Dispute over Marienburg
Ernst August Prince of Hanover withdraws the lawsuit against his son
Marienberg Castle near Hanover: Hereditary Prince Ernst-August of Hanover jun. According to his own statement, he can no longer maintain the ancestral seat of the Guelph family.
© Julian Stratenschulte / DPA / DPA
Ernst August Prince of Hanover has been arguing with his son about the Marienburg for years – because of “gross ingratitude” he wants to reverse the donation. The district court of Hanover assesses the matter differently. And the Guelph Prince does something unexpected.
In the dispute over the Marienburg, Ernst August Prince of Hanover withdrew the lawsuit against his son. He sold his receivables to the Salzburg EAH BetriebsgmbH. The Guelph Prince withdrew the lawsuit shortly before the hearing, a court spokeswoman said on Thursday. The presiding judge of the competent civil chamber, Stefan Heuer, expressed legal concerns about the assignment: “As of today, we would dismiss the lawsuit,” he emphasized.
The head of the Guelphs had demanded the return of the castle, the Calenberg estate in the Pattensen-Schulenburg municipality and the Herrenhausen princely house in Hanover. The 68-year-old based his claim on the revocation of a donation as a result of “gross ingratitude”, unjust enrichment and the loss of the business basis. Ernst August Hereditary Prince of Hanover, on the other hand, said his father’s lawsuit was “without substance and the allegations contained therein are false”.
Ernst August junior wanted to sell the castle
The court canceled the original hearing date last November. Previously, the previous legal representative of one of the two plaintiffs, the 68-year-old Guelph Prince and the company from Salzburg, had resigned the mandate at short notice. The order for the father and son to appear in person was also lifted – unlike the original appointment.
In 2019, the family hit the headlines because Ernst August junior wanted to sell the dilapidated castle to the public sector for one euro – against his father’s will. After the 68-year-old’s objection, the deal negotiated with the state government of Lower Saxony fell through. Castle and inventory came into a foundation. The Hereditary Prince emphasized: “There is no reason to worry about the future of Marienburg Castle.”