TheHouse of Schönaich-Carolath orSchoenaich-Carolath is an ancientGerman noble family fromLower Lusatia, a branch of which came toSilesia in the16th century. The Silesian branch was elevated to the rank ofImperial Count in 1700 and to the rank ofPrince in theKingdom of Prussia, in 1741.[1]
The Schoenaich family descends from the ancient nobility of Lower Lusatia and is first documented in 1329 withTytzko (Dietrich) von Schoenaich. A village of the same name, known since 1945 asPiękne Kąty, is now part ofCarolath. Another village of the same name is located nearSorau in the Neumark region, today'sSieciejów.[2]
Around 1550,Fabian von Schoenaich (1509–1591) from theSprottau line of Franz vonRechenberg acquired the Lower Silesian Lordships of Carolath andBeuthen an der Oder, which belonged to theDuchy of Glogau, a fiefdom since 1344 and reversionary to theBohemian Crown in 1490. The sovereign confirmation of the entail took place in 1601 with the title "Baron of Beuthen" (Freiherr von Beuthen). On 28 June 1616, the hereditary Austrian baronial status was confirmed. Fabian appointed the son of a cousin, Georg von Schönaich, as his heir. In 1595, he married Fabian's widow, Elisabeth von Landskron (d. 1614), and in 1597, he hadCarolath Castle built. In 1613, he acquired theAmtitz estate in Lower Lusatia, and in 1614, he founded the university-like educational institution known as the Schönaichianum in Beuthen an der Oder, where both Lutherans and Calvinists taught. His nephew, Johannes (1589–1639), paid homage to the Bohemian KingFrederick V ("Winter King") during theBohemian Revolt in 1618. As a result, he was fined in 1637, his lands confiscated, and theSchönaichianum handed over to theJesuits during theCounter-Reformation. In 1697, the Bohemian ruler,Emperor Joseph I, granted the two estates legal status asFree Estates.[3]
Baron Hans Georg von Schoenaich-Beuthen was elevated to the rank ofImperial Count in 1700. His son,Hans Carl zu Carolath-Beuthen (1688–1763), swore an oath of homage to the sovereign,Emperor Joseph I, inBreslau in 1710 and purchased the position ofPrivy Councilor in 1730. He also acquired the estates ofPadligar and Ostreritz. After the conquest of Silesia byFrederick II in 1742, the Reformed Count was one of the first important Silesian magnates to pay homage to the Prussian king. In gratitude, he was elevated to the Prussian princely rank in 1741, receiving the title "Prince of Carolath-Schönaich" (Fürst zu Carolath-Schönaich), and from 1753 "Prince of Carolath-Beuthen" (Fürst zu Carolath-Beuthen), as well as the unlimited title of "Prince/ess of Schoenaich-Carolath" for his descendants—a unique honor fromFrederick the Great. Hans Carl zu Carolath also rose to become the first President of the Higher Administrative Government (Oberamtsregierung) and President of the Constituent Assembly in Breslau. His son, Johann Carl Friedrich (1716–1791), served the king as a General and Envoy.[4]
The brothers Karl (1785–1820) and Friedrich (1790–1859) founded the two lines of the house: the elder inherited the three Lordships of Carolath, Beuthen andAmtitz, the youngerSaabor Castle and the Lordship ofSaabor. A further division of the inheritance took place when the 5th Prince, Karl (1845–1912), received Carolath and Beuthen, and his younger brother Prince Heinrich (1852–1920) received the Lordship ofAmtitz. Theprimogeniture title "Prince of Carolath-Beuthen" was confirmed to Prince Heinrich of Carolath-Beuthen in 1861 when the Prussian title ofSerene Highness was awarded. The later-born members bear the name Prince or Princess of Schoenaich-Carolath. In 1854, the family achieved hereditary membership in thePrussian House of Lords.[5]
In 1896, the estate and manor ofHaseldorf (withHaselau andHetlingen) inSchleswig-Holstein, as well as Palsgaard Castle (Schloss Palsgård) inDenmark, passed to Prince Emil von Schoenaich-Carolath-Schilden (1852–1908), son of Emilie von Oppen-Schilden. Haseldorf remains in the family to this day.
The widow of Prince Johann Georg (1873–1920) ofSaabor, PrincessHermine Reuss of Greiz (1887–1947), became the second wife of the former German Emperor and Prussian KingWilhelm II in 1922.
With the flight and expulsion in 1945, the Silesian possessions were expropriated.
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