The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – Therese of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Standing alone in the world (Part seven)

Read part six here.

Therese wanted to make sure her other children were cared for as well. Therese corresponded constantly with Countess von Lerchenfeld, who had adopted Amalie. The Countess was trying to have Amalie’s last name changed to von Lerchenfeld for her future prospects, and this was granted without the right to use the coat of arms. Amalie married Baron Alexander von Krüdener in 1827. Therese travelled to Frankfurt to meet with Charlotte Bunsen, at whose school the other three children were studying. A name was considered for them as well to preserve their noble birth as much as possible. Charlotte requested the name von Straka and told the Grand Duke of Hesse that the children belonged to even higher nobility than the one she was requesting. The request was thus granted. In 1829, Elisabetha married “a good man” named Friedrich Gutermann, who ran a private school in Frankfurt. Louise married Dr. Konrad Schwenck, a philologist and high school teacher.¹

Her younger legitimate son, Frederick William, suffered a terrible accident in 1825. He had gone hunting and slipped into a rock crevice, suffering severe injuries to his abdomen. He returned to the castle without telling anyone, and later in the afternoon, he took Therese for a walk. Then he suddenly collapsed, and doctors were unable to save him. Therese nursed him for several days, but he died on 7 September 1825. He was only 20 years old. A devastated Therese wrote, “Oh God! How many beautiful ideas, how many beautiful hopes have gone to the grave with him?”²

Sophia, her problem child, was still unmarried at the age of 25, but in 1827, she finally made a good match. His name was Duke Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg, and they were married on 17 April 1827. Therese was delighted, but the marriage did not turn out well. The couple went on to have one son together and separated soon after. Sophia fled back home to live with her mother. She and her husband were officially divorced in 1835. The same year as Sophia’s wedding, Karl Alexander suffered a stroke during a hunt. He was brought back to the castle and cared for by their son, Maximilian. On 17 July 1827, Karl Alexander died. Therese later wrote, “Truly, Max is an angel to me, and the hope and desire to still be something to this noble son lifts me up somewhat. The feeling of standing alone in the world and no longer having a real purpose in life is a terrible feeling.”³

Maximilian had been in conflict with his parents over his choice of bride. Her name was Wilhelmine of Dörnberg, and she was not considered to be of equal rank. Therese began to obsess over the belief that Wilhelmine would bring ruin to the House of Thurn and Taxis. When she sent him on an extended trip, hoping to change his mind, he wrote to her that he would willingly hand things over to the other branch of the family. Therese then began to see how unhappy he truly was. She considered giving her blessing but decided against it in the end. Maximilian then went against his mother’s wishes and married Wilhelmine on 24 August 1828. Therese was horrified and only managed to call Wilhelmine “Madame” at first.⁴

Their relationship thawed a bit when grandchildren were born. Their first son, born in 1829, died shortly after his birth. A daughter named Therese Mathilde was born in 1830 after a difficult birth, and Therese personally took care of Wilhelmine. Three sons followed: Maximilian Anton Lamoral (born 1831), Egon (born 1832) and Theodor (born 1834). Following the birth of Theodor, Wilhelmine became very ill and never recovered. She died on 14 May 1835 in the arms of her husband. Therese wrote, “The sun has set. My poor Max is to be pitied; I fear he is agonising himself to death.⁵ Every year on the anniversary of Wilhelmine’s death, Therese wrote her son a letter.

As a widow, Therese had a few properties to pick from as her dower house, but Maximilian asked her to stay with him, which she graciously accepted. She had always been on top of the family business, but she promised her son not to meddle, although she would not stop speaking her mind. Her days began to consist of writing letters and focusing on her art and books. In 1834, she made a last visit to Berlin and her sister’s grave. From 1837, she suffered from frequent illnesses. She was “incurably ill, in great pain and had to take opium.”⁶

On 24 January 1839, her beloved son Max remarried to Princess Mathilde Sophie of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Spielberg, and she managed to attend the wedding. In the days after the wedding, Therese became increasingly weaker. Her children, Maximilian, Marie Therese, Sophia and their half-brother Georg, were with her when she died on 12 February 1839 at the age of 65. She was buried in the crypt at St. Emmeram’s Abbey in Regensburg.

1. Therese von Thurn und Taxis by Carolin Philipps p.369
2. Therese von Thurn und Taxis by Carolin Philipps p.371
3. Therese von Thurn und Taxis by Carolin Philipps p.375
4. Therese von Thurn und Taxis by Carolin Philipps p.380
5. Therese von Thurn und Taxis by Carolin Philipps p.381
6. Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.349