Eugen Ketterl ..................the trusty valet of FJ

 

The emperor as only one person saw him: the valet de chambre and the human sides of the monarch


Eugen Ketterl was Franz Joseph's last Kammerdiener (valet de chambre). His memoirs, which he wrote after the end of the monarchy, supply interesting insights and quirky anecdotes from the Emperor's everyday life. Ketterl shows the old Emperor and his world bathed in a golden light, viewed through the keyhole.

As for the suit, I have to do what Ketterl says; he understands better than I what goes together.
Franz Joseph to Katharina Schratt concerning the expert dictates of his valet de chambre on matters of fashion.
The Emperor was very benevolent to all of us and uniquely polite. He never gave orders, he always asked for a service and expressed his thanks when, for instance, he was passed a glass of water.
Ketterl on how Franz Joseph behaved towards his staff
Ketterl began his career in imperial service as a waiter at the Court table. In 1894, he was appointed to the imperial chamber where, as valet de chambre, he looked after the elderly Franz Joseph’s everyday needs until the time of his death.

The chamber, of which Ketterl was the head, formed the personal household of the emperor. The chamber staff, who numbered 14, saw to Franz Joseph’s personal needs, from ironing laundry to emptying his chamber pot. Besides Ketterl, there were two other valets de chambre, who worked in rotation. Two doorkeepers controlled access to the private rooms, four Büchsenspanner (strictly speaking, attendants who accompanied the Emperor while hunting, and whose duty it was to carry, load and cock his gun) were engaged to provide personal assistance, and two servants and three chambermaids undertook household tasks.

Like that of the emperor, the valet de chambre’s day began very early. At 3.30 am, Ketterl woke the Emperor with the words: ‘Leg mich zu Füßen Eurer Majestät, guten Morgen!’ (‘I fall at your feet, Your Majesty, good morning!’), and assisted the emperor in getting dressed. At 5.00 am, he served breakfast. While the Emperor then dealt with his papers, Ketterl attended to His Majesty’s wardrobe. At 9.00 am, the day’s audiences and meetings with officials began, interrupted by lunch, which Ketterl had to serve at the emperor’s desk. In the evening, the valet de chambre prepared the Emperor’s wardrobe for receptions. When the Emperor went to bed, he helped him with his evening ablutions.

As for the Emperor’s personal lifestyle, Ketterl stresses his modest needs. His household effects were of the robust, utilitarian sort, the technical equipment outdated, and there were no modern facilities installed. He had a predilection for uniforms, but paid little attention to elegant civilian dress, and so the imperial wardrobe was extremely modest in scope. Ketterl made a cautious attempt at modernizing the household; the imperial wardrobe was updated and the installation of technical innovations such as a telephone and WC was instigated, although the Emperor took a sceptical view of such changes.

Ketterl also discreetly expressed his view on the weaknesses and human sides of the Emperor, such as his cigar smoking and his association with Katharina Schratt. He describes the growing isolation of the ageing Emperor within the family, but also Franz Joseph’s inner distance from the modern world outside the imperial court, which had become a relic of an age long past.

Martin Mutschlechner

From site : http://www.habsburger.net/en/chapter/emperor-only-one-person-saw-him-valet-de-chambre-and-human-sides-monarch

Personal band to general

 

to commemorate the 180th Anniversary of the birthday of the Emperor Franz Josef (Historical Postcards commemorative)

 

The Imperial Dinner

In good times and bad can not be said that Francis Joseph I of Austria was not an important character in the history of Italy. In South Tyrol, Parcines, we celebrate the birthday with a lavish banquet

by Graziano Capponago del Monte

This year marks the 180th anniversary of the birth of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. The anniversary will be celebrated on August 18 with a big party to call in the museum Bathrooms Egart and the adjacent restaurant which is located in Tel, a fraction Partschinser the top of the Val Venosta, a few kilometers from Merano.

The museum boasts the KuK words, an acronym that stands for "Kaiserlich und Königlich", or "Imperial and Royal" in German and it was the prefix of all the entities that had formed part of the Austro-Hungarian public administration from 1867 to 1918. the museum Imperial-Royal was built by Karl Platino offers a collection of objects and curiosities of the times of Emperor Franz Joseph I and his wife Empress Elizabeth, better known as Sisi that its Merano spent long periods of leave to care with excursions in Venosta, right at the Baths Egart that are an integral part of the building that houses the museum.

