Why do the people love Sissi??????

[Greenowl]

Oh yes, Elisabeth was highly intelligent, there is no question about that. Her son Rudolf was very similar in that regard. What both seemed to lack was persistance...when they were confronted with opposition or problems they appeared to give up and retreat. Elisabeth was also stubborn. When her mother-in-law declared that Elisabeth should learn Czech Elisabeth "switched off" completely and never mastered the language (despite private tuition it was said she could not count to three in Czech) no doubt because Sophie was fond of the Czech lands, especially due to their support in 1848. Sophie hated Hungary, so it is no surprise that Elisabeth became passionate about Hungary and later became fluent in the language. Her language skills were certainly not lacking, as she later mastered Greek as well.

I feel a bit sorry for Sophie, as while she was tactless and lacked understanding for Elisabeth, I think she though she was doing her best. She had a very strong sense of duty and could not understand why Elisabeth did not have the same attitude

[Eric_Lowe]

I think they just didn't get along. Sisi later realised that Sophie's motives were not mean spirited. She tended Sophie nite and day during her final illness and did asked for her forgiveness. 

[Greenowl]

While I knew that Elisabeth was present when Sophie passed away I was not aware that she asked for  forgiveness.

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes she did. She rushed to her bedside not wishing to arrive too late. Sophie did make peace with her at the end. 

[Linnie]

I think that the myth of Sissi was "resurrected" after WWII, when Austria needed a new image, after being so closely associated with Nazi Germany. The movies were beautiful, and the actress chosen to portray Sissi perfectly cast. Once people get past the idyllic Sissi of the movies, they are fascinated by a woman who is ten times more interesting than the "poor lonely princess" portrayed in the movies. I do not love Elizabeth of Austria, but I am fascinated with the complex and flawed woman that she was.

[Eric_Lowe]

Sisi was a charming and beautiful woman, a bit like Diana in our day.

[Imperial_Grounds]

Well,

Why are people fascinated with Sisi.

I think, like Diana in our day - our Grace Kelly and Queen Astrid of Belgium, she is admired for her beauty and charm.
And also Royalty is fascinating to all, especialy when the Royal seems to be wrong for the role, or have a different view of Royalty.
Also the tragedy of it all fascinates - Her son commited suicide, during childhood almost all her children were taken away.
She became broken by the way she was treated, and lost too many people to love life, she longed for the freedom of death.

Tragedy is what makes it fascinating.

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed. Instead of cherishing her charming instincts, Archduchess Sofie tried to fashion her niece as an empress of her own idea. They clashed and the children were caught in the cross fire. It really do not need to choose between granny or mother. As a result, Gisela was totally neglected, Rudolf had a love-hate relationship with his mother, and Valerie was seperated from any contact with Sofie as part of Sisi's revenge.

[Linnie]

One can also think that people were and, in some ways, are in love with what she could have been... At first glance, her marriage to Franz-Josef was like a fairy tale, a true love story and a good match. Franz-Josef was dedicated, hard-working. She was beautiful, intelligent and compassionate. In other circumstances, she could have worked to unite the many peoples that constituted the Empire. The Empire was big enough that, instead of traveling the countries outside of Austria-Hungary, she could have spent all this time in "her" countries. She could have been a great Empress if, maybe, she wanted to or if she had been allowed to.

[Eric_Lowe]

Archduchess Sofie tried to snuff out Sisi spontanous charm, which was one of her best feature. The strictness of the court and Franz Josef's "supposed infidelity" (Sisi got some mild form of veneral diease from her husband) pushed her through the edge. She was never the same again...

[Imperial_Grounds]

Indeed, also when Rudolf killed himself she was the one who took the blame. She completely saw it as her fault, for not being there for him - and therefore she tried to connect him in death. Only one day she would not grieve in the rest of her life, the marriage of her youngest Marie-Valerie, and wear gray instead of black. The charming and lovely Empress turned into a distant and broken woman for most people, she was a complete stranger at court, and she became this way because of Archduchess Sophie. Sophie wanted to make Sisi into her views of an Empress, instead of using Sisi's character she tried to break it, and all this made Sisi the woman she became.

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed. The shattering of her youthful dreams made Sisi the woman she became. However Sisi did sense trouble in the begining. She said "I love him (Franz Josef) so much, if only he is not the emperor !".

[Imperial_Grounds]

Indeed - In fact the first video I am doing on her is about that, that she realizes she loves Franz but that something really is overshadowing their love and destiny.

And it did not show to the world public, who only saw the fairytale - Much like Charles and Diana.

[Eric_Lowe]

For Sisi it was a fairy tale too (no Camilla Parker-Bowles lurking behind), but the court intrigue and rules (represented by Archduchess Sofie) soon infotrated into her life. Soon she began to feel like a caged bird. Franz Josef failed her too, but his sporedic sexual adventures and kow-towing to his mother. When it overwhelmed her, all she could think about is to flee...

[Princess Susan]

Archduchess Sofie tried to snuff out Sisi spontanous charm, which was one of her best feature. The strictness of the court and Franz Josef's "supposed infidelity" (Sisi got some mild form of veneral diease from her husband) pushed her through the edge. She was never the same again...

I have read in several book the information, that Franz Josef infected Sisi with some veneral disease too. But this claim have never been comfirmed for sure. Many of authors have serious doubts about that fact.
For example Hans Bankl (author of the book- Die kranken Habsburger) meant, that she was rather under large psychical pressure and upset by gossips (more or less truthful) about Franz's infidelity, then had really veneral infection. By the way, did any symptoms of this disease appear by Franz Joseph himself? At least I have never read anything about it.