Stauffenberg

See also: Master of the Stauffenberg Altarpiece

Coat of Arms of the Schenk von Stauffenberg family

Stamp with the most famous Stauffenberg, Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg

Johann Franz Schenk von Stauffenberg

The Schenken von Stauffenberg are an aristocratic Roman Catholic family from Swabia in Germany, whose best-known member was Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg – the key figure in the 1944 "20 July plot" to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

The recorded history of the family Schenk von Stauffenberg begins in Swabia in the 13th century, when the family, who belonged to the Reichsrittern (Imperial Knights), originated from the settlement Cell, where they owned extensive estates surrounding the village and the Zollerberg long before the Counts of Zollern took possession of the mountain and acquired lands there.

Its first known member is mentioned in 1251 as Wernherus Pincerna de Celle, who in 1255 was appointed to the ceremonial court office of Schenk (cupbearer, sommelier, butler) with the Counts of Zollern. The officeholder was in charge of his lord’s wine cellars and vineyards, and when the office of Schenk later became hereditary within the family the title was adopted into the family name.

Surnames were appended according to the officeholder's place of residence, and so the family name varied between Schenk von Zell, Schenk von Neuenzell, Schenk von Andeck, Schenk von Erpfingen and Schenk von Stauffenberg. By the end of the 15th century the family’s permanent name was Schenk von Stauffenberg, which refers to Burg Stauffenberg, a former castle situated by a small cone-shaped mountain of the same name between the small town of Hechingen and its suburb Rangendingen in Land Württemberg. A tradition in the family also associates it with the Staufen dynasty.

The Stauffenbergs rose in the world in 1698 when Emperor Leopold I conferred upon the brothers Maximilian Gottfried and Johann Philipp the hereditary title of Reichsfreiherr (Imperial Baron). The family was later split into four branches; the Katzensteiner, Bacher, Wilflinger and Amerdinger ones. The former two became extinct during the 18th century, while a member of the Wilflingen branch was raised to the rank of hereditary Reichsgraf (Imperial Count) by Emperor Leopold II in 1791. Since the Wilflinger branch also became extinct in 1833, only the baronial Amerdinger branch remained. All now living members of the family are descendants of the brothers Franz Ludwig and Friedrich of the Amerdingen branch. Franz Ludwig was made a hereditary Graf (Count) in the Kingdom of Bavaria by King Ludwig II. Since then there exist two subbranches; one which holds the title of Count and one which bears the title of Imperial Baron.

In the 16th century the Stauffenberg family acquired the castle Amerdingen near Nördlingen through marriage. Before that the Stauffenbergs were owners of Wilflingen and Jettingen. Over the course of the years further estates were added to the family’s possessions, such as the Greifenstein and Burggrub castles in Heiligenstadt near Bamberg, the Lautlingen castle near Ebingen on the southern slopes of the Schwäbische Alb, Ristissen some twenty kilometers south of Ulm and the Straßberg and Wildentierberg estates in Lautlingen near Albstadt.

After 1918, when the constitution of the Weimar Republic abolished all noble titles in Germany and declared them to be part of the family name, the family came to have two names in order to preserve the former titles of Schenk, Graf ( Count ) and Freiherr ( Baron ) as parts of the surnames.

Since the title of Schenk is considered to be of superior rank due to being a hereditary office title, it is placed before the noble title, which in turn is placed before the surname. The correct versions of the family’s surnames are thus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg and Schenk Freiherr von Stauffenberg respectively. Two of the family’s members also served as Prince-Bishops of Bamberg (Marquard Sebastian) and Augsburg and Konstanz (Johann Franz) and thus used the title Fürst (Prince) instead of their other noble titles.

