Messages

31

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: The Battenbergs - discussion, pictures

« on: April 07, 2013, 08:22:09 AM »

A while ago I found this picture at Getty. The caption says it's Louis, but it's not. It's Sandro. Am I right?



This one you've probably already seen it, but let's have it here, too. It's from Wikipedia. It's circa 1894 having the original signature of countess von Hartenau. It was a present for Konstantin Stoilov, the godfather of the children. It's located now at the Central State Archive in Sofia.



And these I found at the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek today \Lucky me!\:

32

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: The Battenbergs - discussion, pictures

« on: April 06, 2013, 05:28:36 AM »

156 years since Alexander's birthday \April 5th\. In honour of this LostBulgaria.com has published that picture:

33

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Tzar Boris III of Bulgaria and his family

« on: April 04, 2013, 04:02:31 AM »

Little Boris:



Does anyone have that one in better quality? It's very cute- the children with newborn Nadejda.

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The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: The Battenbergs - discussion, pictures

« on: April 03, 2013, 02:23:32 AM »

I think it was a common knowledge. I've read that Bismark or the kaiser opposed to the marriage with the argument that 'a princess of Prussia will never marry such an ill-bred fellow' or something in the same vein.

If you're interested, here are 2 videos of the Sandro's constant exhibition at the National Museum of Military in Bulgaria.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oYQFlhm0Ow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NvnsYNyEN0

I do have some pictures of him, which I haven't seen posted here, but wouldn't it be better if I post them in his own topic on the Balkan royalty forum?

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The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: The Battenbergs - discussion, pictures

« on: April 02, 2013, 07:13:15 AM »

I do not know for sure. But considering the facts that the translator has said that he used the original manuscript and that countess von Hartenau has donated more than 2, 000 personal  belongings of Alexander to the National Museum Of Military History in Bulgaria during the 1930's, it's very likely to be in Bulgaria.
Anyway, Sandro is not Leo Tolstoy when it comes to writing, he is a soldier and he is very laconic. Most of the entries are: I got up, I was invited to luncheon with grand duke X, then we had to advance to point Y.
There are a couple of interesting moments, if you allow me to share them:
1. He has been shocked by the cruelty of the war \massacres of civilians, etc\;
2. He has been through some bad illness. His regiment has been left to starve for almost 2 days, he has written that he was so hungry that he scavenged the backpack of a dead turkish soldier and ate his stale bread. The translator applies that his death may be a postponed result from the horrible privations during this war. \He died from peritonitis. \
3. This one is very indicative of his character. During his vacations he definitely enjoyed the pleasures of life. He writes something like: “At the evening I went to the opera with X and two gorgeous ladies. After that lady Y allow me to escort her home. I returned home at the morning.” Lucky girl, lol.
4. And there was one very awkward situation,  that made me laugh. It’s not a joke at all. He ….  went to relieve himself in the bushes around the camp, when an angry bull came out of nowhere and started chasing him to the tents with the pants open.  And he has written that, I am not making it up. 

36

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: The Battenbergs - discussion, pictures

« on: April 02, 2013, 01:42:12 AM »

Yes, they are from the diary, which has been published in Bulgarian.

37

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: The Battenbergs - discussion, pictures

« on: April 01, 2013, 06:29:32 AM »

Countess Hartenau with her children:
http://i47.tinypic.com/1zxbcyg.jpg

And this is picture of a page from Sandro's field diary.
http://i45.tinypic.com/2hrn4mb.jpg

38

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Tzar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his family

« on: April 01, 2013, 06:10:15 AM »

Portrait of Ferdinand from S. Radev's book.

http://i49.tinypic.com/2ypjiwj.jpg

The wedding with Marie Louise:

39

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Tzar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his family

« on: March 22, 2013, 03:08:20 AM »

This is litography from the French magazine L'Illustration. It is the quite infamous Tableau vivant "The Apotheosis".
Here is a description from the book Foxy Ferdinand \I have it only in Bulgarian, so it will be a bad traslation attempt\.

On Feb 1888 - Ferdinand's \F\ first birtday as a ruler of Bulgaria \BG\ (27 years old) princess Clementine \C\, his mother, organised a Tableau vivant \living picture\ in the palace. She summoned some of the ladies that her son had affection for, and day after day the rehearsed under her guidance. On the birthday at the palace was given a ball, on which appeared for the first time ambassadors of the countries that have recognized F for BG prince. In the big drawing room was made a stage. The curtain rised and revealed in the center C sitting in a big chair and dressed in white tule with the French fleur-de-lys embroidery and diamonds. She was leaning on white marble column with F's bust.
On the right side of the stage there was a group of 3 ladies in white, red and green gowns - the BG flag. One of the beauties was mrs Petrova |rumoured to be one of F's lovers|. To the left were 2 ladies symbolizing the coat of arms of the Sax-Coburgs. Behind the bust was standing an angel in white clothing and was holding a crown of laurels above his head. That was the incredibly beautiful mrs Beltcheva, a talented poetess, prince's last affair. In the middle was count Andres de Forrass, the new palace marshal, 60 years old bankrupted aristocrat from Savoy. Dressed with magnificent Byzantine robe, with crwon on his head, he symbolyzed the medieval BG kingdom and its csars, his finger pointed the bust and the meaning of that was "the past shows the way of the future". Up to him were the aids of the prince looking fierce and dressed in blue military uniforms, they were representing the BG army. In the legs of C were sitting young boys and girls in Bg folklore costumes from all the regions of BG. They sang the national anthem and the audience exploded in ovations. The prince was very touched, he went to his mother and fell on his knees to kiss her hand.
The picture, called later The Apotheosis, scandalized not only Sofia, but whole Europe

And saved for the very end, this is the original picture:

Pix source stara-sofia.com

40

Nicholas II / Re: Re: Photos of Nicholas II #5

« on: March 22, 2013, 02:21:21 AM »

Here are pics from the visit of prince Boris of Bulgaria to his god father (Nicholas). The caption says that this is the opening ceremony of the Monument King Liberator in Kiev, Aug. 30 1911.

Link