Family History

Vittinghoff, Vietinghoff (Fitinghoff) and Schell

Westphalian noblilty originating from the Vittinghoff Mansion (today a ruin) close to Essen-Rellinghausen, home of  Henricus de Vitinghoven, Theodericus et Winimarus fratres eius. First documents of these first family-members date back to 1230.

coat of arms I (from stem A): A shield with 3 golden balls, placed on a black bar, which runs from the left upper corner to lower right corner of the shield. The black and white tournament-hat below, has a red brim with 3 golden balls on the side. On top there is a fox, facing to the left, which carrys a golden ball or coin in its snout.

coat of arms II (from stems B to D): A shield with 3 golden sea-shells placed on a black bar, which runs from the left upper corner to lower right corner of the shield. The black and white tournament or pilgrims-hat below, has a red brim with 3 golden sea-shells on the side. On top there is a fox facing backwards.

In the course of the 14th century, members of stem A from Westphalia went as members of the Order of German Knights to Livland. Other family-members soon followed them, so that in every baltic region (livland, esthonia, kurland and oesel) the so called baltic stems B, C and D of the family developed.

From this time on family-members from Germany called themselves v.Vittinghoff gen. Scheel or v. Scheel and those from the baltic region had the name v.Vietinghoff gen.Scheel or v.Vietinghoff.

Due to political and professional changes, members of the family returned to Germany or went to live in Sweden. In the end family-members could be found in all countries around the baltic sea. In every century the family brought up important men for example in in gouvernment or military services in Sweden, Poland, Lithuania and in Russia. After the expropriation of the esthonian and latvian estates after world war 1 alot of them also returned to Germany. In 1939, before world war 2 the last family-members were relocated, like all other baltic-germans to Warthegau.

In the last century all vietinghoffs from the baltic-region, which was a part of the russian empire at that time, received the hereditary title "Baron". At the same time the family-members in prussia were granted with the similar german title "Freiherren".

On November 21st 1890 the family-association was founded in Riga. In 1903 the existing family-association merged with the family-association in the German Reich. This Family-Association still exists today under the name "Familienverband der Freiherren, Barone und Herren v.Vittinghoff, v.Vietinghoff und v.Schell e.V.". The current elected members of the managing committee can bei found here. Family-Meetings are held every 2 years. Members of the family now live all over the world, in counties like Germany, Sweden, Russia, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, USA, Canada, Uruguay, Paraguay and Australia.

The 770 years of family-history are discribed in an extensive series of books .