Ellen Franz
Encyclopedia
Ellen Franz was a German
pianist and actress.
. According to Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt
, Ellen Franz made her first appearance in the Hoftheater of Meiningen
in 1867.
in the Villa Feodora in Bad Liebenstein
. Because of her bourgeois origin, the Duke ennobled her shortly before their marriage with the new name Helene, Freifrau of Heldburg, which she carried henceforth. This morganatic marriage
annoyed the German Emperor Wilhelm II so much that he decided not visit the Schloss Altenstein
after his reconstruction in 1889 by work of Georg II because of his aversion towards Helene.
, the "Meiningen Principles" (Meininger Prinzipien) a profund theater reform and made the world-famous Meiningen Ensemble
(Meininger Hoftheater). Besides, Helene performed big changes in the dramaturgy and was responsible for commitment and cast decisions and the education of young students. Her husband Georg II led together with Chronegk the direction and formed appropriate sceneries and costumes.
After the death of her husband in 1914, Helene retired to her countryseat, the Veste Heldburg, where she died nine years later, aged eighty-three. She was buried near the Duke Georg II in a common grave arrangement on the Meininger Park Churchyard (Meininger Parkfriedhof).
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
pianist and actress.
Early life
She was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. According to Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt
Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt
Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt was a German author.Bodenstedt was born at Peine, in the Kingdom of Hanover. He studied in Göttingen, Munich and Berlin....
, Ellen Franz made her first appearance in the Hoftheater of Meiningen
Meiningen
Meiningen is a town in Germany - located in the southern part of the state of Thuringia and is the district seat of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is situated on the river Werra....
in 1867.
Marriage
On 18 March 1873 she married—as his third wife—Duke Georg II of Saxe-MeiningenGeorg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen , was the penultimate Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, reigning from 1866 to 1914.-Family and early life:...
in the Villa Feodora in Bad Liebenstein
Bad Liebenstein
Bad Liebenstein is the oldest spa town in Thuringia . It is situated 9 km east of Bad Salzungen, and 18 km south of Eisenach.A part of Bad Liebenstein is Altenstein, the summer residence of the dukes of Meiningen....
. Because of her bourgeois origin, the Duke ennobled her shortly before their marriage with the new name Helene, Freifrau of Heldburg, which she carried henceforth. This morganatic marriage
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
annoyed the German Emperor Wilhelm II so much that he decided not visit the Schloss Altenstein
Altenstein
Schloss Altenstein, in Germany, is a palace upon a rocky mountain in Saxe-Meiningen, on the south-western slope of the Thuringian Forest, not far from Eisenach. It was the summer residence of the Dukes of Meiningen, and is surrounded by a 160 hectares noble park, which contains, among other...
after his reconstruction in 1889 by work of Georg II because of his aversion towards Helene.
Development of Meiningen Theatre
The Duke and she designed, together with the Director Ludwig ChronegkLudwig Chronegk
Ludwig Chronegk was a German actor and director. He headed the Meiningen Ensemble and reformed the Regietheater.- Life :...
, the "Meiningen Principles" (Meininger Prinzipien) a profund theater reform and made the world-famous Meiningen Ensemble
Meiningen Ensemble
The Meiningen Ensemble, also known as the Meiningen Company, was the court theatre of the German state of Saxe-Meiningen, led by Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Its principal director was Ludwig Chronegk...
(Meininger Hoftheater). Besides, Helene performed big changes in the dramaturgy and was responsible for commitment and cast decisions and the education of young students. Her husband Georg II led together with Chronegk the direction and formed appropriate sceneries and costumes.
After the death of her husband in 1914, Helene retired to her countryseat, the Veste Heldburg, where she died nine years later, aged eighty-three. She was buried near the Duke Georg II in a common grave arrangement on the Meininger Park Churchyard (Meininger Parkfriedhof).