princesselisabethofhesse

[princesselisabethofhesse]

On the 1897/1898 Jugendstil desk of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse, we can see a framed photograph of his daughter, Princess Elisabeth of Hesse in 1902.

First photograph: Geschehnisse und Menschen Erinnerungen von Ernst Ludwig von Hessen und bei Rhein by Thomas Aufleger

Second photograph:  Wolfsgarten, 2006.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

Do you have a link to the photo of Elisabeth and Olga sitting on their mothers lap?

Hello!

It comes from the Hessian State Archives. Here goes the link to the full picture:

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1896

THE GENTLEWOMAN. October 3 & 17

Darmstadt, October 3

The Grand Duke and Duchess of Hesse intend to move with their Court from the Jagdschloss Wolfsgarten to the New Palace at Darmstadt, on Tuesday, the 6th int., in order to be there at the arrival of the Tsar and Tsaretsa.

The Grand Duke and Duchess Serge of Russia arrived at Darmstadt from Venice last Wednesday, and went immediately to Wolfsgarten.

The Princess Louis of Battenberg is now at Heiligenberg with their children, and pays frequent visits to the Grand Duke and Duchess.

Little Princess Elizabeth is already talking about her cousin, Grand Duchess Olga, and is delighted that she is soon to have a little companion to play with. Her Grand Ducal Highness is a very pretty, clever child, and remarkably lively.

Darmstadt, October 17

The little Princess Elizabeth of Hesse is delighted with her still smaller cousin, Grand Duchess Olga, and to see the babies playing together is an unfailing source of delight to the two young mothers. Both are very pretty children, and are extremely forward for their age.

(...)

On Tuesday last the Grand Duke and Duchess drove with their Imperial guests to Heiligenberg, where they had tea with the Princess Louis of Battenberg; and the next afternoon was spent at Jagdschloss Wolfsgarten, where they also had tea, and returned in the evening to Darmstadt.

source: the British Newspaper Archive

image: Hessian State Archives, Elisabeth and Olga sit on their mothers' laps and pose in a group picture taken in June 1896.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1900

Letter excerpt from Grand Duchess Victoria Melita to Princess Marie of Romania, regarding her still-born son

June, 1900

Oh Maddy, my life seems to be an endless anguish and this has been its worst blow. One of the things that we used to think could not happen to us. Poor fools that we were... Tell me Maddy, can you realise that I have had a little boy and that he has gone again? A real precious little boy and that he has gone again.

(...)

One morning I sent for Gunst* having had pains all night but I never dreamt it could really be the beginning. But the pains soon become agonising and we sent for Lohlein and at 8 o'clock in the evening only it came at last and oh! Maddy, to read their faces "das es alles sonst gewesen war" (it was all come to nothing).

* Evgenia Günst was a Russian midwife from German origin who had helped and would help in the births of Elisabeth as well as her Russian and Romanian cousins.

source: Royalty Digest Quarterly No. 2 2007. "An enduring mystery. The divorce of Ernie and Ducky" by John Wimbles.

The image belongs to the magazine article.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1899

Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Hesse

Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Hesse by court painter Josefine Swoboda (1861-1924).

Watercolour.

At present, this portrait belongs to the House of Hesse and is kept in Darmstadt.

It was probably made in Summer 1899, while Elisabeth stayed with her parents at Windsor visiting Queen Victoria. Apparently Swoboda made more than one copy of the same portrait. In fact, the copy made for Queen Victoria is housed in the Print Room at Windsor Castle, where it can be seen by appointment:

sources: first portrait, Thomas Aufleger’s latest book “Geschehnisse und Menschen. Erinnerungen von Ernst Ludwig von Hessen und bei Rhein”. ©Hessian State Archive; second portrait, Royal Collection Trust.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

Antique embossed postcard from 1901, depicting Princess Elisabeth of Hesse in Hessian traditional costume.

source: my collection

[princesselisabethofhesse]

Princess Elisabeth of Hesse with her maternal grandmother, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia in 1895.

source: British Newspaper Archive. Crossing fingers to find a good quality version of this image.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Note from Princess Irene of Hesse to her brother, Ernst Ludwig

Kiel, 30 December, 1903

The lovely pendant broach [sic] I wear so much and [it] always brings back the sweet memory and at the same time the grief you suffer - it expresses so beautifully the lovely star she was in your life and what she will ever remain for you, near you and round you, although hidden from sight. It is another link with that mysterious life we long to comprehend and prepare for aright - the reason and accomplishement of our life on earth. God found her ripe for these he loved her well and wanted her nearer to him. 

source:  kindly shared with me by Thomas Aufleger from the Hessian State Archives. Thank you Thomas!

According to Thomas, the brooch could probably be the one Irene is wearing in the following photograph, taken in Wolfsgarten in summer 1904.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

Cabinet photograph depicting Princess Elisabeth of Hesse in about 1901 by Hugho Thiele.

+ Enhanced close-up:

source: my collection. Please, Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr... users, DON'T REMOVE the watermarks. Thank you.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

Princess Elisabeth of Hesse standing between her father, Ernst Ludwig, and her aunt, Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna. She poses with her paternal aunts and cousins. Photograph taken in Kiel (Germany) in Christmas 1902.

source: Mountbatten, eight years in pictures

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1895

GENTLEWOMAN

Coburg, December 7

The Dowager Duchess of Coburg celebrated her birthday yesterday, when she completed her seventy-fifth years. (...)

