Stauffenberg

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The von Stauffenbergs are an old Roman Catholic family from Swabia in Germany, whose best known member was Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg - the key figure in the 1944 "July 20 Plot" to kill Adolf Hitler.

The Stauffenbergs originally came from Burg Stauffenberg (not related to the town and castle of Staufenberg, Hesse), a former castle located in Württemberg between Hechingen and its suburb Rangendingen, not too far from Burg Hohenzollern, home of the family of Zollern (later House of Hohenzollern). In 1255, the Stauffenbergs are first recorded to have served the Zollern in the administrative office of Mundschenk (cupbearer, sommelier, butler), which means they were in charge of the wine cellar and vineyard. Since, they held the hereditary title Schenk (see also maior domus, marshal, chamberlain).

In the 17th century, they inherited Burg Straßberg as well as a castle in Lautlingen, located in the vicinity of nearby Albstadt as well as Risstissen south of Ulm. The family also gained the rank of Freiherr (Baron) in 1698. Marquard Sebastian Schenk von Stauffenberg was Bishop of Bamberg in the 17th century and Johann Franz Schenk von Stauffenberg was Bishop of Konstanz and Augsburg in the 18th century.

One branch of the Stauffenbergs were raised to the rank of Graf (Count) in the Kingdom of Bavaria in 1874. After 1918, when the Weimar Republic abolished all noble titles, one branch of the family adopted the surname Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg and the other Schenk Freiherr ( Baron ) von Stauffenberg to preserve the titles Graf, Freiherr and Schenk in their names.

[edit] Recent prominent members of the Stauffenberg family

Alfred Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg, Württemberg Army officer, father of Alexander, Berthold, Claus
Caroline Gräfin Schenk von Stauffenberg (née von Üxküll-Gyllenbrand), mother of Alexander, Berthold, Claus

Berthold Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (1905-1944), twin brother of Alexander, lawyer and resistance fighter
Alexander Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (1905-1964), twin brother of Berthold, historian and officer
- Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg (1903-1945), wife of Alexander, aviatrix and engineer
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (1907-1944), officer and resistance fighter
- Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg (1913-2006), wife of Claus
  - Berthold Maria Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (born 1934), son of Claus, Army officer
  - Franz Ludwig Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (born 1938), son of Claus, politician