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Lahnstein
Current regionDüsseldorf, North-Rhine Westphalia
Place of originGermany
MembersLudwig von Lahnstein
Johannes von Lahnstein
Hagen von Lahnstein
Sebastian von Lahnstein
Helena von Lahnstein
Tristan von Lahnstein
Marlene Wolf (Marlene von Lahnstein)
Rebecca von Lahnstein
Ansgar von Lahnstein
Carla von Lahnstein
Leonard von Lahnstein
Sarah Hofmann
Nico von Lahnstein
Constantin von Lahnstein
Christina Brandner
Emma von Lahnstein
Kim Wolf
Hannes von Lahnstein
Nick Brandner
Sophia von Lahnstein
Connected familiesDi Balbi family
Brandner family
TraditionsAdultery
High morals
Secrets
Illegitimate children
Coming back from the dead
HeirloomsLahnstein Enterprises
Castle Königsbrunn estate
Estate(s)Castle Königsbrunn
Penthouse
Lahnstein stud farm

The Lahnstein family is a very wealthy and aristocratic prestigious fictional family on the German soap opera Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love). The Lahnsteins have been a staple on Verbotene Liebe since their introduction in September 2003.

The Lahnsteins are a family of tradition and appear with high morals to which they don't see to hold up to. They are known for their conversations on the dinner table. It became a choice by the producers over the years that the "evil characters" would sit on the right side of the table, while the "good characters" sit on the left side with the patriarch of the family on the head.

Over the years, the Lahnsteins also became known for their celebrations and events. Several weddings took place at their residence, Königsbrunn Castle. There were also festivities like a masquerade ball or an oldtimer race. All events are known for going not as planned. A hostage crisis, shocking paternity reveal, attempted murder or the reveal of affairs took place at those events. But they are also known for the beginning of great love stories.

It has become known that members of the Lahnstein family have had affairs with their servants. These affairs may have ended in producing illegitimate children or even marriage. This fact also caused the family to gain a reputation of hypocrisy and caused them to be known as a dysfunctional clan.

Family history

Background

The Lahnstein family, according to story in 2012, is first mentioned in 1512 and is one of the prestigious names along the German aristocracy. Their back story starts in the 1960s, when Johannes von Lahnstein is about to marry Francesca di Balbi, after having an affair with her younger sister Maria. She ends up pregnant with Johannes' child, but eventually has to give up her baby boy as she is committed to an insane asylum after trying to shoot Johannes. Her sister Francesca takes the boy, names him Ansgar and raises him as her own. Francesca and Ansgar have a special bond and she always looks out for him, while Johannes starts to resent the boy somehow at a young age. While Johannes and Francesca end up with the first child of their own, a daughter named Carla, Johannes' older brother Ludwig falls in love with a maid named Madeline. Dietrich von Lahnstein, Johannes' and Ludwig's father, wants Ludwig to end things with Madeline as she is below its level. Ludwig doesn't want to leave Madeline and gets disowned by his father. Ludwig and Madeline end up living aboard, raising their five children.

In the meanwhile, Johannes and Francesca's marriage is troubled. While Francesca finds comfort in the arms of Johannes' best friend, Adrian Degenhardt, Johannes has a one-night stand with young maid Elke Käppler. Francesca ends up pregnant with Adrian's child, which gives her marriage to Johannes new strength as Johannes doesn't know about the affair. Elke ends up pregnant as well. After she hides her pregnancy, she gives up her daughter for adoption. Francesca and Johannes welcome a boy named Leonard. As Francesca and Johannes get estranged from each other, Johannes has an affair with the married Vera Brandner. The affair is short-lived, but his marriage with Francesca stays unhappy. Francesca soon finds comfort in the arms of Adrian again and wants to break free from Johannes. But ending up pregnant once again, Francesca is unsure if a future with Adrian is what she really wants. Johannes finds out about Francesca's affair and wants her to stay, even telling her that he will take on Adrian's bastard, a boy named Constantin, as his own. Francesca agrees as she knows that Johannes can provide better for her than Adrian.

Ludwig and Madeline live a happy marriage in the aboard but are thorn apart as Madeline kills some South American business man in self-defense. Madeline faces prison time as there is no proof to her shooting in self-defense. Ludwig takes the blame and gets separated from his family. As he faces a life time in prison, he and Madeline decide that it's better if their children think their father has died. Madeline never overcame her guilt and died later on. Adrian became provider and father figure for Ludwig's children. His oldest son Hagen, not wanting to deal with his parents' death, takes off and the second oldest Sebastian starts to take care of his three younger siblings.

