Ernst Bruck

Ernst Bruck, O.M, 1st Margrave of Arenberg (18 July 1852 - 28 December 1938) was a media tycoon and Chairman of the Osterian Broadcasting Agency from 1930 until 1937. As one of the richest men in the Osterlands, he was regarded as a powerful figure and was often referred to as "The Kingmaker" for his role in the promotion of political candidates.



Early Life
Ernst Alexander Bruck was born in Upper Arenberg, Boon on the 18 July 1852. He was the son of the State Minister for Arenberg, Willem Bruck, and his wife Amalia. His father came from humble origins but managed to retain his role as a State Minister for the Democratic Union until his death in 1896 which provided the family with a substantial income. Bruck had little education and at the age of 19 became a clerk in the offices of The Herald, a popular newspaper in the north of the country. By the age of 25 he had graduated to columnist and in 1896 he was offered the post of Vice Editor in Chief which he accepted.

Media Empire
Just two months after Bruck's appointment as Vice Editor in Chief of the Herald, his father died sparking a by-election in the Arenberg constituency. The Democratic Union asked Ernst to stand despite calls from other parties that it would be inappropriate for a newspaper editor to sit in parliament. The debate raged on, delaying the by election and resulting in a parliamentary debate which led to an Order in Council banning those who owned, co-owned, edited or contributed to national and local newspapers. Robbed of his birthright, Bruck used his substantial inheritance to buy two other newspapers, The Osterian Eagle and The Oster Times, the latter being founded by Bruck in 1902. When the Herald sought investors in 1905, Bruck used his wealth to purchase it becoming owner of three national newspapers. In 1925, he cited his success and reliability in an attempt to obtain exclusive radio news broadcasting rights for a new radio station. This was denied by parliament but in 1930 he was appointed Chairman of the Osterian Broadcasting Agency. Whilst Bruck saw this as a mark of national trust, by taking the position he was forced to sell his newspapers. In 2005 it was revealed that Bruck did so on the understanding that his son Guillaume could succeed him as Chairman which the government agreed to. Bruck served as Chairman until 1937 when he retired at the age of 85.

Lifestyle and Family
Bruck was known for his lavish lifestyle. In 1935 he was created Margrave of Arenberg and awarded the Royal Order of Merit. With an estimated wealth of $85m, he had several large houses with the most famous being the Bruck Mansion built in 1923 and used by the Bruck family until 1997. In 1877, Bruck married Cecilie van Meer (1853 - 1920) with whom he had one son, Guillaume Bruck (1880 - 1954). According to his wishes, Guillaume succeeded his father as Chairman of the OBA but resigned in 1950. Bruck's granddaughter, Emilie Bruck-Nederveen became a reknowned socialite and died in mysterious circumstances giving rise to the Bruck family notoriety. Ernst Bruck died in 1938 and was buried in the grounds of the Bruck Mansion.