Not only imperial life

In addition to Francis Joseph, the museum shows the life of a time in Val Venosta with the Biedermeier kitchen, the objects in the Gothic style or liberty; minerals and fossils found in the area, in earthenware jugs, toys from the early 900's, shoes and clothes, ancient crafts. Inside the museum, there is a mineral spring of the times of the Romans and the tubs that were used in the bathrooms Egart in the Middle Ages. The museum also has an outdoor section, where you can admire art and curiosities, over 400 masks of sandstone, the church of Reconciliation. The whole collection of thousands of antiques and curious exhibits.

The favorite dishes of the Kaiser

During the festival in honor of Francis Joseph will be served at the museum restaurant menu Emperor, composed of his favorite dishes: salad of crayfish; cream with white wine, artichokes, white truffle and saffron flowers; the famous beef goulash, or the tip of the Viennese boiled beef with carrots, turnips, celery, shallots, potatoes and horseradish, served in soup, and for dessert, the typical "Gugelhupf," the Emperor's cake with candied fruit and cream hot chocolate; ice cream Sissi violets and "Kaiserschmarrn" a kind of omelette with raisin and plum jam of which the Emperor was particularly fond. All washed down from Merano Schickenburg, a typical red wine made from the grape Slave Merano. Cheer Schrammeln the evening, small groups of four musicians, usually with accordion, guitar and two violins playing folk music and "Kaiserjäger" Hunters Imperial in their original currency. from the site:

http://www.mondointasca.org/articolo.php?ida=18322

 

Trances of life of Kaiser Franz Josef
 

Franz Joseph has gone down in history as the prototypical ruler of the Habsburg Monarchy, as the benignly smiling ‘grandfather of the empire’. However, there are other views which see him as a soulless bureaucrat who was aware he was leading the empire into the abyss.

‘If one has the whole world against one, without a single friend, there is little chance of success, yet one must fight back as long as possible, do one’s duty to the last, and finally perish with honour.’

Extract from a letter written by Franz Joseph in to his mother 1866
—  quoted from: Schnürer, Franz (ed.): Briefe Kaiser Franz Josephs an seine Mutter, München 1930, p. 357

An anonymous observer from the emperor’s immediate circle (probably Crown Prince Rudolf)

‘Our emperor has not a single friend; neither his character nor his nature permits it. He stands utterly alone on his height; with his servants he speaks about the professional affairs of each individual, yet he anxiously avoids conversation, which is why he knows little about people’s thoughts and feelings, about the views and opinions of the common folk (…) He believes we are now in one of Austria’s happiest epochs; that is what he is told officially. In the newspapers he reads only the passages marked in red, and is thus isolated from every purely human intercourse, from all impartial, truly well-meaning advice.’
— quoted from: Brigitte Hamann (ed.): „Majestät, ich warne Sie“ Geheime und private Schriften, Wien 1979, p. 10

Even during his own lifetime, the emperor became a monument to himself, a relict of a far-off time, an anachronism in the modern world. It is striking that there is no monument to Franz Joseph in Vienna that adequately memorializes his lengthy reign. The rather unremarkable statue of Franz Joseph in the Burggarten was not in fact intended for this site, having originally graced the military cadet school in the Breitensee quarter of Vienna, and was not erected in its present position until 1957.
The classic places to explore the life of Franz Joseph are Schönbrunn Palace and the Imperial Apartments in the Vienna Hofburg, where one can view the rooms occupied by the monarch. Their restrained, rather old-fashioned atmosphere reveals much about the daily life of this famously modest emperor.
The private passions of the emperor constitute the main focus at Bad Ischl in the Salzkammergut in Upper Austria, where the memory of the emperor as holiday-maker is preserved in nostalgic veneration. Still owned by direct descendants of Franz Joseph, the imperial villa showcases the emperor as a private person and passionate sportsman.
Franz Joseph as monarch is encountered all over the former Monarchy on the countless public buildings erected during his long reign. The initials FJ I together with busts and paintings showing the emperor as head of state, grace museums and schools, railway stations and bridges, barracks and administrative buildings, which were often originally named after the monarch but which have now mostly been renamed.
The Vienna Ringstrasse as a whole is seen as a symbol for the latter period of the Monarchy under Franz Joseph. Other memorial sites in Vienna include the Votivkirche, erected in thanks for the survival of the young Franz Joseph in the assassination attempt of 1853, and the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum, now Vienna’s military museum, but originally intended as a temple of fame for the Imperial and Royal Army.