Francesca, while accepting her marriage to Johannes, is never ever really happy again in spite of Johannes trying to make things work. Their children grow up with a distorted picture of Johannes and Francesca, believing that they are happy and that Johannes carries his wifs on his hands. Ansgar is the only one who seems to notice Francesca's sadness. She later dies in her children's youth in a car accident with Leonard behind the wheel, who would blame himself for the death of his mother for the rest of his life. After Francesca's death, Johannes sends Constantin to Francesca's sister Carlotta as he resembles his mother the most and can't bare to look at him. Constantin starts to blame himself for his father's resentment, while Ansgar becomes vicious towards Johannes and is power hungry for his inheritance.

2003-2009

Johannes' love for oldtimer stars a friendship with Cécile de Maron. She just had a troubled relationship and isn't interested in anything more than a friendship with Johannes. But he soon falls for the dark haired French. Johannes tries to win Cécile over, which is soon crowned with success. In the meanwhile, Vera Brandner's husband Achim finds out that he's not the biological father of his daughter Nico. She starts to look from where she came and finds old letters, written by Johannes. Nico soon is revealed to be Johannes' illegitimate daughter. After some differences, Nico and Johannes have a healthy father-daughter relationship.

Against the will of Carla and Ansgar, Johannes soon decides to marry Cécile just when Leonard comes back to town. Leonard and Cécile soon find themselves drawn to each other and start having an affair. In the meanwhile, Carla is a closet lesbian and can't bring herself to come out to Johannes. Instead she starts a relationship with Bernd von Beyenbach. As he finds out about Carla's secret, Bernd makes sure that Carla thinks of him as a friend she can trust and soon opts to marry Carla. She thinks it might be the best idea and agrees. Even though Johannes finds out about Carla before the wedding takes place, he wants his daughter to go along with the ceremony. With tears in her eyes, Carla exchanges the 'I do's' with Bernd.

As Constantin comes back to Königsbrunn, it does not take long for him to clash with Johannes over shipping him off to Italy to live with Carlotta. Johannes tries to assure Constantin that he loves him and even feels sorry for his doings, when Constantin finds out about not being Johannes' son. That causes them to drive apart even further. However Johannes eventually makes right by Constantin and even though they continue to have their differences, the two share a loving relationship with each other.

Johannes' marriage with Cécile falls apart after she can't hide her feelings for Leonard anymore. When Johannes finds out about Cécile and Leonard, he disowns his son and divorces Cécile. She tries to reconnect Johannes and Leonard, but Johannes thinks she made a fool out of him while he's hurt by Leonard's actions. Only after Cécile is killed in a car accident and Leonard not only loses the love of his life but also their unborn baby, he and Johannes reunite at Cécile's grave.

Critical response

Over the years, the Lahnstein family has become the "soapiest soap family", thanks to unexpected twists such as Johannes' never ending affairs from the past and juicy schemes in their own family, like poising, attempted murder and blackmail. Overall the Lahnstein family has remained very popular with fans, thanks to viewer's favourites Claudia Hiersche (Carla), Wolfram Grandezka (Ansgar) and Verena Zimmermann (Nico) and the involvement with other popular actors like Miriam Lahnstein (Tanja) and Yvonne Burbach (Cécile). In 2009, even though the character Maria di Balbi was a success, fans felt that former patriarch Johannes, who supposedly died in 2008 in a plane crash, was made out to be a hypocrite and liar, who seemed to treat Maria like dirt. It didn't seem to fit in with the character the audience had watched for years. With the change in the family and the focus pushed onto Ludwig's children, the audience didn't respond well by saying that Helena, Rebecca, Sebastian and Tristan just weren't characters you cared about. Only new family patriarch Ludwig, who became center of a love triangle with Johannes' former wive Elisabeth and Maria seemed to be interesting.

Residence

The family residence is Castle Königsbrunn

The city residence is a Penthouse

  • Currently living there: -.

