Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 182, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1917 — The Secrets of the Hohenzollerns [ARTICLE]

The Secrets of the Hohenzollerns

STARTLING EXPOSURE OF INNER LIFE OF KAISER AND CROWN PRINCB'AS TOLD BY COUNT ERNST VON HELTZENDORFF TO WILLIAM LEQUEUX

EDITORIAL NOTE. William LeQueux, who here chronicles for his friend, Count Ernst von Heltzendorff, the latter’s revelations of the inner life of the imperial German court, has long been recognised throughout Europe aa the possessor of its innermost secrets. The English “Who’* Who” says of him i “He has intimate knowledge of the secret service of Continental countries and is considered by the government (of Great Britain) an authority on such matters.” Another authority sayst “Few people have been more closely associated with or know more of the astounding inner machinery of Germany than he.” LeQueux probably has more sources of secret Information at his command than any contemporary in civil life, and for the lost six years the British Government has made valuable use of his vast store of secret information through a specially organized department with which LeQueux works as a voluntary assistant. Count von Heltzendorff became an intimate of LeQneux several years prior to the outbreak of the warj he has been living in retirement «in France since August, XOl4, and it was there that LeQueux received from the crown prince’s late personal adjutant permission to make public these revelations of the inner life of the Hohensollerns —that the democracies of the world might come to know the real, but heretofore hidden, personalities of the two dominant members of the autocracy they arc now arrayed against.

The Plot Against Princess Louisa

THE TRUTH of the plot which caused the downfall of the unfortunate and much-maligned imperial Princess Louisa Antoinette Marie, archduchess of Austria and wife of Friedrich-August, now the reigning king of Saxony, has never yet been revealed. I, of course, knew the charming imperial highness, the Crown Princess Louisa of Saxony, as she often came on visits to the kaiserin, but I had never spoken much with her until at Easter, 1902, the emperor went to visit Dresdeft. He took with him, among other people, one of his untitled boon companions, Judicial Councilor Lohlein, a stout, flabby-faced hanger-on, who at the time possessed great influence over him. • Louisa was the most popular woman in Saxony, and deservedly so, for hers had been a love match. After her marriage to the Saxon crown prince the kaiser, in one. of his whimsical moods, became greatly attached to her because of her frankness, her love of outdoor life, and her high educational attainments, hence we often had her visiting at Potsdam or at the Berlin Schloss. She was known to be one of the few feminine royalties in whom the kaiser took the slightest Interest. At the grand ball of Easter I found myself chatting with Louisa, who, I recollect, wore a most charming and artistic gown of sea-green chiffon, decollete, of course, with pink carnations in her hair and a few diamonds upon her corsage, as well as the Order of St. Elizabeth and her magnificent rope of matched pearls, which went twice round her neck and Reached to her knees —a historic set which had once belonged to Marie Antoinette.

The Story of the Crown Prince Told.' As we stood chatting in a corner of the room, watching the scene of unusual brilliancy because of the kaiser’s presence, the princess turned to me: “Well, a curious thing happened here about a month ago,” she said. “I was —” At that moment the emperor, in the uniform of the Second regiment of Saxon Grenadiers, of which tye was chief, and wearing the Order of Crancelin of the House of Saxony, strode up, and, standing before us, exclaimed : “Well, Louisa?" What is the very interesting topic of conversation, eh?” Her imperial highness hesitated, as though endeavoring to avoid an explanation, but next second she waved her lace fan quickly and said: "Well, recently Friedrich-August and myself have moved into rooms in the older wing of the palace—rooms that have not been occupied, for nearly forty years. They are old-world, charming, and remind me constantly of Augustus the Strong and the times in which he lived. Just about a month ago the king and Queen of Roumania were paying us a visit. We were at dinner, and while we were all laughing and talking, for ‘Carmen Sylva’ had been telling us one of her stories, we heard a great clatter of horses* hoots

and the heavy rumble of wheels, just as though a stage coach was crossing the small courtyard. All of us llstened, and in the silence we heard It receding quite distinctly. I at once sent my lady-ln-waitlng to ascertain who had arrived or departed, four-wheeled coaches being quite unusual nowadays. It seemed just as though the coach had driven out of the palace gate. The message brought back from the guard-, room was that no carriage had entered or left. I told this to those around the table, and the queen' of Roumania, who had taken much interest in omens and folk-lore, seated opposite me, seemed much Impressed, and even perturbed.” “Then the noise you heard must have

been an uncanny one, eh?” asked the emperor, deeply interested. “Quite. Two of, the women at the table declared that it must have been thunder, and then the conversation proceeded. I, however, confess to your majesty that I was very much puzzled, and the more so because only two nights ago; while we sat at dinner. Friedrich-August and myself en fa-' mille, we heard exactly the same sounds again!” “Really!” laughed the emperor. “Quite uncanny. I hoperhere-in Dresden, you are not believing in spooks, as London society believes in them.” “Not at all,” said the princess earnestly. “I don’t believe in omens. But, curiously enough, the king told me yesterday that his two old aunts, tVho formerly lived in our wing of the palace, had sometimes heard the clatter of horses’ hoofs, the jingle of harness, the grinding of brakes, and the rumbling of heavy carriage wheels.” “H’m!” grunted the emperor. “I’ve heard that same story before, Louisa. The departing coach means trouble to the reigning family.” “That is exactly what the king said to me only last evening,” answered Louisa frankly. “Does it mean trouble to me, I wonder?” , ~ ~ “ “Certainly not,” I declared! “Your imperial highness need not worry for one moment over such things. Nobody nowadays regards such phenomena as presage of evil. There is no doubt some perfectly natural explanation of the sounds. Every old palace, castle and even private house, has its traditions.” . r ■

