Figure 1.--Here we see Ernst August, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, with his two older sons, the hereditary (crown) prince Ernst August and his little brother, Prince Georg Wilhelm. The portrait was probanly taken in 1917.

Ernst August was the oldest boy of Victoria Louise and Ernst August. He was born in 1914. His christening was notable (summer 1914). The gathering of royalty was the last great gathering of European monarchs. The royals were connected by multiple family ties. The Prince had an particularly illustrious list of godparents, including the German Emperor and Empress (his maternal grandparents), the Duke and Duchess of Cumberland, his paternal grandparents (George V of the United Kingdom, Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, Nicholas II of Russia, Ludwig III of Bavaria, Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prince Adalbert of Prussia, Prince Oskar of Prussia, Prince Maximilian of Baden, and The 1st Royal Bavarian Heavy Cavalry Regiment. Within weeks World War I would erupt and these monarchs would be at war with each other. Many of their thrones would be lost by the end of the War. The Tsar and his family would be shot. Ernest Augustus lost his titles when his father abdicated in 1918 when he was 4 years old. He was also heir to the British title of Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale. The outbreak of World War I created a breach between the British Royal Family and its Hanoverian cousins. The British susspended this under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917. We do not know much about his childhood. The children commonly were dressed in sailor suits. Unlike the three younger children, he did not join the Hitler Youth. He was too old when the NAZIs seized power (1933). The Gestapo arrested him (1944). I'm not sure what the circumstances were. I am not sure if he was actually involved in anti-NAZI activities or this was part of the the general NAZI anti-Hohenzollern feeling. Hopefully readers will have more details. After his father's death in 1953, he became head of the House of Hanover--Duke of Brunswig-Lüneburg.

Parents

Ernst August was the oldest boy of Victoria Louise and Ernst August.

Christening

Ernst August was born in Braunschweig (1914). His christening was notable (summer 1914). The gathering of royalty was the last great gathering of European monarchs. The royals were connected by multiple family ties. The Prince had an particularly illustrious list of godparents, including the German Emperor and Empress (his maternal grandparents), the Duke and Duchess of Cumberland, his paternal grandparents (George V of the United Kingdom, Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, Nicholas II of Russia, Ludwig III of Bavaria, Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prince Adalbert of Prussia, Prince Oskar of Prussia, Prince Maximilian of Baden, and The 1st Royal Bavarian Heavy Cavalry Regiment. Within weeks World War I would erupt and these monarchs would be at war wuth each other. Many of their thrones would be lost by the end of the War. The Tsar and his family would be shot.

Titles

Ernst August lost his titles when his father abdicated in 1918 when he was 4 years old. He was also heir to the British title of Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale. The outbreak of World War I created a breach between the British Royal Family and its Hanoverian cousins. The British susspended this under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917.

Childhood

We do not know much about his childhood. After being deposed, the family went into exile in Austria for a time. I'm not yet sure when they retuned to Germany. Unlike the three younger children, he did not join the Hitler Youth. He was too old when the NAZIs seized power (1933).

Childhood Clothes

The children commonly were dressed in sailor suits.

Education

Ernst August attended the Salem boarding school where he earned the Abitur. At Goettingen University he was awarded a doctorate in jurisprudence (1936). By this time the NAZIs has successfully dismantled the German legal system. They did not arrest judges, although they dismissed many. They did arrest lawyers who attempted to represent defendants, especially political defendants. I am not sure how the academic program in German law schools adjusted to these changes. Or to what extent Ernst August was aware of them.

World War II

Prince Ernst August served ob the Eastern Front during World war II. He partcipated in Operation Barbarossa--the Germn invasion of the Soviet Union. He served as a first lieutenant on the staff of colonel general Hoepner (until January 1942). He was severly wounded during the battle of Karkov (Spring 1943). After the assassination attempt on Hitler (July 1944), the Gestapo arrested him . I'm not sure what the circumstances were. I do not know if he was actually involved in anti-NAZI activities or this was part of the the general NAZI anti-Hohenzollern feeling. The Gestap held him in the Berlin headquarters on Prince Albrecht Road for several weeks, but did not intern him in a concentration camp. Presumably means that the Gestapo could find no evudence connecting him with the resistance movement.

Post-War Era

When the war, Prince Ernst August and the whole family fled the Red Army and left castle Blankenburg in the Harz (a mountain region in Thueringen, at this time in the Soviet sector of Germany) to castle Marienburg near Hanover. [Note: In German, Hanover is spelt with two n's--Hannover.] After his father's death in 1953, he became head of the House of Hanover--the fourth Duke of Brunswig-Lüneburg. Under supervision of his wife, castle Marienburg was remodelled to a Castle Museum. Ernst August died 1987

Created: 8:16 AM 11/25/2009
Last updated: 12:14 AM 11/26/2009