Direct Family

Mami's last years

When Paps died in 1988, he provided practically nothing for Mammi's future well-being.  She inherited CHF573,000 and became the income recipient of a small Woerishoffer Trust (about $250,000).

The real shame, however, was to be found in her living arrangements.  Here is the exact wording in Paps’ "Liquidations- und Teilungsrechnung " of 20 July 1989:

'The surviving spouse shall be granted the right of residence free of charge for life in the entire double apartment on the 6th floor of the house at 3 Avenue Floréal in Lausanne.'

That was all.  In context, it becomes clear how terribly sad this was.

Mami lived a beautiful but unhappy life, surrounded by servants, gardeners, chambermaids, etc.  Then suddenly found herself in an apartment in Lausanne far below her standing, where she had neither family nor friends.

Her Austrian living arrangements in Wasserburg didn't last long.  Leopold turned the Schloss into a B&B and sold the Herrenhaus which had been our home after the war (see next page).

Nettie gave Mami a small apartment on the ground floor in the Strohgasse.

At that time, Mami began to travel back and forth between Vienna and Lausanne, which would last until her death 10 years later.

I can't describe how lonely she must have felt and how little love she received from her closest family.  At the time I was living in Verbier, 100 kms. from Lausanne and visited her twice a week when she was in town.

I still regret not having done much much more, but only in retrospect does one realize one’s shortcomings.

I did invite her on a trip through the French canals and again for 2 weeks to Egypt for my 60th birthday but that wasn't nearly enough.

Ernst (Skarpil) took great care of mami in her last years.

I asked Philip (Hohenlohe) to ask Ernst about Mami’s last years.  Here is a transcript of their conversation:

PH -  Do you remember the day my grandfather died?  How did my grandmother react?

The Countess was certainly sad.  In the days before the death of the Count, she was with him daily in the hospital and then spent the day there.

PH -  What happened immediately after the funeral?

Yes, I think the Herrenhaus was soon sold, but the Countess has not heard anything about it. The building work had already begun while she was still living there.  She asked me what the noise was about and I told her the house had been sold.  She immediately flew to Lausanne.  She asked me to lock her rooms

PH -  How long did she stay there?

About two weeks. When she returned, all her furniture had been taken to a depot in the castle.

PH - Hadn't an apartment been prepared for her in one of the towers?

Yes, but that was not very practical, because the apartment could only be reached via a narrow staircase and the Countess was already quite frail.

PH -  Then she moved to us in the Strohgasse

Yes, Princess (Nettie) provided her with an apartment on the ground floor and Count Peter also prepared a beautiful apartment for her in his house in Lausanne.

PH -  Did she visit Wasserburg again?

I don't think so.

PH -  How did your life play out then?

We traveled a lot and made visits.  We spent four weeks a year in Baumgarten and four weeks in Schönbühl.  We were also often in Liechtenstein with Princess Lilli Liechtenstein in Vaduz and with Baron (Fritzl Mayr-Melnhof) in Glanegg.

PH -  Did she mention Wasserburg sometimes?

No, I don't think so

PH -  With whom of her children did she get along best?

With Count Peter

PH - When she was bedridden later, what did she talk about?

Most of the time she couldn't sleep well at night.  She often talked about her youth and her parents. She never did that before.

PH -  Who was present at her death?

Alexandra and Carola. Then you joined us.

PH -  Yes, I remember exactly. I also sat with my grandmother for some time.  I was alone in the room. My siblings were on the phone to relay the message. It was a very hot day and suddenly it started to rain.  I wondered how solemn the mood was, quite peaceful, almost sublime. I have never forgotten the impression

Your mother (Nettie) wasn't there. She was in hospital at the time.

PH -  Do you miss the Countess?

Yes, yes, we spent half a life together. It was a lovely time

My answer to Philip:

Hello Philip,

Thank you for your efforts.

I notice that Ernst mentions Baumgarten and Schönbühel, but not Hörmanns.  Didn't Granny also visit Aunt Henriette?

When I read all this and remember it, I have the feeling that Granny had a very unhappy life, especially in recent years when she was mostly alone and no longer lived in Wasserburg.

It shows how careful one has to be that family members are well taken care of after one is no longer present.  Paps hardly thought about it.

I read a few letters I wrote and received, and they show how worried she was about not having enough to live on.  This should never have happened.

Lots of love to all the family

OP

....  and his answer:

Dear Uncle Peter

I have gathered more information about Granny's life after Grandpa's death. Ernst reports that she was always a guest at Hörmanns. Nevertheless, I also believe that life after Granpa's death has fundamentally changed for her. Certainly not easy for a person of her age and social position.

Here in the Strohgasse there was the advantage that the whole house was inhabited by our family, Kari, Alexandra and their children. And of course Mami. So Granny was visited quite often, also by her friends in Vienna and of course by me when I was there from New York.

And yet I believe her life in old age was not easy.  Kari and I always had the plan to make a video recording with her and ask her about her life, which extended over historical periods, about the monarchy, two world wars, her return to Wasserburg and her old age. We failed. A circumstance that I regret very much to this day.

Perhaps one must reach a certain age to understand the extent of such an omission. In our conversations about our grandmother, she is always the great personality that she was.

Many anecdotes about her are part of these memories, often funny and often moving. She is not forgotten.

All the best

Philip

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