Martin Mutschlechner

From site : http://www.habsburger.net/en/chapter/traces-life-emperor-franz-joseph

snuffbox that belonged to Francis Joseph

drawing made by Francis Joseph as a child

Villa Felicitas : a refuge for Franz Josef

 

Villa Felicitas a refuge for the Emperor

how to continue to make each year Mrs. Schratt will rent for the summer months at Villa Felicitas at Ischl. This modest home, on the road leading to S.Wolfang, is farthest from the imperial villa that the villa in Vienna Gloriettgasse. A Ischl Francis Joseph, resides in the imperial villa that is neither majestic it comfortable, but it is cirocondata by an impressive park .................. Even at Ischl the emperor goes to breakfast by Mrs. Schratt, with the difference that we do not go on foot but on horseback or in a carriage hunting ................... How Gloriettgasse also Felicitas Villa is the destination of many personalities who stay in Ischl: ............. even the king of Siam. At the Villa are also the personalities of art, Johan Strauss ............, An accident is to disturb the summer holiday of 1897 in Ischl. As a result of continuous rains the Traun (the river Ischl) swells .................... The waters of the Traun are pulled behind trees, cabins, shacks and fling with unprecedented violence with the levees that eventually give in and ruin ....................... ........... The waters invade the streets, the beach and the Espalande .................. A Ischl, the situation becomes increasingly dangerous ..................... When the day after Franz Joseph goes to Villa Felicitas for the usual breakfast, informs Mrs. Schratt after the concert to have signed for another 2000 florins. The friend, with a smile, pointed out that the figure is certainly a valuable aid to the injured, but that sums up to that time ............... not even enough pe ri first aid. "Believe ........................ Majesty that money if racoglierebbe egualemente if tonight would not open to the public park and Imperial will give you a concert with the military band? And there was also a buffet with sweets and pastries Zauner? .................... " At first glance, the idea of letting the people in his park, and even in his mansion seems monstrous Emperor ............ but in the end he concludes, "Okay well combined, I agree"


From the book "the Imperattrice" by Joachim von Kurenberg Editions MGS Press...

Honor, Monogram coats of arms of the Kaiser Franz Josef

 

Kasier coronation of Franz Joseph in glory

FRANZ JOSEPH BUT MAYBE IT WAS THE SON OF NAPOLEON?

