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ELLA: Empress Elisabeth’s Favourite Granddaughter PART 1
Magdalena T. 2015.07.04. 20:17
Empress Elisabeth’s Favourite Granddaughter, Ella
Acknowledgements: To my Dear Friend, Magdalena T. Thank you very much for translating this article from Czech into English.
Part 1
The Birth of an Archduchess
Marie Valerie’s daughter: Elisabeth "Ella"
Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska Marie Karoline Ignatia von Österreich-Toskana
 Born: 27. 1. 1892 in Vienna
Died: 29. 1. 1930 at Syrgenstein Palace
19. 9. 1912 ∞ in Wallsee
Archduchess Marie Valerie‘s first child was born on 27th January in Vienna. She was named after her grandmother, Empress Elisabeth, who was her godmother too. Elisabeth Franziska was born surrounded by dramatic conditions...
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The Birth of an Archduchess
Acknowledgements: To my Dear Friend, Magdalena T. Thank you very much for translating this article from Czech into English.
  Archdutchess Marie Valerie‘s first child was born on 27th January in Vienna. She was named after her grandmother, Empress Elisabeth, who was her godmother too. Elisabeth Franziska was born surrounded by dramatic conditions. In the beginning of January 1892 the Emperor’s family was suffering from serious flu and the whole family was very nervous when Archdutchess Marie Valerie got the contractions four weeks before the expected date of the labour. Her husband was very ill that time so they woke him up only later when his child was already born. Archduke was very angry and blamed the others for not calling him because he also wanted to be there when his child was being born.
(Photo left:Ella is on the right)
Marie Valerie wrote in her diary about this event: „I was hugging Mama tightly and asked her to call Francis.. When the child was here, I wanted my husband. Mama personally went to wake him up and she told him: „You have a daughter.“ Papa was crying by happiness when he came to me few minutes after giving birth. Father’s joy of the birth of his youngest daughter’s child was indescribable touching. He was visiting her daily and he talked about her as a miracle of beauty and also of intelligence!“
 During the baptism ritual there was no parent present. Marie Valerie was not informed about her husband’s health getting worse, but in the end the truth had to be revealed. Achdutchess Valerie got to know the fact when her closest confidantes Cuml (countess Marie Kornis) and Maria (Marie Vécsey-Hajnacske, who had been Marie Valerie’s maid of honour for long time) got ill too, so Valerie was totally left abandoned.
 The young married couple lived isolated for about five weeks because the Archduchess’ husband, Franz Salvator got pleurisy after the flu and Marie Valerie got pneumonia during the childbed, so she could not see her daughter for three weeks. Franz Salvator, who still had phlebitis, was transported to Marie Valerie in a wheelchair.
On 19th April the young couple travelled to recover to Menton in Cap Martin, where the French Empress Eugenie also was living in the retreat. She invited Valerie and Salvator.
The Emperor wrote about the little Elisabeth (who was called „Ella“ after some time): „The little one, who is now in Vienna, is well and she’s a very beautiful and strong child, which makes me very joyful.“
The first child of the Emperor’s youngest daughter, Marie Valerie became Franz Joseph’s favourite sweetheart. Even the Empress liked the little Ella, as opposed to the Bavarian children of her older daughter Gisela. It was her, who wrote about her niece in September 1893, maybe with some jealousy: „Ella’s got all the vices of the famous and spoilt beauty - everyone is lying at her feet. Even mummy allows her to tyrannize her.“
Many notes in Marie Valerie’s diary prove the little Ella wrapped her Imperial grandparents around her finger:
 30. 5. 1892: "Mama is surprisingly very interested in the little one and she was telling me how papa loves and adores his granddaughter.“
28. 7. 1892: "Papa is joyful of our little one, mama admires her.“
21. 9. 1892: "Mama stayed here (in Lichtenegg) by her travel to Gödöllő from eleven to eight o’cock and it’s a long time since I had such a nice day without problems with her. We had dinner in the garden and we were a lot with Elli, who mama is incredibly interested in.“
24. 11. 1892: "Ella was incredibly kind and cuddly towards her grandma, and mama is really caring about her.“
4. 12. 1892: "Papa at last came here to visit us again and he stayed until today evening. His joy of his granddaughter is really touching – he was carrying her on his arm so handily like he had it prepared and exercised and she was very nice and kind towards him.“
16. 4. 1893: "Yesterday and the day before we were happy about daddy’s visit which ended very well. Papa came on Friday noon, he spent the whole afternoon with me and he was caring about Ella. This time she was almost obtrusively cuddly, again and again she wanted to do „hopla“ with him, she was mixing the mash by a little stirring spoon and giving it to him, wanting him to pretend that he eats it. Without any shame she commanded him, once she wanted this, then she wanted that. But I think he liked it.“
 8. 6. 1893: "I experienced two very happy days with mama who was here with us from yesterday noon until today afternoon. Ella was behaving very familiarly towards her, so mama was very joyful of her and she gave her much more attention that I could think was possible. She brought her two little living rabbits and Ella is very happy about them.“
12. 7. 1893: "I was waiting papa at the new station. Ella was behaving very cuddly, she was with him in his office during the diner and she enjoyed the toys which he brought her here.“
22. 11. 1893: "Mama was in very good mood. I find that touching love she feels towards Ella, the way she cares about her is a very good sign.“
25. 12. 1893: "When papa doesn’t work, he’s with children during the whole day and does everything what Ella wants. She commands him: „Grandpa, this; grandpa, that.“
19-21. 2. 1894: "Daddy’s visit… The children are his biggest joy – he even was wallowing on the ground just because Ella wanted that.“
Reading these notes from Marie Valerie’s diary, we can imagine very well how much the Emperor and the Empress beloved the little Ella.
To be continued...
Sources:
The text of the article is translated from Czech into English:
"Kaiserin Elisabeth und ihre Töchter"
"Marie Valerie von Österreich - Das Tagebuch der Lieblingstochter von Kaiserin Elisabeth"
fotografie Maria Thann z http://www.royaltyguide.nl
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