Henckel von Donnersmarck
Encyclopedia
The Henckel von Donnersmarcks are a Silesia
n noble family from the former region of Spiš
in Upper Hungary
, now in Slovakia
. The founder of the family was Henckel de Quintoforo in the 14/15th Century. The family estate is in Donnersmarck (slovak: Spišský Štvrtok
).
, the German and Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxembourg
granted the three brothers Peter, Jakob and Nicholas a coat of arms.
During the 15th and 16th Centuries lived John II (1481–1539), an eminent scholar who corresponded with Martin Luther
, Erasmus of Rotterdam and Philipp Melanchthon
. He began his career as a pastor in Levoča
and Košice
. Later, he stayed at the court of the Hungarian King Ludwig II and his wife Maria of Austria. In 1531, he came to Silesia and became a canon in Breslau
(Wroclaw), Silesia. He died there eight years later and was buried in the local cathedral.
Lazarus Henckel (or Lazarus the Elder) (1551–1624) was a banker and mine owner, and financier to Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor
for his war with the Turks. In return for his service he gained a number of privileges; in 1607 he was ennobled and became Lazarus(I) Henckel von Donnersmarck. In 1615 he became a baronet. The family seat became the castle at Neudeck
(Świerklaniec).
Lazarus the second (or Lazarus the Younger) (1573–1664), called the lazy received the title of Freiherr
(Baron) from Ferdinand of Habsburg
at Regensburg
in 1636, in 1651 from Ferdinand Karl of Austria and Tyrol he received the title Graf (Count) in Innsbruck
. In 1661 Leopold I Habsburg
gave him in Vienna
also the title of a Bohemia
n count. In the following centuries the descendents of Lazarus II split into several lines and branches.
At the beginning of the 20th Century, the family was the second richest in Prussia after the Krupp
s. Hugo I Henckel von Donnersmarck (1811–1890) (a steelworks founder and owner), and Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck
(1830–1916) were both wealthy industrialists. Guido received the Prussian title of Fürst
(Prince) from Emperor Wilhelm II.
Following the defeat of the Third Reich in 1945, the Henckel von Donnersmarcks completely lost their fortune due to the forced expulsion from eastern Germany by both Polish and Soviet forces, but retained their position as aristocrats.
In 2007 the family name was all over the news when director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
received the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
for his spy drama The Lives of Others
.
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
n noble family from the former region of Spiš
Spiš
Spiš is a region in north-eastern Slovakia, with a very small area in south-eastern Poland. Spiš is an informal designation of the territory , but it is also the name of one the 21 official tourism regions of Slovakia...
in Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary is the usual English translation for the area that was historically the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary, now mostly present-day Slovakia...
, now in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. The founder of the family was Henckel de Quintoforo in the 14/15th Century. The family estate is in Donnersmarck (slovak: Spišský Štvrtok
Spišský Štvrtok
Spišský Štvrtok is a village and municipality in Levoča District in the Prešov Region of central-eastern Slovakia. In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1263. The municipality lies at an elevation of 560 metres and covers an area of 14.237 km². It has a population of about 2,334...
).
History
In 1417, during the time of the Council of ConstanceCouncil of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
, the German and Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxembourg
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
granted the three brothers Peter, Jakob and Nicholas a coat of arms.
During the 15th and 16th Centuries lived John II (1481–1539), an eminent scholar who corresponded with Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
, Erasmus of Rotterdam and Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
. He began his career as a pastor in Levoča
Levoca
Levoča is a town in the Spiš region of eastern Slovakia with a population of 14,600. The town has a historic center with a well preserved town wall, a Renaissance church with the highest wooden altar in Europe, carved by Master Paul of Levoča, and many other Renaissance buildings.On 28 June 2009,...
and Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
. Later, he stayed at the court of the Hungarian King Ludwig II and his wife Maria of Austria. In 1531, he came to Silesia and became a canon in Breslau
Wroclaw
Wrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
(Wroclaw), Silesia. He died there eight years later and was buried in the local cathedral.
