princesselisabethofhesse

[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

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

The evening world

November 21, 1903

BERLIN. Nov 21.–  A well-verified report has just reached here that the death of little Princess Elizabeth of Hesse, which occurred suddenly at Skiwenewice, Poland, was due to poison, and that an attempt was made to poison both the Czar and Czarina at the same time.

The Princess Elizabeth and her father the Grand Duke of Hesse, were the guests of The Czar and Czarina at Skiernewice. Princess Elizabeth died in agony, and, it is said, the Czarina was made very ill, while the Czar was more or less affected by the poison, which is said to have been administered in food sent to the royal table.

The fact that neither the Czar nor Czarina attended the funeral of Princess Elizabeth caused no little comment, but it is now said that they were too ill to do so.

The first statement issued on the death of Princess Elizabeth was that she had died of a particularly malignant attack of typhoid fever.

An attempt has been made hush up the gossip concerning the attempted poisoning, and all mention of the affair has been forbidden in Russia. It is known that a searching investigation is being made.

The Grand Duchess of Coburg, mother of the divorced Grand Duchess of Hesse, has been trying to effect a reconciliation between her daughter and the Grand Duke since the death of Princess Elizabeth. Her efforts have been without effect, however, as it is known that the Grand Duchess of Hesse is deeply in love with the Grand Duke Cyril of Russia. He is her cousin and may some day ascend the throne of Russia.

source: chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

The Minneapolis journal

November 20, 1903

source: chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Letter from Ernst Ludwig to Nicholas II

Darmstadt, 28 November 1903

My Darling Nicky,

Just a few words to tell you how I think of you & bless you for all your love to me. Your dear letter was such a comfort to me & never will it go out of my heart what you have been to me during my misery.

source: I can’t remember the source, but I’m sure it was one of my books.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

DIE WOCHE, 28 November

Newspaper article depicting 2 images from Princess Elisabeth’s of Hesse’s funeral procession. 

Top image & caption:

The funeral procession after leaving the railway station. 

1. Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse. 2. Grand Duke Sergei of Russia. 3. Prince Henry of Prussia. 4. Duke of Saxe-Coburg.

Bottom image & caption:

Arrival of the funeral procession in front of the Mausoleum. 

1. Grand Duchess Victoria Melitta. 2. Prince Eitel Friedrich. 3. Duke of Saxe-Coburg. 4. Regent of Coburg. 5. Prince Andrew of Greece

Funeral celebrations of Princess Elisabeth of Hesse in Darmstadt. – Court photographer Zinsel.

source: latest addition to my collection. Exactly a year ago, I shared a low quality image of this article, kindly shared with me by princessvictoriamelita.tumblr.com. Since then, I had been looking for it non-stop. Finally, I found it and I managed to buy it. These are, for the moment, the only known images of Elisabeth’s parents during her funeral procession. 

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Letter excerpt from Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna to Nicholas II 

November 6th*, Darmstadt

Dear Nicky I’d like to write quick words about  everything what was going on here. At the station in Frankfurt I came along with Ducky – she was together with Marie, Missy and baby Bee; when I was taking her to her carriage she asked if Ernie wished to see her or it would be displeasing too much for him. Her mood was very touching , their meeting was simple and natural. Ducky wished to see her daughter, and the coffin was uncovered. She was left alone with Ernie and asked him in detail about the illness and last minutes of the daughter…It was so very touching when after the end of the service – Ducky kneeled and put her head on the daughter’s coffin, and when she rose we saw that she had taken off her Hessian order and set it on the coffin: a sign that her connection with the country is cut off! She did that simply and naturally…

*The letter was written in November 19 (6th of November in Julian calendar), the day of Elisabeth’s funeral.

source: “Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna and Emperor Nicholas II. 1884-1909". The excerpts were Kindly translated and shared by AP forum member Svetabel.

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1904

Postcard from Irène of Prussia to Alexandra Feodorovna

For Darling Aliky,

In remembrance of the first anniversary of this day*. He bears his sorrow so bravely and it really has broadened and widened his character.

