Reflective Sundays
The recent scandal involving Prince Victor Emmanual of Italy brought back memories of the story of Princess Mafalda. My first real job was with an Italian textile company (I had a background in Italian, economics AND textile design) and all the Italians were very elegant, worldly, and full of stories. Through them I learned the story of Princess Mafalda, the second daughter of The King of Italy and the aunt of the the aforementioned prince. Against her parents' wishes Mafalda married Prince Philip of Hesse who in the early years of Nazi Germany used his position to act as a go-between for Hitler and Mussolini. Philip's brother was married to the sister of the England's Prince Philip.Hitler came to despise Mafalda as she was not one to hide her distaste of Nazi policies, especially in regard for the Jews, who had always enjoyed fine relations with the Fascist government of Mussolini. As Hitler pressed Mussolini to crack down, Mafalda became more vocal in her opposition, and even her husband began to fall out of favor. In early September 1943 Mafalda made a trip to attend the funeral of her cousin, the King of Bulgaria. While there her father arrested Mussolini and--in return--Gestapo agents arrested her and shipped her off to Buchenwald. She was starved and terribly injured in an allied bombing raid and then denied medical treatment as the final punishment. She died soon afterwards.
One day the Italians at the company I worked for were all excited by a group of visitors and one of them was her son. With all his titles, (Prince of Hesse, Prince of Savoy) he was a very unassuming artist of about 45 who lived in a family home on Lake Como. He showed me photos of his mother's bedroom; nothing had ever been removed since the day she left on the train to her death. Beautiful Art Deco combs and perfume bottles still sat on her beauty table, half-written letters placed in a box, and many photos of her four children. Her clothing was still in closets. It was spooky and touching, and I wondered how much a boy of six (who had been given refuge in The Vatican until U.S. troops took Rome) must have missed his mother.
posted by Alexis du Bois @ 9:36 PM
15 Comments:
So many of the current generation of royals seem oblivious to social issues, it is touching that one died due to her strong sense of right and wrong. A sad tale, proof that a title does not offer much protection.
I always love your little history vignettes. This one was especially touching. So much sadness in this world because of war and power....and for what?
Oh, you own my heart. I love these stories. I love the Royal histories and stories. I'm completely captivated by it all. I remember the Hesse name vividly, very prominent. If it is true of reincarnation and somehow, I often feel I've lieved another life, I feel I knew the Hesse family. My grandmother was Indian and German and her name was Hyder from Heidelburg. Not of a Royal family but affluent in that time.The only Royal blood I may have is long, long ago as the O'Dwyer Clan was stripped of their titals by, who else but the ...
Such a nice presentation of story, mixed with history. I really loved it and crave more Darling. Please do?? Mwah!!
Sotheby's recently did an attic cleaning sale for one of the Hesse families. (there are several) Anyway, probably should have paid more attention...
wow, how beautifuly touching. where the hell am i? is this "the" Mrs. Astor's blog? i must have taken a wrong turn somewhere around boca!
I get sentimental on Sundays as I don't find the excitement I used to. The Past makes me happy in a strange way.
The illusion of a more gracious age?
Mafalda was on her way to Rome after her brother in law, King Boris of Bulgaria's funeral,
but was taken to Germany on the pretext of seeing her husband.
She was taken to Buchenwald. Eleven months later, she was badly burned and her arm injured during an Allied air raid. Left unattended for four days, she died of a hemorraghe after her arm was amputated. The Nazis threw several royals in concentration camps who wouldn't sing their tune, unlike Mafalda, they survived: Princess Antonia of Bavaria (wife of Crown Prince Rupprecht and sister of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg) and her daughter Princess Irmingard (married to her cousin Prince Ludwig of Bavaria)were just two. Hitler hated the Bavarian royal family who openly criticized him; Crown Prince Rupprecht was forced to flee to Italy as a death warrant was issued against him. Antonia subsequently refused to ever set foot in Germany again. Other royals include Princess Irene of Greece, Duchess of Aosta, and her sister-in-law, Princess
Anne d'Orleans, Dowager Duchess of Aosta (and sister of the late Count of Paris). Their children:Amadeo,Margherita(the widow of Archduke Robert of Austria-Este) and Maria Cristina (Princess Casimiro of the Two Sicilies) were also imprisoned with their mothers.
