It is the story of a love that has remained hidden for over 120 years.
This is now revealed through a special glove. Empress Sisi wore this on her right hand on the day she was murdered on September 10, 1898.
Her chamberlain, the Hungarian Count Albert Berzeviczy (1853–1936), had secretly taken the black silk glove from Sisi’s body out of admiration. He lovingly kept it in a wooden frame with her comb and flowers from her coffin.
Count Berzeviczy’s Sisi devotional items: they will be auctioned in Munich on November 25thPhoto: Hermann Historica Munich
These intimate Sisi “relics” are now being offered to a Munich auction house.
Michael Wohlfart (55), curator of the Sisi Museum in Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace, is convinced of the authenticity. “A spectacular piece,” says the Sisi expert enthusiastically.
Romy Schneider in 1957 as Elisabeth with the obligatory gloves. It was the cinema that made Sisi “Sissi”Photo: picture-alliance / KPA
In the frame is a sealed letter from the Chamberlain, in which he confirms that he “pulled the glove off the dead body himself and kept it as a memento”.
“That borders on corpse-busting,” says Wohlfart. “It stands to reason that Sisi is now lying in the coffin with only one glove.”
Warned Sisi of “rabble” in Geneva: Chamberlain Count Albert von Berzeviczy (1853–1936)Photo: mauritius images / Abbus Archive
The auction house Hermann Historica has set a starting price of 12,000 euros. “The piece was offered to us by a member of the Thurn und Taxis company.”
The original owner, Count Berzeviczy, was a close confidante of Sisis and accompanied her on trips. He had expressly warned her about Geneva. The count was one of the few who was allowed to give Sisi an opinion.
Sisi had ignored the advice.
Assassination attempt while walking: September 10, 1898, at noon shortly after 1.30 p.m., the anarchist Luigi Lucheni rushed towards Sisi and rammed a sharp file into her heartPhoto: Print Collector / Getty Images
The right glove played an erotic role
In the Middle Ages, a maiden’s glove was considered a pledge of love for a knight.
“It is possible that this also played a role in Sisi’s century,” says Michael Wohlfart (55) from the Sisi Museum in Vienna. Sisi was right-handed. Count Berzeviczy must have kissed her hand countless times.
Wohlfart: “The breathy kiss was common back then.” Since Sisi perfumed her hair, her right glove must also have smelled of her perfume.
The count had probably tried to preserve a bit of Sisi beyond death.