Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1899–1948)

Helena was born at Arolsen, Waldeck and Pyrmont the third child and only daughter of Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1865–1946), and his wife, Princess Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe (1873–1962),^[1] daughter of Wilhelm Karl August, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe.

She was a first cousin of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. She was named after her paternal aunt Princess Helena, Duchess of Albany (1861–1922) who married Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, youngest son of Queen Victoria.

Helena married on 26 October 1921 in Arolsen, Nikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1897–1970),^[1] third child and first son of Frederick Augustus II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg and Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.^[2]

They had nine children:

• Anton-Günther, Duke of Oldenburg (16 January 1923 – 20 September 2014); married Princess Ameli of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, had issue
• Duchess Rixa of Oldenburg (28 March 1924 – 1 April 1939); died unmarried and without issue
• Duke Peter of Oldenburg (7 August 1926 – 18 November 2016); married Princess Gertrude of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, had issue
• Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg (2 February 1928 – 26 January 2016); married Emich, 7th Prince of Leiningen, had issue, including Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen and Andreas, Prince of Leiningen
• Duke Egilmar of Oldenburg (14 October 1934 – 10 May 2013)
• Duke Friedrich August of Oldenburg (11 January 1936 – 9 July 2017); married first Princess Marie Cécile of Prussia, had issue, second Donata Countess of Castell-Rüdenhausen, no issue
• Duchess Altburg of Oldenburg (b. 14 October 1938 - 30 October 2025); married Baron Rüdiger of Erffa, had issue
• Duke Huno of Oldenburg (b. 3 January 1940); married Countess Felicitas-Anita of Schwerin von Krosigk, had two daughters including Beatrix von Storch
• Duke Johann of Oldenburg (b. 3 January 1940 - 5 April 2025); married Ilka Gräfin zu Ortenburg, had issue. His daughter Eilika married Archduke Georg of Austria

She died at the age of 48, her husband married again, two years after her death in 1950 to Anne-Marie von Schutzbar genannt Milchling.^[1]

Following her 1921 marriage, Helene assumed the titular role of Hereditary Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, actively presiding over the regional ceremonial and philanthropic networks of the non-reigning House of Oldenburg. During the interwar era and World War II, she served as the prominent head and patroness of the local Red Cross organizations within the Oldenburg region, financially sponsoring and organizing regional medical facilities, nursing schools, and welfare relief infrastructure for displaced populations.^[3]

During the height of the Allied bombing raids in northern Germany, Helene personally coordinated the evacuation and secure concealment of the Oldenburg grand ducal historical archives and fine art collections, preventing the destruction of the household's cultural heritage. Following the collapse of the German regime in 1945, she acted as a foundational matriarch for her extensive issue, managing the family's domestic stabilization and cooperating with local Lutheran parochial networks to facilitate regional community reconstruction until her death in 1948.^[4]