Business

The Lahnstein Holding

Once appeared as the Lahnstein empire, founded for over hundred years. Johannes von Lahnstein was the CEO for a very long time, later omit by his eldest son Ansgar, which led to Johannes founding a company named JCL Investment. After Johannes could reclaim his title as CEO of the Lahnstein Holding, he merged JCL into the Holding. After Johannes died, Ansgar faked his father's will. In that he made the family believe that Ansgar's son Hannes is the heir and Ansgar can have control over the business until Hannes is at a legal age to take charge of his inheritance. The family later realizes that Ansgar faked the will, and Carla took over as the rightful heir. Ansgar tried to scheme his way back to the head of the company, but failed several times in his attempts to discredit Carla as a businesswoman. After Carla leaves town, she leaves control over the company to her stepmother Elisabeth and her uncle Ludwig. The company soon gets in serious money trouble and Ludwig has to buy off some parts of the company. Ansgar's devilish wife Tanja von Anstetten manages to get her hand on the real estate department, while Ludwig decides to form a new company named Lahnstein Enterprises.

Lahnstein Enterprises

Lahnstein Enterprises was founded by Ludwig von Lahnstein with the help and money of his nephew Ansgar in 2010. Part of the company also becomes the real estate department that Tanja von Anstetten bought off from the Lahnstein Holding. In June 2011, a board is formed that's headed by Ludwig. The Lahnstein Bank rejoins the company when Ansgar signs on and the Lahnstein Entertainment department is formed. In order to bring Tanja to sign on, Ludwig buys her the fashion company Ligne Clarisse, a company formerly owned by Tanja's archenemy Clarissa von Anstetten, out of the heritage of late Marie von Anstetten. When Clarissa turns up alive, she gets half of her former company, only to be blackmailed by Tanja to leave her shares to her.

Employees

v. L. Faces

Is a model agency founded and owned by Tanja von Lahnstein. Former known as v. A. Faces (changed the name after Tanja married Ansgar). The company is written out without any explanation in late 2009.

Employees

Ligne Clarisse Lahnstein

Ligne Clarisse is a fashion company founded by Clarissa von Anstetten and appears for the first time in the show's premiere. As a business rival to Cara Donna, another fashion house owned by Clarissa's rival Barbara von Sterneck, the company was used in many storylines within the first five years of the show. For a short time, Clarissa's arch enemy Tanja von Anstetten could get her hands on the company before Clarissa got it back. When Clarissa was presumed dead in 2001 the company went to Marie von Anstetten, Clarissa's goddaughter, as part of her will. Marie suddenly dies ten years later and Tanja buys the moribund company, who now becomes part of Lahnstein Enterprises to one last laugh over Clarissa. But it is eventually explain that Clarissa isn't dead. Instead she spent the last ten years in prison and has now to find out that Tanja is owning her lifelong work. Even though she promises her children to stay away from Tanja, Clarissa secretly plans to get her company back. Later in 2011, the company is renamed to Ligne Clarisse Lahnstein (sometimes named Ligne CL or LCL) and plans a comeback with the legendary Incest campaign, who presents the company's golden year of 1997. As of February 2012, Tanja owns now half of the company.

Family

The forefathers

  • Ansgar I., a Count of Lahnstein who lived in the 17th century. In 2012, Ansgar finds out about his existence and gets obsessed over his life story. Ansgar I. was a ruthless man, who was having an affair with a maid. She ended up pregnant and Ansgar I. threw her from the castle. She and the baby died, leaving Ansgar I. mourning over what he's done.
  • Eckehard von Lahnstein, was alive around the year 1710.
  • Dietrich von Lahnstein, the father of both Ludwig and Johannes von Lahnstein.

The patriarchs

  • Ludwig von Lahnstein (deceased) - Eldest son of Dietrich and his wife Mimi. Later succeed his brother Johannes - after his presumed death - as head of the family.
    • Madeline von Lahnstein (deceased) - A former servant of the Lahnstein family who fell in love with Ludwig. Dietrich disapproved and disowned his son. Madeline later murdered a business partner of Ludwig when he tried to rape her. Ludwig confessed to the crime, spending years in prison. Madeline later died.
    • Elisabeth Cornelius - Widow of his younger brother Johannes who he marries after getting out of prison. Elisabeth is made a widow again when Ludwig dies on a desert island after a plane crash.
  • Johannes von Lahnstein (presumed deceased) - Son of Dietrich and his wife Mimi and younger brother of Ludwig. Head of the Lahnstein family after Dietrich disowned Ludwig until his presumed death in January 2008 when his plane went down over the Atlantic ocean.
    • Francesca di Balbi (deceased) - From an Italian nobility and Johannes' first wife. The marriage was troubled and counted affairs on both sides. Francesca later died in a car accident just as Johannes and her were getting closer again.
    • Cécile de Maron (deceased) - From a French nobility, the significant younger Cécile becomes Johannes second wife. She however falls in love with Johannes' (legal) son Leonard and divorces him after only a year of marriage.
    • Elisabeth Cornelius - An assistant to Johannes and married to Johannes' friend Arno, when he and Elisabeth start an affair. Elisabeth gets divorced and married Johannes only to lose him shortly afterwards.

