Lübeck: Great-great-grandchildren fight over Bismarck millions

Lübeck/Aumühle (Schleswig-Holstein) – It is a bitter dispute in the finest aristocratic circles. It’s about prestige and lots and lots of money. We are talking about around 500 million to one billion euros.

In the house of the founder of the empire, Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898). Sachsenwald his descendants go Gregor von Bismarck (60), Vanessa von Bismarck (53) and Carl-Eduard von Bismarck (“Calle”, 63) are legally at risk.

Form District Court Lübeck they are fighting for the inheritance. Calle von Bismarck wants to sue for his compulsory share – at least around 83 million euros. The other two refuse.

This was reported by the “Lübeck news” first. The three are brothers and sister and the great-great-grandchildren of the German Chancellor.

Problem: “Dissolute lifestyle”

Background to the family dispute: Calle von Bismarck was disinherited by his father, Prince Ferdinand († 88), in 2002. Calle von Bismarck had a drinking problem and what was described as a “lavish lifestyle”, divorces, new women…

Ferdinand appointed his youngest son Gregor as the new boss of the headquarters at Friedrichsruh Castle and the forestry business in the Sachsenwald. He transferred 51 percent of the property to him and paid Carl-Eduard out.

Brotherly strife flared up again

Calle von Bismarck never accepted this decision. When mother Princess Elisabeth von Bismark († 84) died in 2023, the old brotherly feud apparently flared up again.

Now the opponents met in court Lübeck each other – oral hearing before the 6th Civil Chamber.

They didn’t even look at each other in court

The mood: icy. All three avoided eye contact, the word led a whole crowd of lawyers – that’s how the trial reporter from the “Lübecker Nachrichten” observed it.

First of all, Carl-Eduard von Bismarck wants to find out how high his total assets are. That’s what his claim depends on.

Lists were rummaged through, files were missing. It was about loans paid and how they dealt with that Herbs can be offset. Details upon details that offered insight into an endless family feud.

In the end, judge Stephen Schlöpke relied on time – and insight. The parties should provide documents and explore whether an agreement could be reached out of court.

It doesn’t look like that. Just as little as whether the two brothers could reconcile.

There was a comment about this from Gregor von Bismarck Yesterday he didn’t tell BILD.