Von der Decken family

The first documented members of the family are Alverik and Herewart von Decca. About 1250 they were vassals of {{Interlanguage link multi|Frederick of Haseldorf|de|3=Friedrich von Haseldorf}}.{{Interlanguage link multi|Wilhelm von Hodenberg|de}} (ed.), Hoyer Urkundenbuch (Document book from Hoya), Hanover: 1855, 1. Abteilung (part) Hoyaer Hausarchiv (archive), Heft (booklet) IV: Hoyaer Lehne, 10. Haseldorfer Güter (estates from Haseldorf): pp. 8 and 9. [https://books.google.com/books?id=-uo-AAAAcAAJ&q=deca&pg=RA1-PA9 on page 9 the first three lines cite a document of Herewart und Alverik von Deca, dated 1250/55] 'her vredeke' is Frederick of Haseldorf; 'twe houe' are two farms; 'in den dorpen ierlinhusen' is in the village Ihlienworth 10 km south of Otterndorf; 'en pund' are dues; 'bedenem' is the village Belum northwest of Neuhaus (Oste); [https://books.google.com/books?id=-uo-AAAAcAAJ&q=deca&pg=PA1061 'bultestrope (61,a)' means: see on p. XI 61) 'Zum Amte Neuhaus an der Oste: ... Bülsdorf] is the oldest part of the village Neuhaus (Oste).Wilhelm von der Decken, Die Familie von der Decken in ihren verschiedenen Verhältnissen dargestellt (history of the family von der Decken), Hanover: Klindworth's Hof-Druckerei, 1865 [http://digital.ub.uni-duesseldorf.de/ihd/content/pageview/8284252 p. 7] The genealogy of the family can be traced back to Nicolaus de Deken.Stammtafeln der Familie von der Decken, Thora von der Decken (ed.) on behalf of the Wangenheim-Decken'sche Familienstiftung, Stade: Heimberg, 1936, p. 83.Herwart und Thassilo von der Decken, Pedigree of the Family: Stammtafeln der Familie von der Decken, 1994 He was a squire and lived from about 1290 to 1360.Document from 1360 in state archive in Stade: Rep 3, Altkloster 106, there: The famulus = squire Claus (Nicolaus de Deken) witnesseth on 25 July 1360 this document with the following circumstances: Der squire Hinricus de Dozen (Heinrich von der Döse) sells farming ground near {{Interlanguage link multi|Wechtern|nds}} in the parish of Freiburg/Elbe to the Benedictine monastery in {{Interlanguage link multi|Altkloster|nds|3=Ooldklooster}} nowadays a part of Buxtehude. The first von der Deckens lived near Freiburg, Lower Saxony, at the southern bank of the Elbe river.

All living von der Deckens are descendants of {{Interlanguage link multi|Claus von der Decken|de|3=Claus von der Decken (Stade)}}, who died in 1541.Karl Ernst Hermann Krause: in the Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Vol 5, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1877, page 2 He was a mayor of Stade and had eight children. Five of his sons started the different lines of the family (see {{Interlanguage link multi|Genealogy of the von der Decken family|de|3=Stammliste der Familie von der Decken}}).

Adolphus (1834–1886) is a son of Adolph Melchior (1806–1862).From the church book entry: Adolphus was born 8 February 1834 and baptised 20 February 1834 in the {{Interlanguage link multi|Holy Trinity Church, Altona|de|3=St. Trinitatis (Altona)|lt=Holy Trinity Church}} in Altona. Altona belonged to Holstein, which was ruled in personal union by the Danish crown until 1864. The mother is Anna Maria Ernestine Hume, the father is Claus Melchior Adolph von der Decken, see: Kirchenkreisarchiv Hamburg West / Südholstein – [http://www.nordelbisches-kirchenarchiv.de/adressen-der-kirchenbuchaemter Lutheran Church Book Office (=Kirchenbuchamt)] in Pinneberg They are descendants of the Oerichsheil line. For Adolph Melchior and Adolphus see Extract of genealogical table of the family von der Decken 1. Line in German language. Adolphus emigrated 1855 first to England and later to South Africa. He settled near King Williams Town. Adolphus married in 1855 Emma Louisa Eustace, when he was 21 and she was 19 years old. There are many descendants of Adolphus and Emma living in South Africa. Some of them with the name von der Decken live in King William's Town, in Fort Beaufort and near to Durban.