Second generation

Children of Ludwig von Lahnstein

  • Hagen von Lahnstein - Eldest son of Ludwig von Lahnstein and his wife Madeline. After his father died Hagen became the official head of the family but later choose his stepmother Elisabeth as his successor when he had to move away.
    • Marlene Wolf - From a middle-class family, Marlene was working on her career as a musical actress when she married Hagen. The marriage ended when Hagen fell for Marlene's younger sister Dana.
    • Dana Wolf - Sister of Hagen's first wife Marlene who married him after he and Marlene got divorced. She later becomes stepmother to Hagen's illegitimate son Max.
  • Sebastian von Lahnstein - Second eldest son of Ludwig von Lahnstein and his wife Madeline. Short time head of the family when his older brother Hagen, who he had a rivalry with from time to time, was presumed dead.
    • Lydia Brandner - Working for child protective services when she met Sebastian. Married him after he had an affair with her mother Katja. Later cheats on him with his cousin Ansgar and divorces Sebastian.
    • Tanja Wittkamp - Former wife of his cousin Ansgar. Sebastian started having an affair with her after Lydia cheated on him with Ansgar. Later fell in love with Tanja. They married in 2011 but later divorced. They are in a relationship again.
  • Helena von Lahnstein - Eldest daughter of Ludwig von Lahnstein and Madeline and twin-sister of Tristan. She studied archeology at the University of Heidelberg. Is part of an archeology project in Africa.
  • Tristan von Lahnstein - Youngest and often troubled son of Ludwig von Lahnstein and Madeline and twin-brother of Helena. Had an unhealthy obsession with twin. He is sometimes referenced to as the black sheep of Ludwig's children.
  • Rebecca von Lahnstein - Youngest of Ludwig von Lahnstein and Madeline's children. Has become a well-known fashion designer and is often not taken seriously within the family.
  • Ansgar von Lahnstein - Illegitimate son of Johannes von Lahnstein with Maria di Balbi. Thought that Maria's sister Francesca was his mother when growing up. Often schemes against his family to become head of the Lahnstein family - which on occasions he was for a short amount of time.
    • Nathalie Käppler - Niece of the head maid of the Lahnstein family. Had a toxic relationship and marriage with Ansgar that drove her to become an alcoholic. Later divorced Ansgar and after an on/off-relationship ultimately left him.
    • Tanja Wittkamp - A business partner that became an on/off-lover of Ansgar. She is the mother of Ansgar's son Hannes. A fact that lead to a marriage and a love-hate relationship. They divorce and Tanja becomes involved with Ansgar's cousin Sebastian. Remarry for a very short time as an alliance against the other Lahnsteins.
  • Carla von Lahnstein - Only child of Johannes von Lahnstein and his wife Francesca. Became her father's successor before her uncle Ludwig took over as head of the family.
    • Bernd von Beyenbach - A baron who Carla married to hide the fact that she's a lesbian. Her father finds out on her wedding day but forced Carla to go ahead with the wedding anyway. The couple divorced when Carla became more independent and Johannes more accepting of her.
    • Susanne Brandner - A taxi driver from a middle-class family who married Carla in 2006. The marriage fails when the two women want different things and Susanne ultimately moves on with another man.
  • Sarah Hofmann - Illegitimate daughter of Johannes von Lahnstein and his former head maid Elke Käppler. Introduced herself as a maid to Johannes while finding out that he was indeed her father.
    • Leonard von Lahnstein - Francesca's son with Adrian Degenhardt who was raised by Johannes and believed to be his son until 2007. Thought Sarah was his half-sister after already falling for her. Sarah and Leonard married when it was discovered that they are not related. The couple then moved to Boston together.
  • Nico von Lahnstein - Illegitimate daughter of Johannes von Lahnstein and Vera Brandner. Raised by Vera's husband Achim who believed to be her father until 2003. She later becomes a well-known photographer who travels the world.
  • Leonard von Lahnstein - Francesca's son with Adrian Degenhardt who was raised by Johannes and believed to be his son until 2007.
    • Cécile de Maron (deceased) - From French nobility and wife to Johannes when Leonard and Cécile fell in love. After an affair, Cécile ultimately divorced Johannes and married Leonard. She died tragically after a car hit her just one day after her wedding with Leonard.
    • Jana Brandner (deceased) - From a middle-class family and Nico's half-twin who comforts Leonard after Cécile's sudden death. They marry while Leonard already has feelings for his supposed half-sister Sarah. Jana died in a car accident after she found out about Sarah and Leonard's affair.
    • Sarah Hofmann - Illegitimate daughter of Johannes and therefore thought to be Leonard's half-sister. After Leonard finds out that he isn't Johannes' son they start an affair while Leonard is married to Jana. After Jana's death, they blame themselves for her death before ultimately finding together. They got married before starting a new life in Boston.
  • Constantin von Lahnstein - Francesca's illegitimate son with Adrian Degenhardt. Raised by Francesca's sister Carlotta after his mother's dead. Always thought Johannes was his father before finding out the truth in 2007; believing it to be the reason for Johannes resenting him after Francesca's death. He later became a journalist and moved to Spain.

