For weeks, the descendants of the Welfs have been arguing about the future of their headquarters in Pattensen, Lower Saxony, in need of renovation. Now Prince Ernst August of Hanover in the dispute has denied his son the right to sell the Marienburg for the symbolic amount of one euro to the state of Lower Saxony.
As reported by the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" and the "Handelsblatt", the 64-year-old senior wrote a lawyer's letter of more than 30 pages to Lower Saxony's prime minister Stephan Weil (SPD). Hereditary Prince Ernst August is not entitled to sell the castle, according to the letter.
The sale decided in November is contrary to several provisions of the donation and inheritance contracts concluded in 2004 between father and son. The "Handelsblatt" according to the Erbprinzen is forbidden as a so-called not liberated first heir to sell land from the gift or even give away.
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Welf estate in Lower Saxony: dispute over a castleAccording to the report, Ernst August senior accuses his son of having concealed years of sales talks concerning the Marienburg. "The preservation of such cultural assets has never been easy, yet I and the other family members currently see no understandable reason to impose these costs without necessity to the citizens of Lower Saxony," the newspaper quoted the head of the family.
The Hereditary Prince, in turn, rejected the father's arguments in the Handelsblatt. "Contractually it was always clear from the beginning that I may dispose of real estate like a liberated forerunner - contrary statements are false and do not correspond to the contractually recorded facts." Ernst August Jr. insists therefore on his position of being unable to pay for the necessary renovation of the castle.
The planned sale of the Neo-Gothic castle near Hanover became known last autumn. The federal government and the state of Lower Saxony wanted to share half of the renovation costs of about 27 million euros after the completion of the business. With the announcement of the dispute, however, the state of Lower Saxony let the business rest and called for clarification on both sides.
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Already in 2004, Ernst August senior had given his son the Marienburg and other real estate and land. In the meantime, however, the father reportedly repeatedly accused his son of "gross ingratitude" and demanded the return of donations. Also his son's wedding in 2017, the father refused.
At the end of January, Ernst August Jr. had recently stated that he simply did not have sufficient money reserves to finance the necessary work at the castle. "I would be glad and proud if I could get the lock alone," says the 35-year-old of the "Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung" - "but I just can not."