Your lov. sis. Irène

1904 (Wolfsgarten)

*First anniversary of Elisabeth's death.

source: Alexandra Feodorovna diaries and correspondence. Volume III The Young Empress 1895-1905 by George Hawkins

After writing to George Hawkins about this postcard, he confirmed me the back of the postcard looked like this:

photo: my collection

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Meriel Buchanan’s memories

In the autumn of 1903 the Grand Duke took his daughter with him on a visit to Russia, going first to stay with the Emperor and Empress at Belovej, one of the Imperial shooting palaces, intending to go on from there to St. Petersburg. The four young daughters of the Empress were also at Belovej, and there were shooting-parties, excursions, picnics in the forest, games and romps through the big rooms of the Palace, laughter and merriment every evening. Then, early one misty autumn morning, Princess Elizabeth awoke with a start of agony, wide-eyed, panting for breath, burning with fever. When the Grand Duchess Victoria, summoned hastily by telegram, arrived two days later, it was only to stand beside a shadowed, silent bed, where, between masses of tawny golden chrysanthemums, her daughter lay asleep, deaf to her agony of self-reproach, beyond the call of love, or joy, or sorrow.

source: Queen Victoria’s Relations by Meriel Buchanan

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Margaret Eagar’s memories

Skiernewice, November 16th, Monday. 

Presently the two little Grand Duchesses, Marie and Anastasie, began to scream, and I ran into their room; I found them both standing in their beds looking terribly alarmed. They told me there was a strange man in their room who had frightened them. Now the rooms were in a suite, and they could be entered only from the dining-room, or from the second bedroom, and this bedroom in its turn could only be entered from the room in which the little Princess lay ill. It will therefore be seen that no one could have entered their room without our knowledge. The doctor and the little Princess’s own faithful servant-man had been in the dining-room all night. I thought the night-light might have thrown a shadow which frightened the children into thinking there was someone in the room. I therefore changed its position, but still the children were afraid, and said he was hiding over by the curtain. I lit a candle, and taking little Anastasie in my arms, carried her round the room to prove to her that there was absolutely nothing to frighten her. The doctor came in and tried to soothe Marie, but it was useless; she would not be soothed and Anastasie refused to return to bed, so I took her in my arms and sat down to try to comfort her. She buried her face in my neck and clung to me trembling and shaking. I t was dreadful to me to see her in such a fright. The doctor being obliged to go I lighted a candle and left it on a little table close to Marie’s bed, and sat down near it, that I might be beside both children. Marie kept talking about the dreadful person, and starting up in wild horror every now and then. The doctor came in and out, and told me the strange doctor had come and had given the little sufferer an injection of caffeine; her heart seemed stronger and he began to have hope.

When next Marie began to talk about the mysterious stranger I said, “A strange doctor had come to help Dr. H. to make cousin Ella quite well, and perhaps he might have come to the door in mistake, or you might have heard him speak, but there is no one in the room now.”

She assured me that the stranger was not a doctor and had not come through that door at all, and did not speak. Suddenly she stood up and looked at something which I could not see. “Oh!” she said, “he is gone into cousin Ella’s room.” Anastasie sat up on my knee and said, “Oh! poor cousin Ella; poor Princess Elizabeth!”

She fell asleep almost immediately after, but it was some time before I could loosen the clasped arms, and little Marie slept also quietly. As soon as possible I laid her in her little bed and returned to the sick room.

The strange doctor said to me when I entered the room, “The little child is no better.” I asked him what was wrong, and he said, “Paralysis of the heart.” He had given her many injections, both of caffeine and camphor, but to no avail.

We gave her stimulants constantly, and for a little she appeared to improve, and we hoped we might save her.

Suddenly she sat up in her bed, and looked from one to the other of us with wide, frightened eyes. She cried out suddenly, “I’m dying! I’m dying!” Miss W. coaxed her to lie down again.

The child turned to me, and said anxiously, “Send a telegram to mama.” I promised it should be done, and she added, “Immediately.”

We sent upstairs and called the Grand Duke and the Empress, who came down without loss of time. The telegram was sent to Coburg to the mother. Alas! it was too late; when her answer was received the child had already passed away.

We continued to fan the feeble spark of life, but moment by moment it declined. She began to talk to her cousins, and seemed to imagine she was playing with them. She asked for little Anastasie, and I brought the wee thing into the room. The dying eyes rested on her for a moment, and Anastasie said, “Poor cousin Ella! Poor Princess Elizabeth!” I took the baby out of the room.