Lazarus Henckel (or Lazarus the Elder) (1551–1624) was a banker and mine owner, and financier to Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor
Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor
Rudolf II was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Hungary and Croatia , King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria...
for his war with the Turks. In return for his service he gained a number of privileges; in 1607 he was ennobled and became Lazarus(I) Henckel von Donnersmarck. In 1615 he became a baronet. The family seat became the castle at Neudeck
Swierklaniec
Świerklaniec is a village in Tarnowskie Góry County, in the Silesian Voivodeship of southwestern Poland.-Geography:Świerklaniec lies approximately east of Tarnowskie Góry and north of the regional capital Katowice in the Silesia region....
(Świerklaniec).
Lazarus the second (or Lazarus the Younger) (1573–1664), called the lazy received the title of Freiherr
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
(Baron) from Ferdinand of Habsburg
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
at Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
in 1636, in 1651 from Ferdinand Karl of Austria and Tyrol he received the title Graf (Count) in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
. In 1661 Leopold I Habsburg
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
gave him in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
also the title of a Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n count. In the following centuries the descendents of Lazarus II split into several lines and branches.
At the beginning of the 20th Century, the family was the second richest in Prussia after the Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
s. Hugo I Henckel von Donnersmarck (1811–1890) (a steelworks founder and owner), and Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck
Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck
Guido Georg Friedrich Erdmann Heinrich Adalbert Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, from 1901 Fürst Henckel von Donnersmarck was a German nobleman, industrial magnate, and one of the richest men of his time...
(1830–1916) were both wealthy industrialists. Guido received the Prussian title of Fürst
Fürst
Fürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
(Prince) from Emperor Wilhelm II.
Following the defeat of the Third Reich in 1945, the Henckel von Donnersmarcks completely lost their fortune due to the forced expulsion from eastern Germany by both Polish and Soviet forces, but retained their position as aristocrats.
In 2007 the family name was all over the news when director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Florian Maria Georg Christian, Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck is a German film director, best known for writing and directing the 2007 Oscar-winning film The Lives of Others and the 2010 film The Tourist.-Personal life and family:...
received the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
for his spy drama The Lives of Others
The Lives of Others
The Lives of Others is a 2006 German drama film, marking the feature film debut of filmmaker Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The film involves the monitoring of the cultural scene of East Berlin by agents of the Stasi, the GDR's secret police...
.
Family members
- Lazarus(I) Henckel von Donnersmarck (1551–1624), banker and mining entrepreneur.
- Carl Maximilian Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, castle owner
- Lazarus III. Henckel von Donnersmarck (1729–1805), mining industrialist.
- Elias Maximilian Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, Prussian major general (1746–1827)
- Eleonore Ottilie Maximiliane Henckel von Donnersmarck (1756–1843)
- Carl Lazarus Henckel von Donnersmarck (1772–1864), industrialist.
- Wilhelm Ludwig Viktor Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, (1775–1849), Prussian Lieutenant-General
- Leo Victor Felix Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, (1785–1861), German botanist
- Hugo Henckel von DonnersmarckHugo Henckel von DonnersmarckHugo Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck was a German-Austrian entrepreneur.-Biography:...
, (1811–1890), land owner and industrialist - Count Guido Henckel von DonnersmarckGuido Henckel von DonnersmarckGuido Georg Friedrich Erdmann Heinrich Adalbert Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, from 1901 Fürst Henckel von Donnersmarck was a German nobleman, industrial magnate, and one of the richest men of his time...
, Prince, (1830–1916), land owner and industrialist - Lazarus IV Henckel von Donnersmarck (1835–1914), landowner and member of the German Reichstag
- Katharina Eleonore Veronika Irma Luise Henckel von Donnersmarck (1902–1965), actress, who played the Queen of Transylvania in My Fair Lady (film)My Fair Lady (film)My Fair Lady is a 1964 musical film adaptation of the Lerner and Loewe stage musical, of the same name, based on the 1938 film adaptation of the original stage play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. The ballroom scene and the ending were taken from the previous film adaptation , rather than from...
