; born 10 June 1956) has been the head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz since 1996. With the death of the last male member of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin on 31 July 2001, Strelitz is the only remaining line of the House of Mecklenburg, the dynasty which ruled in Mecklenburg until 1918.

It is claimed that duke Borwin and his sons are the only surviving male-line descendants of medieval sovereign Slavic dynasties of the Wends. The ruling families of Rügen, Pomerania, Pomerelia, Piast of Poland, and Mecklenburg-Schwerin are often claimed to be extinct in male lines, as are such princely families as Putbus and Gristow.

Contents

Education and career

Duke Borwin of Mecklenburg was born in Freiburg im Breisgau the youngest child and only son of Duke Georg Alexander of Mecklenburg and his wife Archduchess Ilona of Austria (1927–2011) the daughter of Archduke Joseph Francis of Austria and Princess Anna of Saxony. He is an agnatic descendant of Grand Duke Georg of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and through his mother a descendant of King Frederick Augustus III of Saxony and Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.

Duke Borwin became the heir apparent to headship of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz on 6 July 1963 when his grandfather died and his father succeeded as head of the house. Borwin has studied Viticulture at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute and served as an officer in the German Army. He has also managed a Swiss drinks company.[2]

In politics, Duke Borwin is a former local party chairman for the Christian Democratic Union in the village of Hinterzarten in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district of Baden-Württemberg, leaving his post in May 2009.[3]

Head of the house

In 1928 his grandfather George was adopted by his uncle and the head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Duke Charles Michael. His grandfather subsequently assumed the title of Duke of Mecklenburg with the style Serene Highness which was confirmed on 18 July 1929 by the head of the Imperial House of Russia, Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich and then recognised on 23 December by Grand Duke Frederick Francis IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.[4] On 18 December 1950, Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz of Mecklenburg-Schwerin confirmed the ducal title and also granted the style Highness, which in conjunction with the title, is the style enjoyed by all members of the House of Mecklenburg.[5] His grandfather was also confirmed as head of the house.[6]

Styles of
Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg
Reference style His Highness
Spoken style Your Highness
Alternative style Sir

Duke Borwin succeeded as head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz following his father's death on 26 January 1996.[2] With the death of Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz on the 31 July 2001, the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin has become extinct in the male line leaving Mecklenburg-Strelitz as the only surviving branch of the grand ducal house.

Duke Borwin is the patron and protector of the Order of the Griffin which was revived in September 1984. The order was founded by Grand Duke Frederick Francis III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin on 15 September 1884.[7] He has also served on the Almanach de Gotha's Comité de Patronage.[8]

In 2005 Duke Borwin along with the head of House of Hohenzollern, Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia attended the seasonal opening of Hohenzieritz Castle in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.[9] It was at the castle where Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz who married Frederick William III of Prussia and became Queen of Prussia, died in 1810.

Marriage and children

Duke Borwin married Alice Wagner (born 2 August 1959 in Hinterzarten) the daughter of Dr. Jürgen-Detlev Wagner and Marianne Bichl in a civil marriage on 24 December 1985 in Hinterzarten followed by a religious ceremony on 19 July 1986. They have three children.[5]

Patrilineal descent

  1. Niklot, Prince of the Obotrites and Lord of Mecklenburg, 1090–1160
  2. Pribislav of Mecklenburg, Prince of the Obotrites and Lord of Mecklenburg, d. 1178
  3. Henry Borwin I, Lord of Mecklenburg, d. 1227
  4. Henry Borwin II, Lord of Mecklenburg, 1170–1226
  5. John I, Lord of Mecklenburg, 1211–1264
  6. Henry I, Lord of Mecklenburg, 1230–1302
  7. Henry II, Lord of Mecklenburg, 1266–1329
  8. Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg, 1318–1379
  9. Magnus I, Duke of Mecklenburg, 1345–1384
  10. John IV, Duke of Mecklenburg, 1370–1422
  11. Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg, 1417–1477
  12. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow, 1441–1503
  13. Albert VII, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow, 1486–1547
  14. John Albert I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow, 1525–1576
  15. John VII, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow, 1558–1592
  16. Adolphus Frederick I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 1588–1658
  17. Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 1658–1708
  18. Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Prince of Mirow, 1708–1752
  19. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 1741–1816
  20. George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 1779–1860
  21. Duke George Augustus of Mecklenburg, 1824–1876
  22. Duke George Alexander of Mecklenburg, 1859–1909
  23. George Alexander, Duke of Mecklenburg, 1899–1963
  24. George, Duke of Mecklenburg, 1921–1996
  25. Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg, b. 1956

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ http://www.xing.com/profile/Borwin_HzuMecklenburg
  2. ^ a b Erstling, Frank; Frank Saß, Eberhard Schulze, Harald Witzke (April 2001). "Das Fürstenhaus von Mecklenburg-Strelitz" (in German). Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Beiträge zur Geschichte einer Region. Friedland: Steffen. pp. 191. ISBN 3980753204. "...Als zwölftes Oberhaupt des Strelitzer Hauses trat Herzog Georg Borwin die Nachfolge seines Vaters an. Er durchlief die Offizierslaufbahn der Bundeswehr, studierte Weinbau und ist heute Manager in einem schweizerischen Getränkekonzern..." 
  3. ^ "Die CDU wird wiederbelebt" (in German). Badische Zeitung. 6 May 2009. http://www.badische-zeitung.de/hinterzarten/die-cdu-wird-wiederbelebt--14643802.html. Retrieved 22 May 2009. 
  4. ^ Huberty, Michel; Alain Giraud, F. B. Magdelaine. L'Allemagne Dynastique, Tome VI : Bade-Mecklembourg. pp. 235. ISBN 9782901138068. 
  5. ^ a b Theroff, Paul. "Mecklenburg". Online Gotha. Archived from the original on 2008-02-26. http://web.archive.org/web/20080226060219/http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/mecklenburg.html. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
  6. ^ Le Petit Gotha. p. 198. ISBN 2950797431. 
  7. ^ "Ordenskurier 2007" (PDF). Ritterorden der Greif. Archived from the original on 2007-10-30. http://web.archive.org/web/20071030182146/http://www.ritterorden.sewid.de/fileadmin/downloads/pdf/Ordenskurier2007.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-07. 
  8. ^ "Comité de Patronage". Almanach de Gotha. Archived from the original on 2006-02-11. http://web.archive.org/web/20060211154712/http://www.almanachdegotha.com/site/pat.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-09. 
  9. ^ "Saisoneröffnung in Hohenzieritz". preussen.de. http://www.preussen.de/de/heute/aktuell/archiv/saisoneroeffnung_in_hohenzieritz.html;jsessionid=DA0FC1967015394303F90EE00CB8F315. Retrieved 2007-08-26. 

External links

Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg
Cadet branch of the House of Mecklenburg
Born: 10 June 1956
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Georg Alexander
— TITULAR —
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
26 January 1996–Present
Reason for succession failure:
Grand Duchy abolished in 1918
Incumbent
Heir:
Duke Alexander of Mecklenburg