Princess Elisa Radziwiłł – The considerations of rank and birth (Part eight)

Read part seven here.

At the start of 1833, the Radziwiłłs were back in Berlin. Her father hosted grand balls, hoping to distract Elisa.¹ Elisa appreciated his efforts, but on 29 January she wrote, “How gladly I would have gone to you instead of wandering about here at the ball. It will not be easy for me at all today, although it seems to me there, as everywhere, as if it were all the same what we do, as long as we do it for God’s sake.”²

In March, Elisa had a coughing fit while at dinner with her former fiancé, Wilhelm. He later wrote, “All the Radziwills dined with us in the corner room with Marie. Ewig [Elisa] was as cheerful as I hadn’t seen her in a long time! Yes, for the first time she was friendly and communicative with me. After dinner we were all standing and talking together when Ewig coughed twice in succession; nothing unusual at all. But right afterwards she coughed a third and fourth time, and then a mass of blood came up! And much worse than in Ruhberg in the summer! We wanted to take her to the chaise longue in the study, but from violent expectoration every 5 to 6 paces, she was so exhausted that she only made it as far as the yellow room, where she grabbed a chair and sat down. We all stood there as if struck by lightning!”³ After being examined by a doctor, Elisa was carried to her carriage and then to her bed. Wilhelm asks the royal physician, Professor Hufeland, to attend to Elisa.

A week after the incident, her mother wrote, “Elisa sends her love and tells me that she has been feeling calmer and better for the past 24 hours. You may have heard that on the 20th, during a dinner at Prince Wilhelm’s, which I wasn’t at (since I don’t go out), she was completely well. Before that, she coughed while laughing, and then a significant amount of blood was coughed up. Bloodletting and the usual remedies had the desired effect, but on the 6th day, after nervous agitation, there was another episode of coughing up blood, although not as violent as the first time. 24 hours later, while she was fearful of it again and had bloodworms applied, there was a third episode, but again weaker! Meanwhile, she had bloodletting done again on her foot yesterday. The night was now peaceful, and 41 hours have passed, just as we could have wished. She is completely fever-free. God has wonderfully strengthened me. I can care for my child and show her a calm face. He will continue to help us.”⁴

On 7 April 1833, Elisa’s father died unexpectedly. He was already sick with influenza when he visited Elisa in her room. He then became feverish, and leeches were applied. Reports on the actual cause of death range from pneumonia to a stroke or even tuberculosis, which also affected Elisa.⁵ Her mother kept the news from her, writing, “Our Elisa is better, and God gives us hope; may He grant her the strength to bear her great misfortune. She knows nothing, is calm, talks, sends, and asks for him incessantly! Oh, it is devastating! God is with me, but often my strength seems to fail me.”⁶ It wasn’t until 12 May that Elisa’s mother finally broke the news to her. She later wrote, “She’s known since yesterday, dear Lulu, and she’s hugging you. She sensed impending misfortune and didn’t feel the strength to bear it. But yesterday, growing suspicious through several things, she asked me so unexpectedly: ‘Is Papa still alive?’ that I lost all composure and burst into tears. It was clear to her now, but God granted her tears. Just like you: she can’t talk much about it; only quiet worry and processing it within herself bring her comfort.”⁷

On 1 June, Elisa was finally allowed to get out of bed.⁸ By September, she was very thin but cheerful and talkative. In October, she celebrated her 30th birthday, but shortly after, she was so weak that she was no longer allowed to write.⁹ After the celebrations for the new year, Elisa had a feverish delirium. By March, it seemed the danger had passed, and she looked better.¹⁰

By summer, troubled by the heat, Elisa’s cough worsened more than ever. The Prussian King offered her the opportunity to move to the secluded Freienwalde Castle, which she gladly accepted. She enjoyed her time there, spending it drawing and taking walks. Wilhelm’s elder brother and his wife visited her, and on 26 September she celebrated the birthday of her sister-in-law, Leontine.¹¹

During the night, she became restless, and her mother sat with her. In the early morning, her mother wrote, “The fever and cough have subsided somewhat, but she is so weak that I must say only this in haste: Don’t come, my child. Rest and quiet are essential for Elisa’s life. Therefore, given your mood and Elisa’s great irritability, your reunion, even for a short time, would not help her; on the contrary, it would harm her. For joy, worry, everything harms her. I didn’t have time to read the letter she wrote to you; otherwise, I would have said immediately: Don’t come; it’s better this way. Everything else is in God’s hands! He governs and knows what serves everyone best. I worship and entrust everything to Him!”¹²

Elisa died that morning around 11 o’clock.¹³ Her mother wrote, “Give no room to despair. You would grieve the transfigured angel. She silently and resignedly bore her cross. She is now happy, far away. Happier than she could be here. She is so well. She lies there, like a marble statue that has conquered the world! – Here a lock of hair, a leaf; later, what she destined for you. With love she thought of you until the end. Short was the struggle. At 6:30 in the morning, on the 27th, I went to bed at her request, because the night had been very restless and frightening, and she thought she was asleep. At 7:30 she had sent for Boaz and Wanda. Only then did the pain of the approaching separation seize me! Oh, Lulu, she was my infinitely beloved child, my most faithful, best friend! Until then I did not believe, not even in this terrible separation. Now she was there! Calmly, infinitely lovingly, she spoke to us, let us pray. It was supposedly at 10:30 that this dear, loving angel stopped breathing. Never was so much clarity and pious gentleness combined. Oh Lulu, the crown of my life is gone.”¹⁴

Wilhelm was only informed the following day, and he was told to keep it to himself, as his sister, the Empress of Russia, was visiting. Two days after her death, Wilhelm arrived at Freienwalde Castle.¹⁵ As he left, Elisa’s mother handed him the New Testament adorned with Elisa’s lapis lazuli cross.¹⁶

Elisa was buried in the Antonin family crypt with her family.¹⁷

1. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.253
2. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.254
3. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.256-257
4. Elisa Radziwill edited by Bruno Hennig p.281-282
5. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.259
6. Elisa Radziwill edited by Bruno Hennig p.284
7. Elisa Radziwill edited by Bruno Hennig p.284
8. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.261
9. Elisa Radziwill edited by Bruno Hennig p.289
10. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.262
11. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.262
12. Elisa Radziwill edited by Bruno Hennig p.293
13. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.264
14. Elisa Radziwill edited by Bruno Hennig p.293-294
15. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.264
16. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.265
17. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.267