Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria (1922–1993)
Encyclopedia
Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria (31 May 1922 - 6 January 1993) was a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. She was the youngest daughter of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria
, and his wife Zita of Bourbon-Parma
.
to live in Spain. Zita gave birth to Elisabeth in the Royal Palace of El Pardo in Madrid. She was named after Empress Elisabeth
, the wife of Franz Joseph of Austria. Charles had picked the name long in advance, somehow knowing that the baby would be a girl. This new addition to the family had seven older siblings: five brothers (Otto
, Robert
, Felix
, Carl Ludwig
, and Rudolf
) and two sisters (Adelheid
and Charlotte
).
By Alfonso's invitation, they took up residence in Palacio Uribarren at Lekeitio
in the Bay of Biscay. For the next six years Zita settled in Lekeitio, where she got on with the job of raising and educating her children. Their lessons were under a strict regime, with the greatest volume applying to Otto, and decreasing by age, so that Elisabeth had the smallest workload. Their mother loved to have them all photographed in a line by height, with Otto (the tallest) at one end and Elisabeth (the shortest) at the other end. They lived with strained finances, mainly living on income from private property in Austria, income from a vineyard in Johannisberg
, and voluntary collections. Other members of the exiled Habsburg dynasty, however, claimed much of this money, and there were regular petitions for help from former Imperial officials.
In 1929, Elisabeth's family moved to Steenokkerzeel
, a small Belgian town near Brussels. As they had close relatives in Belgium, her oldest siblings chose to attend university there. They were forced to flee however in 1940 when German troops invaded Belgium. They narrowly missed being killed by a direct hit on the castle by German bombers and fled to Zita's brother Prince Xavier's French Castle in Bostz. With the assumption of power by the collaborationist government of Philippe Petain
, the Habsburgs fled to the Spanish border, reaching it on 18 May. They moved on to Portugal where the U.S.
Government granted the family exit visas on 9 July. After a perilous journey they arrived in New York
on 27 July, having family in Long Island
and Newark, New Jersey
.; at one point, Zita and several of her children lived, as long-term house-guests, in Tuxedo Park, at Suffern, New York.
The Austrian imperial refugees eventually settled in Quebec
, which had the advantage of being French-speaking (the younger children, including Elisabeth, were not yet fluent in English). As they were cut off from all European funds, finances were more stretched than ever. At one stage, their mother was reduced to making salad and spinach
dishes from dandelion leaves. However, all her brothers were active in the war effort. Otto promoted the dynasty's role in a post-war Europe and met regularly with Franklin Roosevelt; Robert was the Habsburg representative in London; Carl Ludwig and Felix joined the United States Army
, serving with several American-raised relatives of the Mauerer line; Rudolf smuggled himself into Austria in the final days of the war to help organize the resistance.
, France
. He was a son of Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein (himself a son of Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein
) and Princess Theresia Maria of Oettingen-Oettingen. He was also a cousin of the reigning Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein
.
They had five children:
Emperor of Austria
The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of...
, and his wife Zita of Bourbon-Parma
Zita of Bourbon-Parma
Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria...
.
Family and early life
Elisabeth was born posthumously on 31 May 1922. Her father, Charles I, deposed since 1918, had fallen ill and died from pneumonia on 1 April 1922. After his death, her pregnant mother Zita was invited by Alfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
to live in Spain. Zita gave birth to Elisabeth in the Royal Palace of El Pardo in Madrid. She was named after Empress Elisabeth
Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
, the wife of Franz Joseph of Austria. Charles had picked the name long in advance, somehow knowing that the baby would be a girl. This new addition to the family had seven older siblings: five brothers (Otto
Otto von Habsburg
Otto von Habsburg , also known by his royal name as Archduke Otto of Austria, was the last Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary from 1916 until the dissolution of the empire in 1918, a realm which comprised modern-day Austria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia,...
, Robert
Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este
Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este, Prince Imperial of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia , was born as the second son of Karl I, last Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and Zita of Bourbon-Parma.-Archduke of Austria-Este:On 16 April 1917, at the age of two, Robert was created Archduke of...
, Felix
Archduke Felix of Austria
Archduke Felix of Austria was the last surviving child of the last Austrian Emperor Charles I and a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine...
, Carl Ludwig
Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria (1918–2007)
Archduke Carl Ludwig Maria Franz Joseph Michael Gabriel Antonius Robert Stephan Pius Gregor Ignatius Markus d'Aviano of Austria, also known as Carl Ludwig Habsburg-Lothringen was...