Third Generation

  • Kim Wolf - Illegitimate daughter of Ansgar von Lahnstein and Viktoria Wolf. Grow up thinking that Viktoria's husband Thomas was her father. After finding out the truth she soon grow close to Ansgar.
    • Emilio Sanchez - A non-citizen who Kim fell in love with and later married so he could stay in Germany. The marriage is often troubled by the stubbornness of both.
  • Hannes von Lahnstein - Eldest son of Ansgar von Lahnstein and his former wife Tanja. He's born in 2005 and the reason for countless fights between his parents.
  • Sophia von Lahnstein - Daughter of Carla von Lahnstein and sperm donor Lars Schneider. Born in 2007, she later moves away with Carla and her girlfriend Stella Mann.
  • Christina Brandner - Illegitimate daughter of Sebastian von Lahnstein and his former mother-in-law Katja Brandner. Her legal father remained Katja's husband Matthias after Katja's death. He's raising Christina together with his new wife - ex-wife of Sebastian's cousin Ansgar - Nathalie Käppler in New Zealand.
  • Nick Brandner - Illegitimate son of Ansgar von Lahnstein and his former cousin-in-law Lydia Brandner. Born in 2011, he is raised by his mother in New Zealand; growing up with his cousin Christina.
  • Emma von Lahnstein - Daughter of Sebastian von Lahnstein and his former wife Tanja. Born in 2011, Emma is Hannes' half-sister and cousin.
  • Maximilian Stiehl - Illegitimate son of Hagen von Lahnstein and the butler's niece Jessica Stiehl. Result of a one-night stand, Max later is raised by Hagen, Jessica and his stepmother Dana.
  • Carl Hansen - Son of Sebastian von Lahnstein and his former girlfriend Frida Hansen who was born in 2014.

Family trees

Legend

Lines Boxes
  • Dashed = Romance/Marriage
  • Solid = Child
Character is currently on the Show
Character not on the Show
Character is deceased or presumed dead
Dietrich von LahnsteinMimi Baxter
Ludwig von LahnsteinMadeline von LahnsteinMaria di BalbiJohannes von LahnsteinFrancesca di BalbiElke KäpplerVera Brandner
{{{#}}}{{{#}}}
Hagen von LahnsteinKatja BrandnerSebastian von LahnsteinTristan von LahnsteinHelena von LahnsteinRebecca von LahnsteinTanja WittkampAnsgar von LahnsteinViktoria WolfCarla von LahnsteinSarah HofmannNico von LahnsteinLydia Brandner
{{{#}}}{{{#}}}
Christina BrandnerEmma von LahnsteinHannes von LahnsteinKim WolfSophia von LahnsteinNick Brandner

Descendants

Legend:

  • m. = married
  • c. = child
  • s. = sperm donation
  • a. = affair/lovers/one night stand

Distant relatives

  • Luise von Waldensteyck is a distant cousin of Ansgar, Carla, Sarah and Nico, as well as Sebastian, Rebecca, Tristan, and Helena.
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