Miss W. was kneeling beside the bed. The dying child turned and kissed her; another minute and her race was accomplished; the bright young life was ended. There was an autopsy made on the body. A German, and two Polish doctors, with the court doctor, did what was necessary.

They found she had died of suppressed typhoid, was twelve days ill, but it never showed.

She had died in the children’s rooms, and it was thought better to remove them, in order that the necessary fumigation and disinfecting should be carried out. So we left for Tsarskoe Selo that same evening. The Emperor and Empress intended to go to the funeral, but the Empress got cold in the child’s room, and inflammation of the ear set in, so she lay in Skernivitsi for six weeks, and we were in Tsarskoe Selo. It was a sad and gloomy time, the Empress lying ill in Poland, the children and their household in Tsarskoe Selo. Even Christmas was overshadowed, as, though the Emperor and Empress had returned, the latter was laid up with influenza, and the festivities without her were shorn of half their brightness. The Empress was ill till towards the middle of January. 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.

source: Six years at the Russian Court by Margaret Eagar

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Letter excerpt from Nicholas II to Empress Maria Feodorovna describing Elisabeth’s last moments

When I entered her room, I saw them and the nursemaid and all the Hessen people kneeling around the bed. The little girl was lying on her side and with her big eyes looking at the nursemaid’s face – there was hardly any breathing to be heard – everything ended silently and imperceptibly – she died within about half an hour without the slightest suffering. Poor Ernie’s sorrow was at first inexpressible, but he quickly got control of himself and started to comfort the dear nursemaid, who had been with his child since she was born, and who worshipped her. Then he began to feel nausea, and I persuaded him to lie down.   

source: From cradle to crown by Charlotte Zeepvat

image: Hessian State Archive

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Margaret Eagar’s memories

Skiernewice, November 15th, Sunday. One day before Elisabeth’s death.

On Sunday morning Miss W. called out to me that her little one had a sore throat. It was then about half-past seven and she had just awakened. I immediately sent off for the court doctor, and we took her temperature, which was normal, so we thought she might be dressed. She had only began to make her toilette when other symptoms set in, and so she was put to bed again. The doctor came, but the throat was then better. He said it was possible that the change of food might have disagreed with her, but he was not in the least alarmed, and neither were we. I kept my little ones out as much as possible, to keep the nurseries quiet for the ailing little one. At four o'clock I returned from the drive with my little charges. Miss W. looked up quickly and said cheerfully, “Oh! my baby is ever so much better, she has had no return of the sickness for a couple of Hours, and is sleeping quietly.” She then went into the room to the sick child.

I went to the doctor and congratulated him on the improvement in his little patient. “Improvement,” he echoed, “the child is dying of failure of the heart.” I felt stunned for a moment, then utterly incredulous, and reminded him that the child had been ill for hours, and that children run down quickly and recover quite as rapidly. He adhered to his statement that the child’s heart was failing from hour to hour.

I had to tell the Empress and Grand Duke that the child was very ill and weak, and her temperature had risen rapidly till it was 104¼ Fahrenheit. They both came down to see her. Neither of them could see that she was very ill, nor in any danger. The doctor said the danger was from the heart, the beatings of it were hardly perceptible. The Grand Duke felt her pulse and thought it strong enough. They were in and out all through the evening and always thought the doctor and I were needlessly alarmed. So absolutely did they disbelieve in the possibility of any danger to the child that they went to the theatre that night.

After they had gone the doctor exclaimed that he would like a second opinion. I got him to send a message to the Empress, asking if we might send to Warsaw for some one. She sent back word to send a telegram and a special train for the best advice which could be got, but added that she and the child’s father were both perfectly easy and happy about her. We accordingly sent off for a specialist. Before he came the Imperial family returned from the theatre. The Empress and the Grand Duke came in to see the little one, who roused herself and spoke brightly to them. The Empress told me not to be nervous or frightened about the child, that she would be all right in the morning. They went to bed, and the child speedily sank into a semi-stupor. I told Miss Wilson I could not leave her alone with her sufferer but would stay all night with her.

source: Six years at the Russian Court by Margaret Eagar

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Excerpts from Tsar Nicholas II diary entries regarding Elisabeth’s death and aftermath.

