Elisabeth von Lahnstein

Elisabeth von Lahnstein
Martina Servatius as Elisabeth von Lahnstein
Verbotene Liebe character
Portrayed by	Martina Servatius
Duration	1999-
First appearance	Episode 1091 2 August 1999
Spin-off appearances	Die längste Nacht von Königsbrunn
Classification	Present; regular
Profile
Occupation	CEO of Lahnstein Enterprises
Residence	Königsbrunn Castle
Family Ryan Lahnstein Siblings Irene Cornelius † Spouse Unnamed Ryan (widowed) [-199?] Arno Brandner † (divorced) [2001-2007] Johannes von Lahnstein † (widowed) [2007-2008] Ludwig von Lahnstein † (widowed) [2011-2013] Children Nina Ryan Stepchildren Hagen von Lahnstein Sebastian von Lahnstein Helena von Lahnstein Tristan von Lahnstein Rebecca von Lahnstein Grandchildren Lara Cornelius

Elisabeth von Lahnstein (divorced Brandner and widowed Ryan) is a fictional character from the German soap opera Verbotene Liebe, portrayed by Martina Servatius. The character made her first appearance on 2 August 1999. After several guest appearances, Servatius became part of the main cast in March 2000. Elisabeth is considered to be the show's matriarch.

Originally planned as a short-term role, Elisabeth soon becomes the love interest for Arno Brandner. She is introduced as a strong businesswoman who takes over the cosmetic company Ryan Cosmetics after her husband's death. Elisabeth is also the mother of already established character Nina Ryan. She is a person in need of harmony and tries to solve other people's conflicts. Elisabeth marries Arno and becomes a central figure in his family. She raises Arno's nieces Jana and Nico. Another side of Elisabeth is shown when her marriage with Arno gets troubled and she starts an affair with the much younger Luke Esser. Arno and Elisabeth overcome their differences but their marriage is ruined when Elisabeth leaves him for Johannes von Lahnstein. As she becomes Johannes' wife, her life changes entirely. Elisabeth does always feel as much a part of the family as she did of Arno's before. After Johannes is presumed dead after his plane went down over the Atlantic ocean, Elisabeth has to fight for her place within the family and often has to face the vulgarness of her stepson Ansgar. She tries to honor her husband by trying to keep the family together. Later she marries Johannes' older brother Ludwig before losing him as well after he dies on a desert island. Because of the inner fighting in the family, her stepson Hagen forges his father's last will and names Elisabeth as new head of the family, which also makes her the CEO of Lahnstein Enterprises.

Elisabeth is known through her marriages to the patriarchs of the show's major families. All of Elisabeth's husbands have died and only her marriage to Arno Brandner has been divorced several years before his ultimate death. In the spin-off miniseries Die längste Nacht von Königsbrunn, Elisabeth joked around that she has murdered all of her husbands and has a secret affair with the Lahnstein butler Justus. However not much is known about her first husband from whom she inherited the cosmetic company Ryan Cosmetics and who is believed to be the father of her daughter Nina. Elisabeth's marriage with Arno is loving but challenged through Arno's stubbornness. The marriage becomes even more troubled when Elisabeth starts an affair with the much younger Luke Esser who hopes that she might leave Arno for him. Elisabeth eventually decides to stay with Arno and work on their problems. Over time the two start to grow apart and Elisabeth then leaves Arno for Johannes von Lahnstein. Johannes' children don't approve of Elisabeth at first. But over time all become to love her and see her as part of the family accept for Johannes' eldest son Ansgar. Her marriage to Johannes is short lived when he is presumed dead after his plane gets lost from the radar on a way to a business trip. After Johannes' death it becomes her priority to keep the family together. She later falls in love with Johannes' brother Ludwig but has a rival in Maria di Balbi. Ludwig decides to be with Elisabeth which causes Maria to have a nervous breakdown. She even goes as far as threatening to kill herself and Ludwig. Maria doesn't succeed and Ludwig and Elisabeth have a happy marriage for some time. After a boat accident Ludwig and his son Hagen are presumed dead. Hagen later returns and tells Elisabeth that Ludwig has died on a desert island in his arms. Elisabeth moves on with the young and attractive Ben Schöne. Over time she also becomes aware that butler Justus Stiehl has a crush on her on which both never act.