Alexander von Hanstein, Count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf
Encyclopedia
Maximilian Elisäus Alexander von Hanstein, count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf (9 June 1804, Burghaig, Kulmbach
– 18 April 1884, Schmölln
) was a Thuringia
n count. He was the stepfather of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and grandfather of Hans Poelzig
.
and was the son of Baron Friedrich von Hanstein and his wife Anna Maria.
In 1824, Alexander was stable master for Ernest III, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. The duke's marriage was rocky. His wife, Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg had an affair with von Hanstein, and Louise was exiled from the dukedom in autumn 1824. She was assigned a residence in the principality of Lichtenberg, now in Saarland
, and Alexander followed her there.
On the death of Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
on 11 February 1825, Louise became sole heiress of the house of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In the subsequent discussions over the inheritance, a separation agreement was hammered out and the Saxon duchies
were re-organised. Ernest separated from Louise on 31 March 1826, and in the same year exchanged Saalfeld for Gotha
.
Now free, Louise planned to marry von Hanstein, and in preparation for such a marriage Alexander was created count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf
on 19 July 1826 by Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. On 18 October 1826, Alexander and Louise married at St. Wendel, the capital of the small principality of Lichtenberg. They resided in the castle there and spent some happy years but the marriage remained childless and Louise was prohibited by her first husband from contacting her children in Coburg
.
After Louise's early death from cancer in 1831, Alexander went into the Prussia
n service and commanded the regiment of the corps Cürrassier in Potsdam
. He married the 21-year-old Marie Therese von Carlowitz on 18 April 1833 in Coburg. As count and countess of Pölzig they lived at Schloss Pölzig and had three children:
In 1845, Alexander approached his stepson prince Albert, who in the meantime had married Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
, and Albert allowed him a pension.
His second daughter Clara married the British shipowner George Acland Ames on 13 July 1854. Their sixth child, Hans, was born on the 30 April 1869 in Berlin. Because Ames did not acknowledge Hans as his son, he was given the surname Poelzig. Clara and Ames separated in July 1869, and Clara returned to Pölzig. She lived as a "the young countess" in the Schloss and died 10 years later in Beiersdorf. Hans Poelzig
grew up in Berlin and became a world-famous architect and set designer.
Alexander's grandchildren, the Ames family in England, inherited the Schloss on his death in 1884.
Kulmbach
Kulmbach is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town is famous for Plassenburg Castle, which houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world, and for its famous sausages, or Bratwürste.-Location:...
– 18 April 1884, Schmölln
Schmölln
Schmölln is a town in the Thuringian, Germany, landkreis of Altenburger Land, and which lies on the river Sprotte.-Neighboring municipalities:...
) was a Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
n count. He was the stepfather of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and grandfather of Hans Poelzig
Hans Poelzig
Hans Poelzig was a German architect, painter and set designer.-Life:Poelzig was born in Berlin in 1869 to the countess Clara Henrietta Maria Poelzig while she was married to George Acland Ames, an Englishman...
.
Life
Alexander von Hanstein came from the Thüringer noble family of Hanstein CastleHanstein Castle
Hanstein Castle is a ruined castle in Central Germany near Bornhagen in the Eichsfeld, situated above the river Werra in Thuringia. The name of the nobles von Hansteins, most notable Fritz Huschke von Hanstein, derived from the castle.-History:...
and was the son of Baron Friedrich von Hanstein and his wife Anna Maria.
In 1824, Alexander was stable master for Ernest III, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. The duke's marriage was rocky. His wife, Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg had an affair with von Hanstein, and Louise was exiled from the dukedom in autumn 1824. She was assigned a residence in the principality of Lichtenberg, now in Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
, and Alexander followed her there.
On the death of Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , was the last duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg....
on 11 February 1825, Louise became sole heiress of the house of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In the subsequent discussions over the inheritance, a separation agreement was hammered out and the Saxon duchies
Ernestine duchies
The Ernestine duchies, also called the Saxon duchies , were a changing number of small states largely located in the present German state of Thuringia, governed by dukes of the Ernestine line of the House of Wettin.-Overview:The...
were re-organised. Ernest separated from Louise on 31 March 1826, and in the same year exchanged Saalfeld for Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
.
Now free, Louise planned to marry von Hanstein, and in preparation for such a marriage Alexander was created count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf
Pölzig
Pölzig is a municipality in the district of Greiz, in Thuringia, Germany....
on 19 July 1826 by Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. On 18 October 1826, Alexander and Louise married at St. Wendel, the capital of the small principality of Lichtenberg. They resided in the castle there and spent some happy years but the marriage remained childless and Louise was prohibited by her first husband from contacting her children in Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
.
After Louise's early death from cancer in 1831, Alexander went into the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n service and commanded the regiment of the corps Cürrassier in Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
. He married the 21-year-old Marie Therese von Carlowitz on 18 April 1833 in Coburg. As count and countess of Pölzig they lived at Schloss Pölzig and had three children:
- Maximilan Anton (18 February 1834 – between 1865 and 1871)
- Clara Henriette Marie (3 April 1835 – 25 April 1879)
- Thekla Marie Agnes (29 November 1841 – 4 April 1903)
In 1845, Alexander approached his stepson prince Albert, who in the meantime had married Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, and Albert allowed him a pension.
His second daughter Clara married the British shipowner George Acland Ames on 13 July 1854. Their sixth child, Hans, was born on the 30 April 1869 in Berlin. Because Ames did not acknowledge Hans as his son, he was given the surname Poelzig. Clara and Ames separated in July 1869, and Clara returned to Pölzig. She lived as a "the young countess" in the Schloss and died 10 years later in Beiersdorf. Hans Poelzig
Hans Poelzig
Hans Poelzig was a German architect, painter and set designer.-Life:Poelzig was born in Berlin in 1869 to the countess Clara Henrietta Maria Poelzig while she was married to George Acland Ames, an Englishman...
grew up in Berlin and became a world-famous architect and set designer.
Alexander's grandchildren, the Ames family in England, inherited the Schloss on his death in 1884.