Elisabeth "Erzsi" of Austria, the red Archduchess

Rudolf's daughter Elisabeth called "Erzsi" was brought up by her mother and grandfather Emperor Franz Josef who whoreshipped her.
Her relationship with her mother became very distant when she married in 1900 Count Elemer Lonyay. Erzsi didn't consider it a proper marriage and felt that her mother betrayed her father. In 1902 she married Prince Otto zu Windisch-Graetz, who was also not suitable for an Archduchess. He was originally engagement to another woman, but Erzsi didn't give up and in the Franz Josef had to command Otto to marry his
granddaughter.
Four children were born from this marriage: Franz Josef (1904-1981), his wife Ghislaine d'Arschot Schoonhoven wrote a biograhpy about her mother in law (Kaiseradler und Rote Nelken),  Ernst Weriand (1905-1952), Rudolf (1907-1939) he died in a motorcar accident and Stephanie *1909 who was most likely the daughter of the Marine Officer Egon Lerch who in action in the Frist World War.
Erzsi was very jealous of other woman and once even shot on one with her pistol, to avoid a scandal the woman was given money.
Like her grandmother the Empress Erzsi liked to travel and Franz Josef did the same as with his wife and gave her money to build/ buy some palace in Austria. Erzsi bought Schloss Schönau which had originally belonged to her uncle Archduke Otto.
In 1924 Erszi and Otto divorced and she met the Austrian Socialist Leopold Petznek. She became a fighter for the Socialists and their cause and was known as the "Red Archduchess". Originally the court granted Erzsi the two elder sons, while the younger son and daughter should live with Otto. But when he came to her home to take the children, Erzsi had invited new friends from the Socialists and told Otto that she would shot herself and the children if he didn't move. Well he did.
Her mother Stephanie wrote her memoirs (I shoudl've been Empress-Memoirs of the last Crownprincess of Austria-Hungary), but Erzsi forbade them to be published, as she felt it a betrayal for her father.
While young Erzsi whoreshipped her children, but was a very unfriendly mother when they became older. Rudoulf was taken out of school and put in a factory. Like when other people he lost all money during the depressions, but Erzsi didn't give him or her other children one cent.
In 1948 Erzsi married Leopold Petznek, who had survived the concentration camp in Dachau. Leopold Petznek died in 1956 and Erzsi in 1963. Her children only got the legal portion while the rest went to the Austrian Government.
There's a book about Erzsi by Friedrich Weissensteiner: Die Rote Erzherzogin, but I think it's only available in German

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

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...

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...

I don´t think you can call her a good mother when she treated her children like that! And I have also heared that her first husband wasn´t the father of her last child! No, she maybe had a fascinating personality (much like her father) but she wasn´t a real sport!

Here is a short bio on Erzsi:

Born on September 2nd 1883, she was the only child of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Princess Stephanie of Belgium. When her father died in January 1889, her grandfather, Emperor Franz Joseph, took over the guardianship of his much beloved granddaughter. At a young age she displayed a strong personality, even stubbornness, as well as an opposition against the court in Vienna.
She was cold and distant towards her mother, especially after she married Count Elemer Lonyay in 1900. On January 23rd 1902 in Vienna, 'Erzsi' married Prince Otto zu Windisch-Graetz, a marriage not befitting her social standing. However, Emperor Franz Joseph very generously assured that she could live in luxury with her husband.
Between 1904 and 1909 four children were born, but the marriage became a very unhappy one. Both Erzsi and Otto flaunted their much-discussed affaires. Only after the death of her grandfather, and the end of the monarchy, was Elisabeth able to obtain a divorce. However, the legal process, started in 1919, was finalized only in 1924 and then a yearlong fight started about the custody of their children. These were kidnapped with police action causing Elisabeth to seek help from the social democrats.
At this time she started to live with the social democratic teacher and politician, Leopold Petzneck, and remained at his side when there were marches and meetings where she was accepted with great respect. In February 1934 Petzneck was arrested and jailed by the Austrian government and, in 1944, sent to the concentration camp in Dachau. Surviving this ordeal, they married on 4 May 1948 in Vienna. In 1956 Leopold Petzneck died and Elisabeth became a reclusive. She suffered from gout and most of the time was wheelchair bound. In her will she left her inheritance to the 'Wiener Gemeinde'.


I had an impression, that she wasn't good mother. When I look at the photos taken with her children she seams very cold and distant to me.

Daniela

Has anyone got a piccie of Elisabeth Marie's second husband Leopold Petznek?