The coat of arms shows a fireplace trammel hook. On the helmet with black and silver covers is standing a natural short oak branch with hanging green leaves on both sides.

file:Siegel Friedrich v. der Decken 1394.JPG|Seal of Friedrich von der Decken noted as Zackewolde in a document dated 1394. This is the oldest seal of the family. (copied).Wilhelm von der Decken, Die Familie von der Decken in ihren verschiedenen Verhältnissen dargestellt (history of the family von der Decken), Hanover: Klindworth's Hof-Druckerei, 1865 [http://digital.ub.uni-duesseldorf.de/ihd/content/pageview/8284748 p. 507]

file:Siegel Heinrich v. der Decken 1585.JPG|Seal of Heinrich von der Decken of the year 1585. He had three trammel hooks in his coat of arms and lived until 1590. Heinrich was alderman and mayor of the town Stade. He had farms in {{Interlanguage link multi|Götzdorf|de|3=Götzdorf (Stade)}} north of Stade and {{Interlanguage link multi|Aschhorn|nds|3=Aschhoorn}} near Drochtersen. He belonged to the extinct line in the town of Stade. (copied)

file:Siegel Peter v. der Decken 1591.JPG|Seal of Peter von der Decken from the year 1591. Peter lived from 1539 to 1619. He is the son of Hermann. Hermann was a mayor of Stade and he started the first family line. Peter owned the farms: Kampe, Oerichsheil, Ritterhof and Wechtern. This style of the coat of arms from 1591 stayed until present.

file:Wappen v. der Decken-Offen.JPG|Since 1732 the coat of arms of the third line is a conjunction of the two families von der Decken and von Offen. The coat of arms of the family von Offen is a red wheel with six spokes on a silver ground. The title Freiherr{{German title|Freiherr}} in the third line stayed for two generations from 1885 to 1969.

file:Wappen v. der Decken-Ringelheim.JPG|Count Johann Friedrich von der Decken bought Ringelheim in 1817. In 1833 he was honored with the title Graf.{{German title|Graf}} The title continues with agnatic primogeniture and Salic law like the order of succession in the House of Hanover and in the House of Liechtenstein.

file:Wappen v. der Decken-Oerichsheil.JPG|The General of the Cavalry Count {{Interlanguage link multi|Georg Julius Wilhelm Ludwig von der Decken|de|lt=Georg J.W.L. von der Decken}} chose as blazon holders two soldiers of the 1. Hussar-Regiment of the King's German Legion, a Regiment, in which he had distinguished himself so much. He was honored with the title Graf in 1835. He had no legitimate children, therefore the title did not continue after his death in 1859.

• {{Interlanguage link multi|Claus von der Decken|de|3=Claus von der Decken (Stade)}} (died 1541) councillor and mayor of the town of Stade. He was a principal supporter of Bremen's Prince-Archbishop John III.
• {{Interlanguage link multi|Claus von der Decken|de|3=Claus von der Decken (Politiker, 1742)}} (born 1742 in Ritterhausen near Balje, died 1826 in Hanover), Hanoverian minister.
• Count Johann Friedrich von der Decken (born 1769 in Langwedel, died 1840 in Ringelheim), Hanoverian Generalfeldzeugmeister.
• Karl Klaus von der Decken (born 1833 in Kotzen, died 1865 in Bardera in Somalia), Explorer in East Africa, especially at the Kilimanjaro and at the Jubba River.
• Count Georg von der Decken from Ringelheim (born 1836 in Brunswick, died 1898 in Ringelheim), Member of Reichstag of the Deutsch-Hannoversche Partei. Grandson of Johann Friedrich von der Decken.
• John Decker (born 1895 in Berlin, died 1947 in Los Angeles), was born with the name Leopold von der Decken or Leopold Avenarius. He was a painter, sculptor and caricaturist in London, New York City and Los Angeles. Grandson of Count Georg von der Decken.

file:Minister Claus von der Decken 1742-1826 Druck.jpg|{{Interlanguage link multi|Claus von der Decken|de|3=Claus von der Decken (Politiker, 1742)}} (1742–1826), {{Interlanguage link multi|Hanoverian ministers|de|3=Minister des Königreichs Hannover|lt=Hanoverian state minister}}.

file:Graf_Johann_Friedrich_von_der_Decken_1769-1840.jpg|Johann Friedrich von der Decken (1769–1840), King's Hanoverian Generalfeldzeugmeister

file:Georg Julius Wilhelm Ludwig Graf von der Decken (1787–1859).jpg|Count {{Interlanguage link multi|Georg J.W.L. von der Decken|de|3=Georg J.W.L. von der Decken}} (1787–1859), King's Hanoverian General of the Cavalry (Germany).

file:Claus von der Decken 1782-1839.jpg|Claus von der Decken (1782–1839), Oberhauptmann of Harburg (lawyer)

file:Friedrich von der Decken (1802-1881).jpg|{{Interlanguage link multi|Friedrich von der Decken (1802–1881)|de|lt=Friedrich von der Decken}} (1802–1881), King's Hanoverian state minister.