. Married in 1925 to Baron Erich von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (1899–1987) - Gregor Henckel-Donnersmarck (Ulrich Maria Karl Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck), (born 1943), Abott of Heiligenkreuz AbbeyHeiligenkreuz AbbeyHeiligenkreuz Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in the village of Heiligenkreuz in the southern part of the Vienna woods, c. 13 km north-west of Baden in Lower Austria...
- Florian Henckel von DonnersmarckFlorian Henckel von DonnersmarckFlorian Maria Georg Christian, Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck is a German film director, best known for writing and directing the 2007 Oscar-winning film The Lives of Others and the 2010 film The Tourist.-Personal life and family:...
(b. 1973), film director, screenwriter and film producer, Oscar-winner 2007 (Best Foreign Language Film) - Heinrich Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2000 to 2008 CEO of the SIX Swiss Exchange
- Georg Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, (1902–1973), politician of the Christian Social Union of BavariaChristian Social Union of BavariaThe Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
, member of parliament - Carl Joseph Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck (November 7, 1928 Romolkwitz, Neumarkt, † April 16, 2008) ∞ Maria Adelaide of Luxembourg (1924–2007), father of Felix Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck (March 2, 1960 † October 28, 2007)
- Herr. Augustine Heinrich Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, Priest (1935–2005)
- Leo-Ferdinand Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck, (1935–2009), 1997-2006 President of the German Association of the Order of Malta
- Winfried Henckel von Donnersmarck, a member of the Sovereign Council of the Order of Malta
- Odo Deodatus I. Tauern (1885–1926), anthropologist, D.phil., father of the family Tauern.
- Count Hugh II and Edgar Henckel von Donnersmarck, resident in the Castle Polnisch Krawarn
Bibliographie
- Henckel von Donnersmarck, A. Perlick, w: Neue Deuitsche Biographie, Bd 8, Berlin 1969, s. 516
- Henckel von Donnersmarckowie. Kariera i fortuna rodu, A. Kuzio-Podrucki, Bytom 2003
- Zamki Donnersmarcków, J. A. Krawczyk, A. Kuzio-Podrucki, Radzionków 2002
- Herbarz bytomski, A. Kuzio-Podrucki, P. Nadolski, D. Woźnicki, Bytom 2003
- Henckel von Donnersmarckowie. Kariera i fortuna rodu, Arkadiusz Kuzio-Podrucki: . Rococo, Bytom 2003 ISBN 83-86293-41-1 (polnisch)
- Zamki i pałace Donnersmarcków. Schlösser der Donnersmarcks, Jarosław Aleksander Krawczyk, Arkadiusz Kuzio-Podrucki: . 2. Auflage. Drukarnia Skill, Bytom 2003 ISBN 83-86293-41-1 (deutsch und polnisch)
- Guido Graf Henckel Fürst von Donnersmarck:in: Schlesier des 19. Jahrhunderts (= Schlesische Lebensbilder; Band 1). Hrsg. namens der Historischen Kommission für Schlesien von Friedrich Andreae. 2. Auflage. Thorbecke, Sigmaringen 1985 ISBN 3-7995-6191-9, J. Bitta
- Henckel von Donnersmarck Graf (seit 1901 Fürst) Guido: H. Nussbaum, in:Biographisches Lexikon zur Deutschen Geschichte. Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin 1967, Karl Obermann, Heinrich Scheel u.a. (Hrsg.)
- Hugo Reichsgraf Henckel Freiherr von Donnersmarck und die Geschichte seines Hauses. Wien nach 1890?
- Henckel von Donnersmarck Hugo, in: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexicon 1815-1950. Band II. Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien 1959
- Allgemeine Enzyklopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste. Zweite Sektion H-N. Leipzig, 1829 S.389
External links
- Henckel von Donnesmarck family www.arekkp.pl