Gabriela von Habsburg
Encyclopedia
Gabriela von Habsburg, (born 14 October 1956), also known as Archduchess Gabriela of Austria, is the Ambassador of Georgia
to Germany
since 2009. She is best known as the granddaughter of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria. Ambassador von Habsburg is also a prolific abstract sculptor, working mainly in stainless steel as well as stone-printed lithography
.
, the fourth child of Otto von Habsburg
, the erstwhile crown prince of Austria, and his wife, Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen. She was baptised with the names Gabriela Maria Charlotte Felicitas Elisabeth Antonia. According to her birth certificate, her last name is "of Austria-Hungary" (von Österreich-Ungarn).
She was raised at her parents' home in exile
, Villa Austria, in Pöcking
, Bavaria
. As a result of the Habsburgs' banishment
from Austria, she feels that she grew up deprived of any sense of pride of country, evolving instead a self-concept as a "European". She believes that her dynasty
's role in history
shaped her upbringing, "I grew up in a family where we never spoke about anything at mealtimes except politics," she recalls.
After graduating in 1976, Gabriela von Habsburg studied philosophy for two years at the University of Munich
. From 1978 to 1982, she studied art at the Munich Academy of Arts with Robert Jacobsen
and Eduardo Paolozzi
.
She prefers to no longer use her ancestral title
s as a member of the House of Habsburg: "Princess Imperial and Archduchess
of Austria, Princess Royal of Hungary
and Bohemia
", with the style
of Imperial and Royal Highness
."
, Georgia
while also teaching at the Summer Academy of Arts in Neuburg an der Donau
, Germany until 2005. She found the creativity and cheerfulness of her students in the face of the adversity then prevalent in Georgia inspiring. During her tenure there she was granted Georgian citizenship.. Her five hectare vineyard in Georgia produces wine.
In November 2009, Georgia appointed Gabriela von Habsburg as its ambassador to Germany, and since March 2011 she has maintained a flat in Berlin
. Believing that Georgian history served as a crucible for European culture, she has maintained that the liberalizing reforms of President Mikheil Saakashvili
have been welcome and invigorating for Georgia's people and economy, which has prompted her to work for Georgia's membership in the European Market.
Since March 2010 Gabriela von Habsburg represents Georgia at the International Council of the Austrian Service Abroad
.
d in 1997 and the marriage was annulled
canonically. Gabriela was the only one of her parents' seven children to marry a spouse who had neither a title nor an aristocratic name. They had three children.
By Prof. Mathias Frehner and Prof. Carla Schulz-Hofmann
Bucher GmbH & Co. Druck Verlag Netzwerk; (22. Oktober 2007)
ISBN 978-3-902612-31-1
Gabriela von Habsburg.Skulpturen (German version)
ISBN 978-3-902612-20-5
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
to Germany
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...
since 2009. She is best known as the granddaughter of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria. Ambassador von Habsburg is also a prolific abstract sculptor, working mainly in stainless steel as well as stone-printed lithography
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
.
Upbringing and education
Gabriela von Habsburg was born in LuxembourgLuxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, the fourth child of Otto von Habsburg
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,...
, the erstwhile crown prince of Austria, and his wife, Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen. She was baptised with the names Gabriela Maria Charlotte Felicitas Elisabeth Antonia. According to her birth certificate, her last name is "of Austria-Hungary" (von Österreich-Ungarn).
She was raised at her parents' home in exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
, Villa Austria, in Pöcking
Pöcking
Pöcking is a municipality in the district of Starnberg in Bavaria in Germany. Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, consort of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria-Hungary, grew up here in the Possenhofen Castle as daughter of Duke Max in Bavaria and Princess Ludovika of Bavaria. Otto von Habsburg, Crown...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. As a result of the Habsburgs' banishment
Habsburg Law
The Habsburg Law was a law originally passed by the Constituting National Assembly of German Austria, one of the successor states of dismantled Austria-Hungary, on April 3, 1919, which legally dethroned the House of Habsburg-Lorraine as...
from Austria, she feels that she grew up deprived of any sense of pride of country, evolving instead a self-concept as a "European". She believes that her dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
's role in history
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
shaped her upbringing, "I grew up in a family where we never spoke about anything at mealtimes except politics," she recalls.