file:Graf Adolphus von der Decken.jpg|Count {{Interlanguage link multi|Adolphus von der Decken|de|3=Adolphus Graf von der Decken}} (1807–1886), Hanoverian diplomat.

file:Karl Klaus von der Decken (1833-1865)AfrikaForscher.jpg|Karl Klaus von der Decken (1833–1865), Explorer of East Africa

file:Graf Georg von der Decken 1836-1898.jpg|Count Georg von der Decken (1836–1898), Member of Reichstag.

file:Otto von der Decken 1839-1916.jpg|{{Interlanguage link multi|Otto von der Decken|de|Otto von der Decken (Politiker)}} (1839–1916), Member of Reichstag.

file:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-12245, August von Mackensen.jpg|On the right-hand side lieutenant general {{Interlanguage link multi|Otto von der Decken (1858-1937)|de|3=Otto von der Decken (Generalleutnant)|lt=Otto von der Decken}} (1858-1937) with field marshal August von Mackensen, (1849-1945) 1931 in Dresden at a military review of German cavalry

file:Friedrich von Hohenau (1857-1914).jpg|Charlotte von der Decken (1863–1933) and her husband Count Frederick of Hohenau, son of Prince Albert of Prussia

file:Leopold von der Decken.JPG|Leopold von der Decken (1895–1947) changed his name to John Decker when he left Europe in 1921. He was a notable painter, set designer, statuary and caricaturist in Hollywood

file:George von der Decken.jpg|{{Interlanguage link multi|George von der Decken|de}} (1898–1945), German officer.

File:Decken-Eiche-mit-Wappen.jpg is the heraldic motto.]]

• Luneberg Mushard, Monumenta Nobilitatis Antiqvæ Familiarum Illustrium, Inprimis Ordinis Equestris in Ducatibus Bremensi & Verdensi, i. e. Denckmahl Der Uhralten/ berühmten Hochadelichen Geschlechter/ Insonderheit Der Hochlöblichen Ritterschafft Im Hertzogthum Bremen und Verden (Monuments of the ancient and famous noble families, especially of the Knighthood in the Duchy of Bremen-Verden), Bremen: Brauer, 1708, pp. 192–201.
• Elias Friedrich Schmersahl, [http://www.ub.uni-bielefeld.de/cgi-bin/neubutton.cgi?pfad=/diglib/aufkl/hamag/141522&seite=00000622.TIF „Nachricht von dem alten ritterbürtigen Geschlechte der Herren von der Decken im Lande Kehdingen“] (a report on the von der Decken family), in: Hamburgisches Magazin, vol. 9 (1752), pp. 619–629.
• Wilhelm von der Decken (1807–1866) Secretary of the Kingdom of Hanover, Die Familie von der Decken in ihren verschiedenen Verhältnissen dargestellt (history of the family von der Decken), Hanover: Klindworth's Hof-Druckerei, 1865.
• Blätter der Familie von der Decken (i.e. annual family news), 1919–....
• {{NDB|3|544|545|Decken, v. der.|Richard Drögereit}}
• Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Adelslexikon volume 56, 1974 and endorsements in volume 144, 2008
• Ernst Heinrich Kneschke, Neues allgemeines deutsches Adels-Lexicon (encyclopedia on nobility), 1860, p. 433. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ucgEAAAAIAAJ&dq=Decken+adelsgeschlecht&pg=PA463 Article on Decken and Decken-Offen]
• Johann Siebmacher, Siebmachers Wappenbuch (Book on coat of arms in Germany, Austria and Switzerland), 1605 in WIKIMEDIA COMMONS: Ritterschaft und Adel in Brauschweig there on [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siebmacher181.jpg p. 181 "V. DER TECKE" is the misspelled writing of "V. DER DECKEN"]
• Brümmel, v. Gruben, v. Marschalck: Die Güter der Ritterschaft im Herzogtum Bremen (estates in the Duchy of Bremen), Stade: Ritterschaft der Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 2001

File:Hoyer Urkundenbuch Heft 4 Hoyer Lehne S 9 oben.JPG]

File:Pincerno - Niederelbe 1860.jpg, Belum, Balje, Krummendeich and Freiburg/Elbe]]

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Decken family}}

• [http://www.arendi.de/_Adel-Niedersachsen/Adel-in-Niedersachsen-D.htm List of Lower Saxonies noble families]
• [https://schlossarchiv.de/?gut=4863 Schlossarchiv Wildenfels: The family von der Decken in the books like Almanach de Gotha]
• [http://www.gwlb.de/nis/niedersaechsische_personen Database Persons of Lower Saxony] There are 33 members of the family. Search in the database with the Name: Decken.

• {{Interlanguage link multi|Genealogy of the von der Decken family|de|3=Stammliste der Familie von der Decken}}
• List of German noble families starting with the letter D

{{Authority control}}

Decken

*Decken