Side note: Mafalda and Philip's marriage were one of the few royal Protestant/Catholic marriages uncommon until the modern age.
Lukee, I need to know you.....
The story of Princess Mafalda has always been saddening for me because it represents the death and destruction that were brought ALL corners of society by the Nazis --- whether one was a Gypsie or a Princess of Italy and the scion of one of Europe's oldest royal houses.
By the way, none of Mafalda's children carry the title of Prince or Princess of Savoy... That title was only transmitted through the male line. All of Mafalda's children are title Prince/Princess and Landgrave/Landgravine of Hesse. Her son, Maurice, is the head of the entire house of Hesse (Hesse and by Rhine and Hesse-Kassel, shorted to Hesse) now upon the extinction of other lines of the house. He is also heir to the briefly lived Kingdom of Finland. If WWI hadn't happened, Maurice would be a King, Grand Duke, Elector, Landgrave and Prince, among other titles.
I'm sure you must have heard the tale that Mafalda was smuggled out of Buchenwald under a false identity and ended up in Egypt. And that a lady in Australia clims to be the daughter of Mafalda & King Farouk, no less.. (Princess Liala Farouk).
Incidentally, take a look at the September issue of Vanity Fair. There is Mafalda's grand daughter
Princess Malfalda of Hesse on the best dressed list.
According to history Adolf Hitler believed my mother Princess Mafalda was working against the Nazis, referring to her as "the blackest carrion in the Italian Royal House". During the war a lot of disastrous events occurred and in my late mother Mafalda's nature she saved many wealthy and local Jewish Italian, or Jewish families from being tortured and sent to the 'gas chambers'. She risked her life and reputation by doing so, and thus has been disgraced by the German Nazi, Hitler.
My mother was an honest and hard working person who sincerely gave unconditional love to those in need. She was a heart of God who should have been rewarded, not shamed upon by saving so many innocent lives
It was claimed that Princess Mafalda was killed in a Nazi concentration camp. However her husband Prince Phillip Hesse and Rudolph Hess, arranged her escape by changing her identity and smuggled her out of Germany to safety.
It has been confirmed that the alleged body of PRINCESS MAFALDA discovered by the American Troops at the end of the war was in fact not Princess Mafalda.
The Vatican holds the evidence of Princess Mafalda's records and acknowledges and confirms H.I.R.H Princess Liala as her daughter, next of kin.
His Holiness Pope John Paul II recieved Princess Mafalda and Princess Liala at the Vatican in the early 1980's.
According to history Adolf Hitler believed my mother Princess Mafalda was working against the Nazis, referring to her as "the blackest carrion in the Italian Royal House". During the war a lot of disastrous events occurred and in my late mother Mafalda's nature she saved many wealthy and local Jewish Italian, or Jewish families from being tortured and sent to the 'gas chambers'. She risked her life and reputation by doing so, and thus has been disgraced by the German Nazi, Hitler.
My mother was an honest and hard working person who sincerely gave unconditional love to those in need. She was a heart of God who should have been rewarded, not shamed upon by saving so many innocent lives
Please can someone lay to rest the stories about the Princess Mafalda escaping her suggested fate at Buchenwald. Do any of her half brothers /sisters acknowledge her? Is there proof that Mafalda and Liala were received by the Pope? Why did Mafalda not live with her other children instead of in Australia? Why was there no state funeral for a Royal Princess ?
Your stories are excellent Mdame but this one proved to be annoying because it brought Liala out of the woodwork again.
Alas, no one can ever lay to rest stories that feed the imagination. Anastasia would be the first to come to mind, but Mafalda, too, is in a world where some can't accept the facts and others capitalize on them. Mafalda certainly did not escape the camp, as surely as Anastasia the basement.
Post a Comment
<< Home