Members of the Schenk von Stauffenberg family

• Adam Friedrich Schenk Freiherr von Stauffenberg (07.Mar.1767-14.May.1808) ∞ Charlotte Freiin von Harff (06.Oct.1777-13.Sep.1839)
  • Franz Ludwig Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (13.May.1801-08.May.1881) ∞ Eleonore Gräfin Butler von Clonebough (20.Sep.1807-05.Feb.1861)
    • Anna Gfin Stauffenberg (01.Mar.1825-03.Sep.1852) ∞ Karl Alexander Gf v. Seinsheim (15.Oct.1823-03.Sep.1852)
    • Klemens Gf Stauffenberg (12.Aug.1826-16.Nov.1886) ∞ Leopoldine Gfin v. Oberndorff (18.Oct.1831-07.May.1919)
      • Gabriele Gfin Stauffenberg (24.Dec.1857-04.Jan.1946)
      • Berthold Gf Stauffenberg (21.Aug.1859-09.Nov.1944) ∞ Maria Theresia Frn Groß v. Trockau (11.Feb.1860-19.Dec.1943)
        • Klemens Gf Stauffenberg (02.Jun.1885-10.Feb.1949) ∞ Elisabeth Frn v. und zu Guttenberg (20.Apr.1891-24.Feb.1946)
          • Marie Gabriele Gfn Stauffenberg (born 18.Jul.1914)
          • Karl Berthold Gf Stauffenberg (24.Feb.1918-01.Dec.1941)
          • Markwart Gf Stauffenberg (born 07.Mar.1921) ∞ Anna Edle v. Rauscher auf Weeg (born 13.Dec.1923)
            • Elisabeth Gfn Stauffenberg (born 09.Nov.1948) ∞ Alexander Nette (born 24.Aug.1946)
            • Marie Gfn Stauffenberg (born 31.Mar.1950) ∞ Edward Lee Williams (born 23.Jul.1955)
            • Karl Berthold Gf Stauffenberg (born 19.Aug.1951) ∞ Irina Lampe (born 10.Oct.1965)
            • Franz Gf Stauffenberg (born 22.Jun.1954) ∞ Alda Balestra (born 14.Aug.1954)
            • Georg Gf Stauffenberg (born 06.Dec.1957) ∞ Christiane Philippi (born 17.May.1963)
            • Philipp Gf Stauffenberg (born 31.Dec.1960) ∞1 Anette Peterson (born 20.Dec.1961) ∞2 Marion Stoof (born 02.Aug.1964)
          • Otto Gf Stauffenberg (born 28.Oct.1926) ∞ Oculi Frn v. Lerchenfeld (born 04.Mar.1923)
            • Christoph Gf Stauffenberg (born 01.Aug.1950) ∞ Monika Gfn v. Waldburg zu Zeil und Trauchburg (born 22.Mar.1961)
            • Maria Gfn Stauffenberg (born 13.Dec.1951) ∞ Louis-Ferdinand Gf v. Zech sonst v. Burckersroda (born 06.Aug.1944)
            • Alexander Gf Stauffenberg (born 10.Mar.1954) ∞ Maria-Anna Gfn v. Quadt zu Wykradt und Isny (born 08.Apr.1960)
            • Isabell Gfn Stauffenberg (born 10.Mar.1954)
        • Leopoldine Gfin Stauffenberg (29.Jul.1887-28.Apr.1975) ∞ Philipp Gf v. Ingelheim gen. Echter v. und zu Mespelbrunn (07.Mar.1883-14.Sep.1933)
        • Markwart Gf Stauffenberg (12.May.1889-04.Apr.1975) ∞ Olga Böhl de Liagre (09.May.1899-01.Dec.1973)
          • Delia Gfin Stauffenberg (born 4.Mar.1919) ∞ Karl Friedrich Fst zu Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Wallerstein (23.May.1917-30.Mar.1991)
          • Marie Agnes Gfin Stauffenberg (born 14.Dec.1920) ∞ Hans Heinrich Linden
          • Alexandra Gfin Stauffenberg (born 09.May.1922) ∞ Rolf Staelin (09.Jun.1913-19.Feb.1985)
          • Alfred Gf Stauffenberg (born 28.Jul.1923) ∞ Gioia Gfn v. Hochberg, Frn zu Fürstenstein (born 11.Oct.1934)
            • Maria Gfin Stauffenberg (born 09.May.1955) ∞ Conrad Schloesser (born 14.Oct.1944)
            • Clemens Gf Stauffenberg (born 20.May.1958) ∞ Bettina Scherping (born 11.Mar.1952)
            • Bolko Gf Stauffenberg (born 30.Jul.1964)
          • Klemens Gf Stauffenberg (13.Aug.1929-30.Dec.1987) ∞ Clementine Gfn Wolff-Metternich zur Gracht (born 05.Aug.1937)
            • Alexandra Gfin Stauffenberg (born 25.May.1960) ∞ Karl Friedrich Erbpr v. Hohenzollern (born 20.Apr.1952)
            • Claus Gf Stauffenberg (born 28.Apr.1964)
            • Clarissa Gfin Stauffenberg (born 30.Jun.1965) ∞ Friedrich-Christian Frhr v. Elverfeldt-Ulm (born 27.Dec.1960)
        • Irma Gfin Stauffenberg (13.Apr.1898-28.Sep.1932) ∞ Otto Frhr Groß v. Trockau (*Würzburg 10.11.1890, +Trockau 21.2.1957)
