Prince of 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 ("Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen") in 1865, following the Prussian victory over Denmark in the Second War of Schleswig. (Schönhausen was Bismarck's family estate, in Saxony.) This comital title is borne by all his descendants in the male line.

After Prussia and its allies defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War, and the consequent establishment of the German Empire in 1871, Bismarck was further created Fürst von Bismarck ("Prince of Bismarck"). This princely title descended only to his eldest male heirs.

Finally, as a consolation for his dismissal by Emperor Wilhelm II in 1890, Bismarck was created Herzog von Lauenburg ("Duke of Lauenburg") and accorded the address of Durchlaucht (equivalent to "Serene Highness") for his own lifetime only. (The Duchy of Lauenburg was one of the territories which Prussia seized from the Danish king in 1864.) On Bismarck's death in 1898, his dukedom was extinguished and the princely title passed to his eldest son, Herbert. The present Fürst is the Iron Chancellor's great-grandson.

Fürsten von Bismarck

1. Otto Eduard Leopold, Fürst von Bismarck (1815-1898)
2. (Nikolaus Heinrich Ferdinand) Herbert, Fürst von Bismarck (1849-1904)
3. Otto Christian Archibald, Fürst von Bismarck (1897-1975)
4. (Herbord Ivar) Ferdinand, Fürst von Bismarck (born 1930)

The heir apparent is Fürst von Bismarck's eldest son, Carl-Eduard von Bismarck (born 1961).