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

Princess Elisa Radziwiłł was born on 28 October 1803 as the fourth of eight children of Prince Antoni Henryk Radziwiłł and Princess Louise of Prussia, a niece of Frederick the Great. Elisa’s siblings were: Wilhelm (born 1797 – died 1870), Ferdinand (born 1798 – died 1827), Louise (born 1799 – died 1808), Bogusław (born 1809 – died 1873), Władysław (born 1811 – died 1831) and Wanda (born 1813 – died 1846). The Radziwiłłs were a Polish noble family.

Elisa was born in Berlin, where her parents owned a city palace on the Wilhelmstraße.

Elisa was known as a wild and unruly child, but she was deeply affected by the death of her sister Louise, who was then nine years old. Louise had caused a valet carrying a kettle with boiling water to stumble, and she was so severely burned by the water that she succumbed to her injuries. After this incident, Elisa became quieter and more sensitive.¹

In 1806, the family, along with the royal court, was forced to flee Berlin as French troops advanced. They settled in Königsberg for the time being, but they were forced to flee from there too. Elisa wrote about the terror they experienced and described, “the sad pilgrimage across the frozen lagoon, crisscrossed by dangerous crevasses, to Memel, where the royal couple found lodging in a simple merchant’s house.”² They were eventually able to return to Berlin but also spent much time in Poznań.

Their neighbour in Berlin, Countess Bernstorff, wrote, “The children were all good, amiable, and exceptionally well-mannered; moreover, the mother shared her influence over them neither with a tutor nor with a governess. Lessons with the various teachers were usually given in opposite corners of the hall, in the middle of which the princess herself, and often the prince as well, were occupied: he with drawing, painting or composing music, the princess most frequently with writing.”³

Thekla von Schobert wrote about the children’s religious education: “Louise Radziwiłł herself gave her daughters religious instruction every morning in prayer service. The sons could not participate, for Princess Louise, as a Hohenzollern, was a devout protestant, and her sons belonged to the Catholic Church. The different religious affiliations did not disturb the peace within the family. The Princess considered the gospel as the foundation upon which human perspectives have built churches in various forms.”⁴

The family also fostered the two children of Louise’s brother, Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, who had died in the Battle of Saalfeld in 1806, from his relationship with Henriette Fromm. They were named Ludwig and Blanche, and Louise cared for them as if they were her own children. Elisa was also close to her foster siblings, and she remained close friends with Blanche even after she married.⁵ Elisa’s brother Wilhelm was a playmate to the future Wilhelm I, German Emperor, as they were the same age.⁶ The future Emperor spent a lot of time at their house, especially after the death of his mother in 1810. The Radziwiłłs had a relatively normal family life, and Louise always addressed him informally. Wilhelm often wrote to Louise and kept this up until Louise’s death in 1836.⁷ Wilhelm later wrote about the time spent at the Radziwiłłs and added, “That she [Elisa] also contributes to the pleasantness of the house, no one will deny.”⁸

Wilhelm developed an affection for Elisa probably in 1817, shortly after her 14th birthday. He wrote, “She had just turned fourteen, so she was really blossoming; her lovely appearance and her gentle, simple nature attracted me immensely. I embraced Elisa with a special feeling. I felt that she was not indifferent to me.”⁹

During the following carnival season in Berlin, Wilhelm was often seen with Elisa. He admitted, “We saw each other often during the winter, sometimes at balls, sometimes at the Princess’s house.”¹⁰ Wilhelm was relentlessly teased for his infatuation with Elisa. He wrote, “From that day on, the petty torments began. Wherever I was with Elisa, there was suspicious coughing and whispering.”¹¹

When he travelled with his sister Charlotte to Russia in 1817, he did not dare to write to Elisa directly. He sent her a necklace, but otherwise all communication went through her mother.¹²

In January 1818, he arrived in Poznań, where Elisa’s father served as Duke-Governor of the Grand Duchy. Wilhelm wrote to his sister, “I entered the hall, where I saw several ladies standing, but in my confusion, I didn’t recognise anyone at first. Suddenly, I recognised Elisa, despite her enormous height. You can imagine my joy!”¹³  Later that evening, he danced a waltz with Elisa.¹⁴ He was reunited with Elisa that autumn when he travelled through Poznań again.¹⁵

At Easter 1820, Elisa was confirmed alongside Blanche von Wildenbruch, her foster sister, in the chapel of the royal palace. This was unusual because it was reserved for princes and princesses. King Frederick William III most likely approved it, and he also attended the confirmation. He also invited her to his opera box that evening.¹⁶ This inevitably led to rumours that the King intended to make Elisa his daughter-in-law. Elisa was delighted by the Prussian court and wrote, “We have been living the high life here for several days.”¹⁷

In the early summer of 1820, both Elisa and her mother began to understand Prince Wilhelm’s interest in Elisa.¹⁸ When Elisa and Wilhelm met at a family gathering in Freienwalde that same year, the relationship truly began. Elisa later wrote, “How happy I was there.”¹⁹

Part two coming soon.

1. Die polnische Prinzessin by Harald Eschenburg p.39
2. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.11
3. Die polnische Prinzessin by Harald Eschenburg p.40
4. Die polnische Prinzessin by Harald Eschenburg p.40-41
5. Die polnische Prinzessin by Harald Eschenburg p.40
6. Die polnische Prinzessin by Harald Eschenburg p.38
7. Die polnische Prinzessin by Harald Eschenburg p.43
8. Elisa Radziwiłł by Bruno Hennig p.5
9. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.22
10. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.22
11. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.23
12. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.26
13. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.27
14. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.27
15. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.28
16. Die polnische Prinzessin by Harald Eschenburg p.41
17. Auf der ganzen Welt nur sie die verbotene Liebe zwischen Prinzessin Elisa Radziwiłł und Wilhelm von Preußen by Dagmar von Gersdorff p.44
18. Elisa Radziwiłł by Bruno Hennig p.5
19. Die polnische Prinzessin by Harald Eschenburg p.64