The little Princess Elizabeth of Hesse is a great delight to her grandmother and youthful aunts. Her Grand Ducal Highness is a decidedly pretty baby, with a fair, clear complexion, blue eyes and a good deal of pretty hair for her infant years.

source: britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Watercolour of a tie-pin from Tsar Nicholas II’s personal jewelry album:

Tie-pin with white enamelled double initials E of angular shape (Elisabeth’s monogram?) decorated with a central diamond. This was given to Tsar Nicholas II by his brother-in-law, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig at Christmas 1903. The initial E is that of Princess Elisabeth of Hesse, who had died of typhoid at the early age of eight years at Skierniewice near the Imperial hunting lodge in Poland in of November that year.

Detail of the page where the tie-pin appears:

N 253. From Ernie. Christmas.

It is interesting to note that the same tie-pin appears in the private jewellery book of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig, still kept in the archive at Wolfsgarten, formerly the Grand Ducal summer residence. This is similar to the Tsar’s album filled with watercolour designs but dates from a later period, probably around 1925. Here the note to the tie-pin records: “Geschenk der Grossfürstin Elisabeth, 5. Dezember 1903, zur Erinnerung an Prinzessin Elisabeth” (Present from Grand Duchess Elisabeth, 5 December 1903, in memory of Princess Elisabeth).

In order to remember a dear person who had died memorial jewellery was made, usually with black decoration in stone or enamel similar to mourning jewellery.

source: The Jewel Album of Tsar Nicholas II

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Margaret Eagar’s memories

My children talked much of cousin Ella and how God had taken her spirit, and they understood that later God would take her body also to heaven. On Christmas morning when Olga awoke, she exclaimed at once, “Did God send for cousin Ella’s body in the night?” I felt startled at such a question on Christmas morning, but answered, “Oh no, dear, not yet.” She was greatly disappointed, and said, “I thought He would have sent for her to keep Christmas with Him.”

source: Six years at the Russian Court by Margaret Eagar

image: Christmas tree on the nursery at the Alexander Palace, circa 1907.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1896

Fabergé column picture frame

Fabergé, 1896 Gold, bowenite Height: 13.3 cm. Width: 5.6 cm. With a written dedication on original box: “For Darling Ernie from Nicky + Alix Xmas 1896.” Master: Fabergé; Workmaster: Michael Perchin. Saint Petersburg before 1899, 56 Zolotnik.

Bowenite column on a gold base with braided ribbon and stylized acanthus. Two crossed Thyrsus wands and two crossed arrows with a laurel wreath are applied to the column.

The frame is made of sliced gold with a ribbon and a torch on top. The oval photograph depicts Princess Elisabeth (1895-1903), daughter of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig.

The photograph (taken in 1902) must have been changed years later the frame was given, because Princess Elisabeth was only a year old in 1896 Christmas. Elisabeth’s father probably reused  the frame after his daughter’s early death.

source: Fabergé – Geschenke der Zarenfamilie

Original text in German translated and adapted by me.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

Cabinet photograph depicting Princess Elisabeth of Hesse in 1895 by Hugo Thiele.

source: latest addition to my collection. This one made me extremely happy, since photos of baby Elisabeth are very scarce.

Please, Flickr, Pinterest, Facebook... users, don't remove the watermark. Thank you!

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1905

Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Hesse (1895-1903)

Posthumous portrait depicting Princess Elisabeth of Hesse in 1902. 

Painted by German painter Hans Weyl (1863-1916) in 1905.

source: unknown.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL

November 20, 1903

BERLIN, Nov. 20.– Sinister rumours came from Skiernewice, Poland, accounting for the sudden death of little Princess Elizabeth of Hesse, niece of the Czarina of Russia, at the moment of a family reunion. The little Princess and her father were guests at Skiernewice of the Czar and Czarina, and it is now said that an attempt was made to poison the whole royal party.

The Princess was the only victim, although the Czarina was made very ill and the Czar was more or less affected by the poison. There was some wonder that the Czar and Czarina did not attend the funeral of their niece, but it is now explained that they were too ill to be present.

The accounts given of the illness of the Princess tally with the suggestions of poison, but not with that of typhoid fever, which was latterly announced as the cause of death.

It had been said by the physicians that the symptoms resembled cholera, and later the official statement was amended to appear that the Princess had died of a particularly malignant attack of typhoid fever.

The Grand Duchess of Coburg, mother of the divorced Grand Duchess of Hesse and of the Czarina, is using all her influence to utilise the present sad event to bring about a reconciliation between her daughter and the Grand Duke of Hesse.

Her efforts have availed nothing so far, since the mother of the dead Princess is said to be too deeply in love with the Grand Duke Cyril of Russia, her cousin, who may some time mount the throne of Russia, to accept any possible overtures from her former husband.

This was evident at the funeral when the divorced pair touched hands across the coffin of their child and then went apart as before the affliction that had brought them face to face for the first time in three years.

source: chroniclingamerica.loc.gov