Oldenburg
(1813-1871)
The Duchy of Oldenburg was a member state of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866 and in 1829 was renamed, the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. The Grand Duchy consisted of three widely separated portions of territory: the Duchy of Oldenburg, the Principality of Lübeck, and the Principality of Birkenfeld close to Trier. In 1866, Oldenburg sided with Prussia against Austria and after the Austro-Prussian War, became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867. The Oldenburg military became a contingent of the Prussian army on 15 July 1867. Oldenburg became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.
The first child of Grand Duke Friedrich August and his first wife, HRH Princess Elisabeth of Prussia was Sophie Charlotte, who married the Kaiser’s second oldest son, Eitel Friedrich. She was considered the best looking and wealthiest of the Kaiser’s daughters-in-law. They first met at the wedding of the Crown Prince to Cecile. They had a rocky relationship with multiple accusations of infidelity. There were no children born of the union that ended in divorce.
Oldenburg was a hereditary constitutional monarchy and was considered one of the most liberal in Germany. Parliament consisted of one chamber of 40 members known as the Landtag and direct secret voting was open to all taxpayers. Provincial councils of 15 members each governed the local affairs of Birkenfeld and Lübeck. Interestingly, the finances of each constituent state of the grand duchy were kept and managed separately. Oldenburg had one vote in the Bundesrat and three members in the Reichstag. Oldenburg was by in large a protestant country, and the Grand Duke was required to be a member of the Lutheran Church. It was also largely agricultural, though many rural residents moved to the cities.
The population of the three combined areas was 516,000 in 1914 of which 83 percent was protestant. The capital was Oldenburg. The grand duchy was a total of 6,428 km². The soldiers were concentrated in Oldenburgisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 91 of the 19th Infantry Division, which formed part of the Prussian X Army Corps. Oldenburgisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 19, which served initially in 1914 with 9th Cavalry Division under HKK 2