Alexander von Hanstein, Count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf

Maximilian Elisha Alexander von Hanstein, Count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf ( born June 9, 1804 in Burghaig, the district of Kulmbach, † April 18, 1884 in Schmölln ) was stepfather of Prince Albert of Saxe- Coburg and Gotha and grandfather of Hans Poelzig.

Life

Alexander von Hanstein was from the Thuringian noble family of von Hanstein and grew up as the son of Baron Friedrich von Hanstein and his wife Anna Maria home. In 1818 he took over with his older brother Louis from deceased father the manor Einberg. In 1824 he was equerry to the Duke Ernst I of Saxe- Coburg -Saalfeld. His affair with the young Duchess Louise of Saxe-Gotha -Altenburg, the wife of Duke Ernest, was cause of the separation of the ducal couple. Luise had the duchy - and their two young sons - leave in the fall of 1824 and got it the Principality of Lichtenberg assigned in today's Saarland as a residence. Alexander followed her.

After the February 11, 1825 Duke Frederick IV had died, Luise was the sole heir of the House of Saxe -Gotha -Altenburg. In the subsequent problems of inheritance and divorce negotiations specifies that it renounced its claims to Saxe-Gotha -Altenburg, except a castle in Altenburg. The divorce of Duke Ernst was on March 31 in 1826.

In order to create the proper conditions for a civil marriage with Louise Alexander von Hanstein was raised on 19 July 1826 by Duke Friedrich of Saxe- Altenburg, after Louise's Country Estate in Altenburger Land, Count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf. The small, situated between Gera and Altenburg Good Pölzig and Beiersdorf included the standing in the village Pölzig Castle Pölzig.

On October 18, 1826 Alexander and Louise were married in St. Wendel, the residence of the small Principality of Lichtenberg. They lived in the castle there and spent some happy years. The marriage remained childless and the contact with Louise remained in Coburg children Ernst and Albert from his first marriage was forbidden them.

On August 30, 1831 Louise died. Duke Ernst sold the Principality of Lichtenberg in 1834 against a pension of 80 000 thalers to the Kingdom of Prussia. Alexander went into the Prussian service, and commanded the regiment of the Guards last Cürrassier in Potsdam. Less than two years later, he married the 21- year-old Marie Therese of Carlowitz Greiz. The wedding took place in Coburg on 18 April 1833. When Count and Countess of Pölzig they inhabited after its castle Pölzig and had three children:

• Maximilian Anton ( born February 18, 1834 † 1865-1871 )
• Clara Henriette Marie ( * April 3, 1835, † April 25, 1879 )
• Thekla Marie Agnes (* November 29, 1841, † April 4, 1903 )

On October 15, 1833 sold Alexander and his brother Ludwig von Hanstein the manor Einberg to the councilor Carl Friedrich August Briegleb.

On April 22, 1845 Marie Therese died in Naumburg. Three years later, he turned to his step- son, Albert, who had become the husband of Queen Victoria of Great Britain, and complained that he had been cheated in the once closed with Duke Ernst comparison. Prince Albert acknowledged that Alexander was then " cheated tremendously " and granted him a pension.

Alexander's second daughter Clara married on 13 July 1854 on Castle Pölzig the British shipowner George Acland Ames from Clifton in Bristol. The couple moved to Clifton and had five children there. Then obviously the marriage began to kriseln, because the sixth child, Hans, was born on 30 April 1869 in Berlin. Since Ames did not recognize him as his son, Hans got the last name Poelzig. In July 1869, the marriage between Clara and Ames got divorced in London. Clara returned to Pölzig, lived as " the young Countess " at the castle and died in Beiersdorf 10 years later. Hans Poelzig grew up with foster parents in Berlin and became a famous architect and stage designer.

On April 18, 1884 Alexander died in Schmölln. The Pölzig castle was inherited by the resident in England Children of Clara Ames.