Anton-Günther, Duke of Oldenburg

Anton-Günther, Duke of Oldenburg (Anton-Günther Friedrich August Wilhelm Josias von Holstein-Gottorp, Erbgroßherzog von Oldenburg, Prinz von Lübeck; 16 January 1923 – 20 September 2014) was the head of the Grand Ducal Family of Oldenburg.

Life He was born in Lensahn the son of Hereditary Grand Duke Nikolaus of Oldenburg (1897–1970) and his first wife Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1899–1948). Duke Anton-Günther was a grandson of Frederick Augustus II, the last Grand Duke of Oldenburg, and through his mother a grandson of Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont.

He studied for a Diploma in Forestry and succeeded as head of the Grand Ducal Family of Oldenburg upon the death of his father, the Hereditary Grand Duke, on 3 April 1970. He died in September 2014 aged 91.

The ancestral home of the House of Oldenburg is Oldenburg castle, nowadays a museum owned by the state. Private seats of the Duke of Oldenburg are Rastede Palace near Oldenburg and Güldenstein Manor, Harmsdorf, in Schleswig-Holstein. Eutin Castle in Schleswig-Holstein is a museum owned by a family foundation set up by Duke Anton-Günther.

According to his obituary issued by the family his ancestral titles (however not all part of his official German surname) were: HRH The Duke of Oldenburg, Heir in Norway, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn, Dithmarschen and Oldenburg, Prince of Lübeck and Birkenfeld, Lord of Jever and Knyphausen.

Marriage and children Duke Anton-Günther was married to Princess Ameli of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg (1923-2016) at Kreuzwertheim on 7 August 1951. They have two children:

Duchess Helene Elisabeth Bathildis Margarete of Oldenburg (born 3 August 1953 in Rastede), unmarried Duke Christian Nikolaus Udo Peter of Oldenburg (born 1 February 1955 in Rastede), married to Countess Caroline zu Rantzau and has four children. The Duke and the Duchess lived at Güldenstein Manor, Harmsdorf, Schleswig Holstein. The Duke also owned Eutin Castle and Rastede Castle.

Ancestry