      • Alfred Gf Stauffenberg (27.Sep.1860-20.Jan.1936) ∞ Caroline Gfin v. Üxküll-Gyllenband (07.Apr.1875-03.Jun.1956)
        • Berthold Gf Stauffenberg (15.Mar.1905-10.Aug.1944) ∞ Maria Classen (05.Feb.1900-13.Sep.1977)
          • Alfred Gf Stauffenberg (08.Nov.1937-28.Oct.1987) ∞ Marie Sophie Schenk Frn v. Stauffenberg (born 23.Sep.1937)
            • Berthold Gf Stauffenberg (born 26.May.1963) ∞ Maria Carabias (born 17.Jul.1961)
            • Philippe Gf Stauffenberg (born 17.May.1964) ∞ Bettina Baatz (born 06.Sep.1966)
              • Isabel Gfin Stauffenberg (born 20.Sept 1998)
              • Olivia Gfin Stauffenberg (born 5 April 2000)
              • Mafalda Gfin Stauffenberg (born 14. March 2003)
              • Klara Gfin Stauffenberg (born 14 june 2005)
            • Alexander Gf Stauffenberg (born 08.Feb.1967) ∞ ? ?
          • Elisabeth Gfin Stauffenberg (born 13.Jun.1939) ∞ Count Piero Roberti (born 26.Dec.1935)
        • Alexander Gf Stauffenberg (15.Mar.1905-27.Jan.1964) ∞1 Melitta Schiller (09.Jan.1903-08.Apr.1945), ∞2 Marlene Hoffmann (born 10.Jul.1913)
        • Claus Gf Stauffenberg (15.Nov.1907-20.Jul.1944) ∞ Nina Frn v. Lerchenfeld (27.Aug.1913-02.Apr.2006)
          • Berthold Gf Stauffenberg (born 03.Jul.1934) ∞ Mechthild Gfin v. Bentzel-Sturmfeder-Horneck (born 27.Jan.1938)
            • Claus Gf Stauffenberg (born 01.Jun.1959) ∞ Maryam Zahedi (born 31.Jan.1962)
              • Valerie Gfin Stauffenberg (born 17.Feb.1992)
            • Sebastian Gf Stauffenberg (born 02.Dec.1961)
            • Gottfried Gf Stauffenberg (born 08.Oct.1964)
          • Heimeran Gf Stauffenberg (born 09.Jul.1936)
          • Franz Ludwig Gf Stauffenberg (born 04.May.1938) ∞ Elisabeth Frn v. und zu Guttenberg (born 05.Jul.1944)
            • Hans Gf Stauffenberg (born 03.Mar.1966) ∞ Maria Gfin v. Waldburg zu Zeil und Hohenems (born 29.Aug.1964)
            • Valerie Gfin Stauffenberg (born 04.Jun.1968) ∞ Marcus v. Mauchenheim gen. Bechtolsheim (born 31.Oct.1958)
            • Maximilian Gf Stauffenberg (born 27.Oct.1970) ∞ Harriet v. Randow (born 27.Nov.1974)
            • Maria Gfin Stauffenberg (born 02.Sep.1982)
          • Valerie Gfin Stauffenberg (15.Nov.1940-04.Jun.1966) ∞ Heino v. l'Estocq (born 06.Apr.1935)
          • Konstanze Gfin Stauffenberg (born 27.Jan.1945) ∞ Dietrich v. Schultheiß-Rechberg (born 13.Oct.1937)
        • Konrad Gf Stauffenberg (15.Nov.1907-16.Nov.1907)
      • Friedrich Gf Stauffenberg (11.Feb.1862-03.Sep.1882)
      • Philipp Gf Stauffenberg (12.May.1864-29.Jul.1945) ∞ Marie Schönhofen (02.Jun.1875-??.Feb.1959)
        • Maria Gfin Stauffenberg (28.Sep.1905-02.Mar.1940) ∞ Adalbert Gf Kottulinsky, Frhr v. Kottulin und Krzizkowitz (born 27.Mar.1904)
      • Maria Gfin Stauffenberg (23.Oct.1867-09.Apr.1875)
    • Philipp Gf Stauffenberg (24.Nov.1828-11.Jul.1895) ∞ Karoline Przn Lobkowitz (29.Apr.1835-05.Mar.1881)
      • Franz Gf Stauffenberg (25.Sep.1861-27.Jun.1907) ∞ Konstanze Gfin v. Prokesch (09.Nov.1861-28.Oct.1921)
      • Lory Gfin Stauffenberg (22.Apr.1862-22.Apr.1862)
      • Eleonore Gfin Stauffenberg (08.Jul.1864-08.Jul.1864)
      • Marie Gfin Stauffenberg (08.Jul.1864-24.Feb.1909)
      • Eberhard Gf Stauffenberg (19.May.1866-10.Sep.1917) ∞ Luise Gfin Terlago (12.Aug.1869-22.Aug.1952)
      • Klemens Gf Stauffenberg (10.Jul.1869-01.Aug.1890)
    • Charlotte Gfin Stauffenberg (17.Apr.1831-02.Aug.1891) ∞ Anton v. Bösmiller
    • Albrecht Gf Stauffenberg (31.Aug.1836-25.Jan.1837)
  • Friedrich Schenk Freiherr von Stauffenberg (23.Oct.1806-02.May.1874) ∞ Karoline Gräfin Butler von Clonebough (31.Jan.1812-06.Nov.1879)

References

• http://www.schwaben-kultur.de/pdfs/2003-3.pdf