, and Rudolf
Archduke Rudolf of Austria (b. 1919)
Archduke Rudolf of Austria was the youngest son of Emperor Charles I of Austria and Zita of Bourbon-Parma.-Early life:...
) and two sisters (Adelheid
Archduchess Adelheid of Austria
Archduchess Adelheid of Austria was a member of the Austrian Imperial Family.Adelheid was born in Schloss Hetzendorf, the second child but eldest daughter of the then Archduke Charles of Austria and his wife Zita of Bourbon-Parma...
and Charlotte
Archduchess Charlotte of Austria
Archduchess Charlotte of Austria was a daughter of Emperor Charles I of Austria and his wife Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma. She was also known by the name Charlotte de Bar while a welfare worker in the United States of America from 1943 to 1956....
).
By Alfonso's invitation, they took up residence in Palacio Uribarren at Lekeitio
Lekeitio
Lekeitio is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Basque Country, 53 km northeast from Bilbao. The municipality has 7,293 inhabitants and is one of the most important fishing ports of the Basque coast...
in the Bay of Biscay. For the next six years Zita settled in Lekeitio, where she got on with the job of raising and educating her children. Their lessons were under a strict regime, with the greatest volume applying to Otto, and decreasing by age, so that Elisabeth had the smallest workload. Their mother loved to have them all photographed in a line by height, with Otto (the tallest) at one end and Elisabeth (the shortest) at the other end. They lived with strained finances, mainly living on income from private property in Austria, income from a vineyard in Johannisberg
Johannisberg
Johannisberg is a village in Hessen, Germany. It is part of the city of Geisenheim in the Rheingau, on the right bank of the Rhine, 6 m. S. of Rüdesheim by railway....
, and voluntary collections. Other members of the exiled Habsburg dynasty, however, claimed much of this money, and there were regular petitions for help from former Imperial officials.
In 1929, Elisabeth's family moved to Steenokkerzeel
Steenokkerzeel
Steenokkerzeel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Melsbroek, Perk and Steenokkerzeel proper. On December 31, 2010 Steenokkerzeel had a total population of 11,580. The total area is 23.46 km² which gives a population density...
, a small Belgian town near Brussels. As they had close relatives in Belgium, her oldest siblings chose to attend university there. They were forced to flee however in 1940 when German troops invaded Belgium. They narrowly missed being killed by a direct hit on the castle by German bombers and fled to Zita's brother Prince Xavier's French Castle in Bostz. With the assumption of power by the collaborationist government of Philippe Petain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
, the Habsburgs fled to the Spanish border, reaching it on 18 May. They moved on to Portugal where the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Government granted the family exit visas on 9 July. After a perilous journey they arrived in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on 27 July, having family in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.; at one point, Zita and several of her children lived, as long-term house-guests, in Tuxedo Park, at Suffern, New York.
The Austrian imperial refugees eventually settled in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, which had the advantage of being French-speaking (the younger children, including Elisabeth, were not yet fluent in English). As they were cut off from all European funds, finances were more stretched than ever. At one stage, their mother was reduced to making salad and spinach
Spinach
Spinach is an edible flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm. Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions...
dishes from dandelion leaves. However, all her brothers were active in the war effort. Otto promoted the dynasty's role in a post-war Europe and met regularly with Franklin Roosevelt; Robert was the Habsburg representative in London; Carl Ludwig and Felix joined the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, serving with several American-raised relatives of the Mauerer line; Rudolf smuggled himself into Austria in the final days of the war to help organize the resistance.
Marriage
On 12 September 1949, Elisabeth married Prince Heinrich of Liechtenstein in LignièresLignières, Cher
Lignières is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:An area of lakes, forestry and farming comprising a village and two hamlets situated by the banks of the river Arnon, some southwest of Bourges, at the junction of the D925, D940 and the D65 roads...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was a son of Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein (himself a son of Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein
Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein
Prince Alfred Louis of Liechtenstein was the son of Prince Franz de Paula of Liechtenstein and Countess Julie Potocka , uncle and brother in law of Franz I of Liechtenstein.He was the 1,143rd Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in Austria in 1903.-Marriage and issue:On 26...
) and Princess Theresia Maria of Oettingen-Oettingen. He was also a cousin of the reigning Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein, , was the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein from 1938 until his death...
.
They had five children:
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