In compiling this "Storiologia", I browse many books, some of the time, and sometimes he remains perplexed about many things happened and it is repeated as such. But sometimes the doubts become singular also some portraits. Lately dealing with Napoleon, his images and those of the child, they have become so familiar to me, so as to remain fixed in my memoria.Trattando then Franz Joseph of Austria, I was struck by the resemblance to the '"Aiglon," the child Napoleon ("the King of Rome," the "Duke of Reichstadt"). Up to the point where the exchange them for one another. And not just me, because I did the experiment with friends and family, and the result is not in fact cambiato.Se look carefully if it finds that the image of the Duke is revived, precise, nell'arciduca Franz Joseph. Twist of fate!? Destiny or not, at this point I wanted to investigate a little 'more, carefully rileggendomi some biographies on Kaiser. Particularly that of Franz Herre (Rizzoli, 1978), and mainly helpful to me this a few quotes that appear in italics here "inverted commas." Then from images taken a bit 'everywhere, working with a graphics program I wanted to "dabble" to put them close and do some cut and paste and some overlap. The result was singular. Judge for yourself. ----------------------------------------- The unique history On November 4 1824, 22-year-old son of Emperor Franz I, Franz Karl of Austria (1802-1878) married the Bavarian Sofia (1805-1872)., the Court waited in vain for two years the signs of pregnancy. The old emperor was already showing the irritation of a grandfather frustrated and behind the lazy husband we began to wonder if he had not demanded too much from him. Finally in July 1826, Sofia became pregnant, but miscarried. In June 1827 he was again pregnant, but suffered a second disappointment with another abortion. Francis Charles remained unperturbed, Sofia gave torment, whereas the Emperor was thinking with anguish at the end of dinastia.Mai more Francesco I would have imagined that just quell'erede waiting so impatiently - and five years later he would finally arrived - he ruled for so many years, 68 but that dying would have carried with him to the grave the Habsburg monarchy, putting his own end to the old Austria and old Europa.Napoleone died on St. Helena in 1821, but the former Empress Maria Louise, Duchess of Parma since 1815, and with him still alive, had been replaced in the thalamus. First it had been his supervisor, then became her lover, and finally - the year of the death of her husband - she married Count Neipperg. While the son was appointed by Napoleon to his birth "Re di Roma" and designated by his father as heir to the throne under the name of Napoleon II, with his father "on the rocks" oceanic and the restoration of the crowned heads in Europe still remained on the neck , was - aged 13 - was guarded by his maternal grandparents in Vienna, which also changed the name: FRANCESCO GIUSEPPE CARLO (diminutive "Franzchen") and gave him the title of Duke of Reichstadt, "militarily" but guarded by Metternich also fondled by his grandfather: the child was indeed a nephew who was a stranger to the succession, but was still a child loving, intelligent, beautiful, lively and gentile.Molti former Bonapartist generals wrote to Vienna to see the Aiglon. Metternich stopped all, he built an impenetrable wall around the child to relatives, admirers and military. But among the Austrian officers' were not a few who fought on the side and had admired Napoleon, in fact they were even proud to have been at his side, including those who had betrayed him. One day at a party I met a l'Aiglon, one can not avoid being announced its entry into the living room, went to meet him and bowed with great respect but also with some trepidation. It was Marmont, Marshal that Waterloo had delivered the sixth corps of the enemy. Instead, the young man held out his hand to the traitor appalled and also added "I am pleased to greet you in the senior partner of my father.'s Talk about a bit 'of him." They talked all night, in a corner of the room, with him smiling and the other gesticulating as he told, while many, especially some French guests, assuming what they were talking blushed. From that evening, the young man invited to the castle Marmont seventeen times, never tired of listening to him, he wanted to know everything from him, as his father spoke, his actions, his deeds, and the Marshal not talked of nothing but battles won. Never losing streak. It accalorò even when he described the battle of Wangran ".. and then he came here in Vienna, and slept right here at Schonbrunn." Even a dignitary one day spoke of "Bonaparte", but the young man sharply rebuked him, "Do you mean the Emperor Napoleon. " In short, with the desperation of Metternich that boy certainly did not grow as an Austrian archduke. Blood flowed blood corso.L 'ARRIVAL OF SOFIA "Sofia when she had come to Vienna was a little over 18 years. A court found that this kid had thirteen, and she reluctantly was giving a farewell to teens , he found it easier to let go in the company of "Franzchen" as he called it, he had for her a real devotion, and as he grew up became more and more affectionate and gallant. In sharp contrast to her husband, who was not at hand all romantic and certainly not spoiled with cuddles. "When her husband became a member of the State Council with the right to vote, she failed two maternity, worried his first appearance" ... and when he later told me how had happened, I was so excited that I tappai ears not to hear unpleasant things. " Probably her husband as the Council asked him what there was to do in bed with "that girl". Franzchen to 16 years, Sofia - now 22-year-old while living the disappointments of motherhood and was the object in the state, at court and in family , gossip and rudeness, that irritated - the young man 'steals hearts "with such sensitivity had promised to ease his obvious sadness" every day would bring a bunch of flowers from his garden. " Not only kept his promise, but at every meeting daily embraced and covered by baci.Sofia to justify certain other outpourings over increasing the size of the young gallant, one day he confessed, "I scolded because I often grabs too aggressive to kiss me, and I told him that these things are only children and a young man like him. " However - while living his disappointments, it was so good to be desired and adored by the young man. Morning and evening walking with him in the park Schonmbrunn, read poetry, listened to music, went together to the theater, concerts and festivals where he danced with her always, divinely, and then together laughed and thrilled for the things that appealed to both . was 18 years old, with his lieutenant's uniform, the young man was slender, beautiful and attractive, as indeed she was, beautiful and lovable, always courted by many suitors, all ready to console the young bride surrounded by sadness and by ' insensitive and unmoved husband. "During the Carnival of 1929, Franzchen and Sofia did not fail a dance, he left the quadrille and the whirl of the waltz, surrounded by envious glances of the rejected suitors." "So no wonder that the two became the subject of gossip. Indeed, the most evil, as he grew daily more beautiful, but also paler, said that the excessive inclination of love for the beautiful Archduchess, was driving the inexorable consequences of a fiber already predisposed to consumption, and .... the ardent embraces of the woman were ... fatal for him. "She was always happy with it, but not distressed by motherhood, and distressed by the pressure of the court reluctantly" was persuaded by doctors to go in the spring before in Bad to bathe ferruginous, then in the summer - with those of saline Ischl. " And she also Franzchen. "With the first it was said that they were not served anything, with the second a few months later was told that the rooms had benefited and who made the" miracle. "Not for nothing that the result of the sudden" miraculous "conception was - ironically but also by the gossips - then called "the Prince of salt." In fact, back from the bathroom to Schonbrunn, in late November 1829, Sofia is pregnant. Nine months later, August 18, 1830, at 9.45 in the morning the house Habsburg had his heir. At baptism, which took place on August 20 at Schonbrunn, were imposed on small (we do not know who imposed?!) names FRANCESCO GIUSEPPE CARLO (short, Franzi), and it is curious, because they were the same names that had already "Franzchen" the King of Rome. "Franzchen" after the birth of "Franzi", continued to cherish and adore Sofia, and she was saying "It 's nice to watch this young attractive when you hold my arms" Franzi "and play with him. They both have a smile so sweet. "(Maybe that was the sweetness manifesto love of a father?) At the beginning of 1832 they were all back at Schonbrunn, and said, Sofia is happy that the Duke of Reichstadt lived the room right next to her .
"It 's close to my little Franzi, in the room next to the one where I gave birth." Sofia at the end of the same year, she was pregnant again, and July 6, 1832 she gave birth to her second son, Ferdinand Maximilian (which will then meet his tragic fate - shot in Mexico). The month after the birth of Maximilian, July 22, 1832, consumed by tuberculosis died the Duke of Reichstadt Francis Joseph Charles, the son of Napoleone.Fu buried in the Crypt of the Capuchins, next to "grandfather" Francis I, and close to the two was then buried in 1847 his mother Maria Luisa. --------- "Franz Joseph (Austrian), before I read, in three years he learned to do the exercises by a corporal. A four said" my favorite things are the things military "to five years gave him a 'cuirassier's uniform; six years flobert a rifle and began to play the war goes without saying playing the part of the leader. Once, at the head of his companions, with the flag in his hand gave the assault on a small fort in the park of Schonbrunn, then, after having conquered it, with the squad of warriors preceded by drum, marched through the rooms of the castle, to the living room where they waited for the snack. "These things at the same age had made them even Napoleon! We read from the Biography of the course: "His mother furious as his sons - Napoleon - had bought when he was still a child, a drum and a wooden sword, and the child with the first, spent hours playing every gear military, and the second tool is improvised leader. But not having followers, drawing on the walls, rows of soldiers deployed for battle, playing drums, then with the sword started to charge. " From site: http://www.storiologia.it/napoleone1/cronap02.htm

