Elisabeth "Erzsi" of Austria, the red Archduchess

Hey! I´m very interested in this woman and her life! What is known about her childhood, life at the Austrian court, marriage, children, love affairs, life in the republic, 2nd marriage etc.? I have read she was Franz Joseph´s favourite and most beautful granddaughter, is this true? And if somebody has pics of her...?
One pic I have found

Hi, in "Recollections of a royal governess (ed. 1915)" you'll find many details about her childhood. Also her daughter in law, princess Ghislaine de Windisch-Graetz, wrote a book about her, that's only available in French and German. Kind regards from Belgium, Joseph van Loon.

There´s a new book about Erzsi by F. Weissensteiner out now:

a glamourous Elisabeth Marie

I once went to Hütteldorf, Vienna and visited Elisabeth Marie's grave. She didn't want her name to be on it. Strange and sad, don't you think?



Elisabeth Marie and her son Ernst, called Ernie.



Elisabeth's children Franz Joseph, Ernst (Ernie), Rudolf (Rudi) and Stéphanie (Fée).

Elisabeth as a baby with her parents!

Marc, Rudolf is kind of handsome in your portrait! Thank you for sharing it!
Marie, what do you think may be the reason for Elisabeth not wanting her name put on her grave?

Elisabeth´s first husband, Prince Otto zu Windisch-Graetz

She was quite an original!

Interesting topic! Elisabeth Marie was a fascinating woman!
Emilia: I don´t know that much about her love life, but before and during WWI, she had an affair with Egon Lerch, a submarine captain. I found a pic of him:

Elisabeth actually wasn´t a very good mother. She doted on her children when they were small, but when they grew older, she didn´t treat them well, especially Rudolf, who had to leave school and begin to work in a fabric, because his mother was a professed socialist. Elisabeth and her daughter Stephanie didn´t have a good relationship either. Stephanie married her first husband due to the fact that her mother didn´t like him!

[fabric]

She doted on her children when they were small, but when they grew older, she didn´t treat them well, especially Rudolf, who had to leave school and begin to work in a fabric

What is a "fabric"? Did they need Money?

because his mother was a professed socialist.

So was Lord Louis Mountbatten!  



TampaBay

TampaBay, I think anabel meant "factory". But Elisabeth Marie herself didn't need money of course.

Erzsi was a good mother she fight for her children when otto came and say they are his childs.
Later she didnt want the children near her because her love with otto petznek was young...
Later her son Franz Joseph came often to visit her in vienna(he lived since 1947 in Kenia)and also the other kids.Rudolf dies tragic in a motorad accident 1939 and Ernst Weriand  d. 1953
In the 1920és she took Stephanie (Fee) into a kloster in belgium.
Erzsi dislike her 2 husband Carl Björklund

Erzsi was a good mother she fight for her children when otto came and say they are his childs.

hmmm. This was kind of an horrible event. Otto came to Elisabeth´s place to take the children (only the two smmaller ones, I think) and there were socialists with guns everywhere to stop him as Elisabeth had called for their help against Otto. Otto went home without his children and they were raised by Elisabeth. If this really was good for the children, noone knows...