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Marienburg Castle (February 2016)
Photo: Julian Stratenschulte/ picture alliance/dpa
The dispute over the Marienburg near Hanover has been decided for the time being.
The competent civil chamber in Hanover rejected an action for the return of the castle.
The background to the proceedings is a feud between Ernst August Prince of Hanover (Senior) and his son, Ernst August Hereditary Prince of Hanover (Junior).
The father gave the castle and other properties to the son in 2004 and 2007 in anticipated succession.
Later, however, he demanded that the castle be repossessed.
He also wanted the Calenberg household in the Pattensen-Schulenburg municipality and the Herrenhausen princely house in Hanover back.
The son refused - and the father went to court.
A Salzburg company also complained because the senior had sold his receivables to them.
In the meantime, Ernst August withdrew his lawsuit.
The court therefore only ruled on the lawsuit brought by the Salzburg company.
The chamber stated that the company had no claim to the Marienburg and the princely houses.
The assignment of the father's claims to the company was not effective for “legal reasons”.
No »gross ingratitude«
The judges also rejected a second argument put forward by the plaintiffs.
They had argued that the father wanted the inheritance back because of his son's "gross ingratitude."
Among other things, the senior accused his offspring of not visiting him, his father, at his bedside.
The judges had already stated in an earlier hearing that this accusation was too general.
In view of the years of dispute, the 68-year-old "could hardly expect any more visits".
The chamber saw no "gross ingratitude" in the son.
Because that would require serious misconduct that could not be ascertained.
Son Ernst August Hereditary Prince of Hanover said the decision was "no surprise".
From the start, he considered the lawsuit to be "unpromising".
The decision is not final.
The plaintiffs said they would decide in the coming weeks whether to appeal.
The dispute is much more than a family quarrel, it is about the future of Marienburg Castle.
In 2019, the family hit the headlines because Junior wanted to sell the dilapidated castle to the public sector for one euro - against his father's will.
But after the 68-year-old's objection, the deal negotiated with the Lower Saxony state government fell through.
Castle and inventory came into a foundation.
According to the judge's assessment, the Prince of Hanover (Junior) was protecting the assets of the House of Hanover, because the "renovation burden" of the palace was high at 24 million euros.
Ernst August's son had declared that the agreement with the state of Lower Saxony would ensure the "long-term preservation of Marienburg".
jpz/dpa