THE GOSSIP IN OLD TIME : WHO IS THE FATHER OF FRANZ JOSEF ?

 

The young Emperor Franz Josef

 


Youth of Franz Joseph Franz Joseph I was born on 18th of August in Vienna in 1830. His parents were Francis Charles of Hapsburg – Lorraine and Sophie Frederica of Bavaria.

 

Franz Charles Joseph, known as archduke of Austria, was the second – born son of Emperor Francis II (1786 - 1835) and his wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily (1772 - 1807).

Sophie Frederica of Bavaria was the second youngest daughter of the Bavarian king, Maxmilian I Joseph (1756 - 1825), and his second wife, Caroline Frederica Vilemine of Baden (1776 - 1841).

Franz Joseph started to study the languages of Hapsburg monarchy already from the age of four. He was consigned to hands of Hungarian baby – sitters not only because of this reason. The studies of imperial children were very strict and there was no place for wildness and bad manners. Not only the mother of Franz Joseph, Sophie, took care of bringing up her son but also a lot of skillful teachers. One of the leading teachers, the Count Henry Bombelles, continued in the traditional ways of education, which were established by Maria Theresa. The others were the Pilgram council (state sciences), the court counsellor Joseph the independent master of Lichtenfels (the crown and civil law), Dr. Moritz Fränzl (statistics and economic policy), the abbot Otmar Rauscher (philosophy and history), Dr. J. Columbus (the ecclesiastical law), Dr. Fick (history), professor Albert Jägel (the history of Tyrol), professor Helm (the Law), the court counsellor Zaleski (Polish language), later colonel of Hauslab (the military history) and already from the year 1847 he studied the practical leading of state affairs under the supervising of  chancellor Metternich (every Sunday).

The young archduke learnt to speak fluently French, Polish, Czech and even Hungarian thanks to his perfect memory, extraordinary ability of comprehension and desire to get knowledge. He enjoyed natural sciences, geography, law and he was really exceptional in drawing, dancing, target shooting and later also in horse riding. In 1843, the army teacher, colonel of Hauslab, prepared a four year long military curriculum for almost thirteen years old Franz Joseph. He took part in army training as almost normal soldier. No wonder that a shy boy grew up into a proud and spirited commander.