Skiernewice, November 15th, Sunday.                                                     Ernie’s daughter got sick, she had a stomachache. Girni said she had “child- cholera”. In the evening she already had a fever of 39.3. The Chertov family was also present at lunch. In the evening there was a small concert and ballet at the theatre. We got home at 12 o’clock.

Skiernewice, November 16th, Monday At night, the little girl felt very bad. The heart function became very weak. Between 9 and 10 o'clock in the morning the girl died without suffering. This sudden death was a terrible blow for us. Our heart was bleeding because of poor Ernie’s suffering. The child he adored was taken from him, and now he remains alone in his terrible loneliness, far from his wife who abandoned him. God protect him in his suffering. It is very sad that all this has happened in Russia! Alix is with a headache and Ernie too. But in the evening he felt better again, he himself wrote telegrams and answered others. At 4 o'clock we sent our children to Tsarskoe with Kogubej and Sonja. 

Skiernewice, November 17, Tuesday We got up late. Ernie was very good, he did a lot of things and thought a lot about his daughter’s nanny and other people’s suffering. He also did a lot of things related to moving the body from the palace to the train. After breakfast we went for a walk together. In the evening the ear doctor came from Warsaw, he said that it would be impossible for Alix to travel in the next few days. We were desperate because it was impossible to accompany Ernie to Darmstadt. 

Skiernewice, November 18th, Wednesday I got up late. In the morning we were downstairs with Ernie several times. The body was already in a silver coffin with a glass cover. Then the coffin lid was closed and the coffin was carried to the other room. At 12 o'clock Uncle Sergei and Aunt Olga came from Moscow. After breakfast we dressed. The pastor said a prayer, then we all carried the coffin out. The sad ceremony was attended by 2 squadrons of my Uhlans and 1 squadron of the Klastitsky Regiment. The Petersburg Guard and the 38th Tobol Regiment formed a trellis to the station. The other squadrons of the Uhlan Regiment stood at the station. Down by the pond, a 3rd Army battery was ready for the salvos. The coffin was carried through the window into the car, where Ernie was. At 2:40 I said goodbye to Ernie. Then I came home for Alix, who felt very lonely.

Image of Nicholas II’s diary entry for November 16th (3rd of November in Julian calendar), the day of Elisabeth’s death.

sources: Notizen zur Ortsgeschichte

[princesselisabethofhesse]

Cabinet photograph depicting Princess Elisabeth of Hesse in 1903, by Hugo Thiele. This photograph is part of a well-known photo-session by Hugo Thiele, in which Elisabeth appears wearing a light bonnet hat and long gloves. However, I have never seen the photograph above before.

source: my collection. 

This is the first of a few cabinet cards I have recently bought. The quality of the photograph is amazing. You can really see the details in the dress and the tights, and you can feel the pearls in her necklace. Thank you again Patricia for this!

[princesselisabethofhesse]

1903

Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Hesse (1895-1903)

Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Hesse by Friedrich August von Kaulbach (1850-1920).

Dated, November 1903.

Pastel on cardboard. Height: 46 cm. Width: 32 cm.

The pastel portrait of Elisabeth was created shortly before her death in November 1903 during a stay of the Munich painter Friedrich August von Kaulbach in Darmstadt. He portrayed the children of the Tsarist couple (Elisabeth’s cousins) on October 30th and Elisabeth on November 6th. He had been a guest in Darmstadt several times since 1892 to portray the princesses there and their children. “He was a well-educated person and unbelievably modest for his fame. People loved him everywhere because of his elegant, quiet manner. But he had a lot of humor, and his caricatures were extremely comical,” Ernst Ludwig described him in his memoirs. Elisabeth’s pastel, which was created shortly before she left for Russia, was apparently only completed after her death, because the painter added a poem by Ludwig Ihland (1787-1862) to the portrait. It is called “On the death of a child” and does not originate from Ferdinand Freiligrath, whom Kaulbach erroneously stated as its author.

The poem can be translated into English as:

“You came You went with silent trace, a fleeting guest in Earth’s Land. Where from ? Where to? All we know is: from God’s hand in God’s hand”.

sources:  Fürsten Kinder, Porträts von 16. bis 21 Jh. im Hause Hessen.