Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1899–1948)

For her aunt, the Duchess of Albany, see Princess Helen of Waldeck and Pyrmont.
Princess Helena
Hereditary Grand Duchess of Oldenburg
Born(1899-12-22)22 December 1899
Arolsen, Waldeck and Pyrmont
Died18 February 1948(1948-02-18) (aged 48)
Rastede, Allied-occupied Germany
SpouseNikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg
IssueAnton-Günther, Duke of Oldenburg
Duchess Rixa
Duke Peter
Eilika, Princess of Leiningen
Duke Eigilmar
Duke Friedrich August
Altburg, Baroness Rüdiger of Erffa
Duke Huno
Duke Johann
Names
German: Helene Bathildis Charlotte Maria Friederike
HouseWaldeck and Pyrmont
FatherFriedrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
MotherPrincess Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe

Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont (German: Helene Bathildis Charlotte Maria Friederike Prinzessin zu Waldeck und Pyrmont; 22 December 1899 – 18 February 1948) was the only daughter of Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, last reigning Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, and wife of Nikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg.

Early life

Helena was born at Arolsen, Waldeck and Pyrmont the third child and only daughter of Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1865–1946), and his wife, Princess Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe (1873–1962),[1] daughter of Wilhelm Karl August, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe.

She was a first cousin of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. She was named after her paternal aunt Princess Helena, Duchess of Albany (1861–1922) who married Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, youngest son of Queen Victoria.

Marriage and family

Helena married on 26 October 1921 in Arolsen, Nikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1897–1970),[1] third child and first son of Frederick Augustus II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg and Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.[2]

They had nine children:

  • Anton-Günther, Duke of Oldenburg (16 January 1923 – 20 September 2014); married Princess Ameli of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, had issue
  • Duchess Rixa of Oldenburg (28 March 1924 – 1 April 1939); died unmarried and without issue
  • Duke Peter of Oldenburg (7 August 1926 – 18 November 2016); married Princess Gertrude of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, had issue
  • Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg (2 February 1928 – 26 January 2016); married Emich, 7th Prince of Leiningen, had issue
  • Duke Egilmar of Oldenburg (14 October 1934 – 10 May 2013)
  • Duke Friedrich August of Oldenburg (11 January 1936 – 9 July 2017); married first Princess Marie Cécile of Prussia, had issue, second Donata Countess of Castell-Rüdenhausen, no issue
  • Duchess Altburg of Oldenburg (b. 14 October 1938); married Baron Rüdiger of Erffa, had issue
  • Duke Huno of Oldenburg (b. 3 January 1940); married Countess Felicitas-Anita of Schwerin von Krosigk, had two daughters including Beatrix von Storch
  • Duke Johann of Oldenburg (b. 3 January 1940); married Ilka Gräfin zu Ortenburg, had issue. His daughter Eilika married Archduke Georg of Austria

She died at the age of 48, her husband married again, two years after her death in 1950 to Anne-Marie von Schutzbar genannt Milchling.[1]

Ancestry

Notes and sources

  1. ^ a b c Encyclopedia.com website, Helenof Waldeck and Pyrmont (1899-1948)
  2. ^ C. Arnold McNaughton, The Book of Kings: A Royal Genealogy, in 3 volumes (London, U.K.: Garnstone Press, 1973), volume 1, page 206. Hereinafter cited as The Book of Kings.
  • The Royal House of Stuart, London, 1969, 1971, 1976, Addington, A. C., Reference: II 277, 349
Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1899–1948)
Cadet branch of the House of Waldeck
Born: 22 December 1899 Died: 18 February 1948
Titles in pretence
Preceded by — TITULAR —
Grand Duchess of Oldenburg
24 February 1931 – 18 February 1948
Reason for succession failure:
Grand Duchy abolished in 1918 		Vacant
Title next held by
Anne-Marie von Schutzbar gennant Milchling