After graduating in 1976, Gabriela von Habsburg studied philosophy for two years at the University of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. From 1978 to 1982, she studied art at the Munich Academy of Arts with Robert Jacobsen
Robert Jacobsen
Robert Julius Tommy Jacobsen was a Danish sculptor and painter. The Danish Robert award was named after him.-Biography:...
and Eduardo Paolozzi
Eduardo Paolozzi
Sir Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi, KBE, RA , was a Scottish sculptor and artist. He was a major figure in the international art sphere, while, working on his own interpretation and vision of the world. Paolozzi investigated how we can fit into the modern world to resemble our fragmented civilization...
.
She prefers to no longer use her ancestral title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s as a member of the House of Habsburg: "Princess Imperial and Archduchess
Archduke
The title of Archduke denotes a noble rank above Duke and below King, used only by princes of the Houses of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine....
of Austria, Princess Royal of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
and Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
", with the style
Style (manner of address)
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
of Imperial and Royal Highness
Imperial and Royal Highness
Imperial and Royal Highness is a style possessed by someone who either through birth or marriage holds two individual styles, Imperial Highness and Royal Highness....
."
Career
Since 2001, she has been an art professor at the Academy of Arts of TbilisiTbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
while also teaching at the Summer Academy of Arts in Neuburg an der Donau
Neuburg an der Donau
Neuburg an der Donau, literally Neuburg on the Danube River, is a town which is the capital of the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in the state of Bavaria in Germany.-Divisions:The municipality has 16 divisions:-History:...
, Germany until 2005. She found the creativity and cheerfulness of her students in the face of the adversity then prevalent in Georgia inspiring. During her tenure there she was granted Georgian citizenship.. Her five hectare vineyard in Georgia produces wine.
In November 2009, Georgia appointed Gabriela von Habsburg as its ambassador to Germany, and since March 2011 she has maintained a flat in Berlin
Berlin
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...
. Believing that Georgian history served as a crucible for European culture, she has maintained that the liberalizing reforms of President Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
have been welcome and invigorating for Georgia's people and economy, which has prompted her to work for Georgia's membership in the European Market.
Since March 2010 Gabriela von Habsburg represents Georgia at the International Council of the Austrian Service Abroad
Austrian Service Abroad
Austrian Service Abroad is a non-profit initiative and was founded in 1998 by Andreas Maislinger and Andreas Hörtnagl. Since 2001 Michael Prochazka is part of the managing committee.-General Information:...
.
Some public installations
- 1985 Museum of the State of Tyrolya (Ferdinandeum) , Innsbruck, Austria
- 1990 National Academy of Science, Washington D.C.
- 1994 Voest Alpine MCE, Linz, Austria
- 1994 Achmatowa Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
- 1994 Museion Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
- 1995 Museum for foreign Art, Riga, Latvia
- 1996 Museum Würth, Künzelsau, Germany
- 1997 Municipal Galery of Budapest, Hungary
- 1998 City Museum of Skopje, Macedonia
- 1998 Galeria Murska Sobota, Slovenia
- 2004 Skulpturschweiz Foundation Sculpture park, Luzern, Switzerland
- 2007 Monument of the Rose RevolutionRose RevolutionThe "Revolution of Roses" was a change of power in Georgia in November 2003, which took place after having widespread protests over the disputed parliamentary elections...
in Georgia - 2009 Monument to the Three Powers in the State, at the Georgian Presidential AdministrationPresidential Administration of GeorgiaPresidential Administration of Georgia is the executive body of administration of President of Georgia. The office of the Presidential administration is located on the left bank of the Kura River, in the Avlabari district of Tbilisi, Georgia.-History:...
in GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
Marriage and children
On 30 August 1978, in Pöcking, Bavaria, Gabriela was married civilly and on 5 September 1978 religiously at St. Odile to Christian Meister, a German attorney. They divorceDivorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d in 1997 and the marriage was annulled
Annulment
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place...
canonically. Gabriela was the only one of her parents' seven children to marry a spouse who had neither a title nor an aristocratic name. They had three children.
- Severin Meister, born 9 January 1981 in Starnberg, Bayern, Germany
- Lioba Meister, born 20 Aug 1983 in Starnberg, Bayern, Germany
- Alene Meister, born 7 September 1986
Ancestry
Literature
Gabriela von Habsburg.Sculpture (English version)By Prof. Mathias Frehner and Prof. Carla Schulz-Hofmann
Bucher GmbH & Co. Druck Verlag Netzwerk; (22. Oktober 2007)
ISBN 978-3-902612-31-1
Gabriela von Habsburg.Skulpturen (German version)
ISBN 978-3-902612-20-5