Prince George Bernhard of Anhalt-Dessau


George Bernhard of Anhalt-Dessau, was a German prince of the House of Ascania from the Anhalt-Dessau branch.
He was born in Dessau, the second son of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, daughter of Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg.

Marriages and Issue

In Rudolstadt on 6 August 1825 George Bernhard married Karoline Auguste Louise Amalie, daughter of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, himself a son of Frederick Charles, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. They had two children:
  1. Louise
  2. Frederick.
In Dresden on 4 October 1831 George Bernhard married morganatically for a second time to Therese Emma von Erdmannsdorf, of lesser nobility. She was created Countess of Raina shortly after their marriage. They had seven children:
  1. Count Franz of Raina.
  2. Countess Mathilde of Raina, married on 19 May 1859 to Otto von Könneritz.
  3. Countess Helene of Raina, adopted by her uncle William on 1 April 1855 and given the title of "princess of Anhalt" by the reigning duke Leopold IV of Anhalt-Dessau; married on 7 August 1855 to Frederick Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, her uncle. The union was considered morganatic according to the family law of the House of Schwarzburg.
  4. Countess Emma of Raina.
  5. Countess Maria of Raina.
  6. Count Rudolph of Raina, married on 30 September 1882 to Emma Elisabeth Klara Marie Paris.
  7. Count Karl of Raina, married in Berlin on 28 May 1887 to Cosima von Mörner, 20 July 1865 – d. Zakrzów ; the marriage was childless and the couple divorced in 1893. On 17 August 1894 he married for a second time to Countess Marie von der Groeben ; this marriage lasted only four months until Marie's death.
Prince George Bernhard died in Dresden.