Historian - Mary Vetsera's biographer. Researching Mayerling, the Baltazzi-Verseras, Crown Prince Rudolf, Empress Zita, the Habsburgs & photography. 👑🇻🇦
I did it. Filmed my interview for the Mayerling episode of Secrets d’Histoire. Exhausted. Happy. Hoping I did Mary and Rudolf justice. Professional photos to follow, but here’s a phone one for now! Thanks for keeping me in your prayers and sending your messages of support.
On this day in 1916…!
I am sure a lot of you are familiar with the famous photos taken by Karl and Zita’s court photographer Heinrich Schuhmann, but here are some that didn’t quite make the cut for official use
📸: Belvedere Wien
Very excited that I now have a job in Kulturvermittlung at the Mozart apartment in Vienna! I’m really passionate about sharing research with the wider public, so this is perfect! But mostly, I am looking forward to the Mozartkugeln making workshop I get to do…
Otto von Habsburg died on this day in 2011. Here is my favourite photo of him, taken by Heinrich Schuhmann. Schuhmann was court photographer to Otto’s parents, Emperor Karl and Empress Zita. He continued to photograph and support the family well into the 1950s.
I am SO beyond happy to say that I got the job! I am now the project editor for “Moriz Nähr - Photographer for Habsburg, Klimt and Wittgenstein” at the Klimt Foundation! Can’t wait to get to work and continue my research on Vienna 1900, Habsburgs and history of photography!
The spirits of Empress Elisabeth ('Sisi') and Crown Prince Rudolf visiting Emperor Franz Joseph in the Kapuzinergruft. From Wiener Bilder, Illustriertes Sonntagsblatt 19 September 1898.
Walk through 🇦🇹 Vienna and you will at some point meet a) a Habsburg and/or b) the wonderful
@lucy_coatman
, very competent in Habsburg matters.
Try it our!
Thank you so much
@scottishballet
for interviewing me for your programme for this incredible production of “The Scandal at Mayerling”! It was an honour!
On this day in 1854, Franz Joseph married Elisabeth (‘Sisi’) in the Augustinerkirche, Vienna. You can see the train of her wedding dress in the Wagenburg, Vienna. (📸 my own)
Those in my Twitter circle know, but very excited to say that I am going to be on the Mayerling episode of Secrets d'Histoire and we are filming in Vienna at the end of this month! I always dreamed of being a historian interviewed for a tv show, and now that dream comes true! 🥰
@Brink_Thinker
I was lucky enough to know my great grandad for 25 years! We really miss him. When I was little, I 100% believed that he was Father Christmas, and told all of my friends at school.
Mary Vetsera and Crown Prince Rudolf’s journey to Mayerling. 🧵
Over the next few days, I shall update this thread with what happened in the lead-up to the Mayerling incident - where the pair were found dead on the 30th January, 1889.
My favourite writer, the incomparable Stefan Zweig took his life on this day in 1942.
“Ich grüsse alle meine Freunde! Mögen sie die Morgenröte noch sehen nach der langen Nacht! Ich, allzu Ungeduldiger, gehe ihnen voraus."
💔
Very happy to say I’ve been accepted into St Andrews for a PhD in Modern History, studying Empress Zita of Austria-Hungary. Now to try and secure funding, which is probably going to be more complicated than getting accepted was!
Friends, please keep me in your prayers for tomorrow - I’m filming for the Mayerling episode of Secrets d’Histoire! I’ve done many interviews before, but this is my first on tv (and it’s such a huge show!). Pray that I will sleep well tonight, and that the right answers will
Walk through 🇦🇹 Vienna and you will at some point meet a) a Habsburg and/or b) the wonderful
@lucy_coatman
, very competent in Habsburg matters.
Try it our!
Pictured: one tired historian returning from the national library (laptop broken) after submitting many deadlines and a Very Important Document re: the book ahead of the New Year. Maybe now I can eat my lunch?
Yesterday I got to speak about Mozart to a really lovely group visiting from a university in America… tonight they invited me to see Die Zauberflöte at the Staatsoper… my heart is so full!!!
Thank you so much to everyone who came to my talk on Mayerling for
@HistoryIndoors
. I’m really overwhelmed by the support and positive feedback! But now I need to recover from almost crying in front of 90+ people when reading out Mary’s farewell notes… wine and a bath it is!
30.1.1889 💔🥀
There is so much that could be said on this anniversary. Yet all there really is to say… is that I hope Mary and Rudolf have finally found peace. Their families too. And that my only other wish is to do them justice through my work.
I’ve made it. Waiters in my stammcafé have known who I am for ages, but know they know exactly what I will order and where I will sit… next stop… my post delivered here?
On this day in 1898, Empress Elisabeth of Austria was assassinated in Geneva by Luigi Lucheni. She was travelling under the pseudonym Countess of Hohenembs, but the news that she was staying at Hotel Beau-Rivage became public knowledge. (Photo: last known of the Empress).
Very excited to be giving a guest talk on the Mayerling incident with
@HistoryIndoors
in February! Will share some juicy new research from my upcoming book on Mary Vetsera 👀 get your tickets here: