The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: Becoming a mother (Part three)

Read part two here.

Augusta did have some difficulty adjusting to life at the Prussian court. However, she certainly wasn’t bored. To her sister-in-law, Louise, she wrote about her daily routine, “English, drawing, and music lessons. I get out of the drive every day; I ride often and also go to the theatre a great deal, especially to French theatres. At midday or in the evening, we are sometimes at one or another of my siblings’ houses, or they come to us.”¹ William was frequently away from Berlin, leaving Augusta alone. She also missed having intellectual conversations.²

When William was away in April 1830, she wrote to him, “Oh dear William, I feel quite lonely without you and feel very much how much I love you. This is my first letter using ‘you’ [she means the informal ‘du’ rather than ‘sie’].³ William’s responses were usually factual accounts, and they contained few personal words.⁴ In June, Augusta met Elisa Radziwiłł, and William feared that the meeting would be quite awkward. However, Augusta approached the situation pragmatically and wanted to learn from Elisa. After the meeting, she wrote, “Everything has happily passed, and a deep friendship has grown out of an acquaintance. She gave me much good advice, and the prince, in his own way, couldn’t express his joy and gratitude for this relationship.”⁵

The relationship between Augusta and William was not a match made in heaven, but in 1831, it did accomplish what it was meant to do. In February 1831, William reported, “The latest news I have to announce is that it seems that Augusta is – oops! – pregnant. For almost three weeks now, she’s been expecting something that hasn’t come.”⁶ Augusta was indeed pregnant, and everything seemed to be progressing as it should. During the summer of 1831, they escaped the cholera epidemic in Berlin while staying at the Marble Palace.⁷

On 18 October 1831, Augusta gave birth to a healthy son in the New Palace. He was given the name Frederick William in honour of his grandfather. He was known as Fritz in the family. Augusta had had a difficult birth, which had lasted over 30 hours. William wrote, “Praised and thanked be God forever! We are the parents of a magnificent son! Imagine our joy when this happiness came to us today at 10.34 a.m. Poor Augusta suffered greatly, very greatly! The first contractions began yesterday at 3 a.m. They were very weak until that afternoon, when the baby’s head could be felt in a good position. Until 1 a.m., the contractions remained very mild and without any success in bringing about the birth. Some labour-inducing agents were then administered, and from 1.00 a.m. onward, proper contractions began.”

Forceps had to be used, and William added, “Her steadfastness in the face of such immense suffering was incomprehensible. Apart from a few cries, she watched the doctor as, with the greatest effort, he could not bring the child out. Finally, it was there, and the first cry was a signal for Augusta and me to fall into each other’s arms, breathing only joy, and she already forgetting her pain!”⁸ Augusta had a recovery ahead of her, but she was happy. She wrote to her sister-in-law, “You know this incomparable role of motherhood. You know that something like this cannot be described. But I must tell you about my gratitude to the Giver of this blessing. Our whole existence has changed since we have had this little angel. William’s joy is truly touching and doubles my own.”⁹

Even Elisa Radziwiłł wrote to congratulate Augusta, “My dear Princess Augusta! It was a wonderful feeling to know you were so happy, to be completely at peace about you, to feel that God was leading you to Himself on such gentle paths, that He wanted to bind you to Himself through happiness. Enjoy it purely and without worry, my dear Augusta!”¹⁰

Augusta threw herself into motherhood and nicknamed her son “Muffi.” When William was away, she wrote, “Muffi’s expression shows intelligence; his great liveliness is delightful and striking.”¹¹ To her family in Weimar, she wrote, “It is a charming child and delights William so much that he occupies himself with it with incredible skill and truly touching tenderness.”¹²

On 27 September 1834, Elisa Radziwiłł died at the age of 31 from tuberculosis. William was devastated by her death, and he kept a picture of her on his desk until his own death.¹³ By 1837, William was writing about “things getting better and better with Augusta every day, so that our relationship is becoming both satisfying and intimate, and true trust exists between us!”¹⁴  He added, “Our little one is growing and thriving, both mentally and physically.”¹⁵  Augusta had a few miscarriages before she gave birth to a daughter on 3 December 1838.¹⁶ She was named Louise, and was nicknamed Wiwi. One of her ladies-in-waiting wrote, “As a mother, she devoted herself to the upbringing of her children with seriousness and zeal.”¹⁷

On 7 June 1840, King Frederick William III of Prussia, Augusta’s father-in-law, died at the age of 69. Her brother-in-law became King Frederick William IV, and William became the heir to the throne. However, it wasn’t certain that William would ever succeed to the throne, as he was not known to be particularly robust. Nevertheless, their new positions came with new duties and responsiblities.¹⁸ On the day of the late King’s funeral, William was given the title Prince of Prussia, and he was created Governor of Pomerania and Commander in Chief of the Prussian Infantry.¹⁹

Part four coming soon.

1. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.78
2. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.80
3. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.82
4. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.82
5. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.84
6. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.88-89
7. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.89
8. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.90
9. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.91
10. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.91-92
11. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.92
12. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.92
13. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.93
14. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.107
15. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.108
16. The first German Empress by John Van Der Kiste p.25
17. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.108
18. Augusta by Karin Feuerstein-Praßer p.112
19. The first German Empress by John Van Der Kiste p.26