The Kaiser's Merry Mood. Then the emperor, after acknowledging the salute bf Baron Georg von Metzsch, controller of the royal household —a tall, thin, crafty-eyed man, with hair tinged with gray, and wearing a dark blue uniform and many decorations —changed the topic of conversation. The kaiser was in particularly merry mood thtft night. He had gone to Dresden against his inclination, for he had long ago arranged an Easter review on the Tempelhofer Feld, but the visit was, I knew, for the purpose of consultation in secret with the king of Saxony. Several times I wondered upon what his majesty of Saxony had stumbled. That morning the emperor and king had been closeted alone together for fully three hours, and the outcome of the secret conference seemed to have put the all-highest into a most excellent mood. The Saxon crown prince and his wife were at that time a most devoted couple, though all of us knew that the modern ideas Louisa had brought to Dresden from the Hapsburg court had much shocked old King George and his consort. The Saxon court was unused to a pretty women with buoyant spirits rejoicing in life with a capital “L.”

According to - the court whisperings, trouble had started a few days after marriage, when the king, having given his daughter-in-law a tiara “of diamonds, a royal heirloom, with strict Injunctions to wear them just as they were —a style of the seventeenth century —he one evening at the opera saw her wearing the stones re-set in that stj’le known as art nouveau. The king became furious, and ordered them to be set again in their original settings, whereupon Louisa coolly returned the present " Such was the commencement of the old king’s ill-feeling toward her. The state ball that night was certainly a brilliant one for such a small court, and next day we all returned to Potsdajn. Louisa, in a depressed mood, for while dancing with Count von CasteJLßudenhausen of the Prussian Guard her lovely rope of pearls had suddenly parted as though cut by a knife.

A Mysterious Absence. Before we left Dresden, however, I met the crown princess in one of the corridors. It was nine o’clock in the morning. She wore her riding-habit, having just come in from her morning canter. } “Well, count!“ she laughed. So you are leaving us unexpectedly! I shall be coming to pay another visit to PotsdamsoQU.- The invited me last niglit Au revoir 1” Her imperial highness paid her promised visit to the empress at the Neues palais in July. At the time of her arrival the emperor had left suddenly and gone away to Hubertusstock—When anyth!ng unusual upset him he always went there. I overheard him the day before his departure shouting to Lohlein as I passed along one of the corridors. The judicial councilor seemed to be trying to pacify him, but apparently entirely without avail. , “You are as sly,as all the rest. I heard the emperor declare in that shrill, high-pitched tone which always denotes his anger. “I’ll hear none of It—no excuses. I*-want ho fawning, no Jew-juggling.” - . The next I heard was that the kaiser had left for that lonely retreat to Which he went when he wished to be alone In those periods of crazy impetuosity which periodically seized him.

and further, that he had taken with him his crafty crony, Lohlein. During that mysterious absence — when the tinseled world of Potsdam seemed at peace—the good-looking Saxon crown princess arrived. I was on duty on the railway platform to bow over her hand and to welcome her. “Ah ! Count von Heltzendorff! Well, did I not say that I should not be very long before I returned tb Potsdam, eh?” she exclaimed. Then with a mAry laugh: “Do you remember those clattering hoofs and my broken rope of pearls? Nothing has happened yet.” An Angry Emperor. Three days later an incident occurred which caused me a good deal of thought, and, truth to tell, mystified me considerably. _ That somewhat Indiscreet journal, the Mllitaer Wochenblatt, had published a statement to the effect that Friedrich-August of Saxony and the handsome Louisa had had a violent quarrel, a fact which caused a great deal of gossip throughout court clrcles. Old Von Donaustauf, who at that time was master of the ceremonies at the emperor’s court, busied himself by spreading strange scandals regarding the Crown Princess Louisa. Therefore, in the circumstances, it struck me as strange that her highness should have been invited to the puritanical and hypocritical circle at Potsdam. That afternoon, soon after the guard had been changed, I chanced to be writing in my room, which overlooked the big central courtyard, when I heard the guard suddenly turn out In great commotion, by which I knew that his majesty had suddenly returned from Hubertusstock. Ten minutes later my telephone rang, and, passing the sentries, I went by order to his majesty’s study, that chamber of plots and secrets, hung with Its faded green silk damask, its furniture covered with the same material, and Its net curtains at the windows threaded with ribbons of the same shade.

The moment I entered the emperor’s countenance showed me that he was very angry. Lohlein had returned with him, and stood watching the emperor as the latter impatiently paced the, room. I saluted, awaiting orders in silence, but so preoccupied was his majesty that he did not notice my presence, but continued his outburst of furious wrath. “Only see what Von Hoensbroech has reported’’’ he cried, “I am being made a laughing-stock—and you know it, Lohlein ’ lt*~has been Mlid of us that a woman, a whim, or a word will today raise any person to high rank in our empire! That blackguard, Harden, has actually dared to write it in his journal. Well, we shall see. That woman—she shall—” Suddenly he realized that I was present, and hesitated. Next second both his tone and his manner changed. “Heltzendorff —I —I—wish you to go to Dresden and take a private letter. It will be ready in half an hour. Say nothing to anyone concerning your departure, but report to me here at four o’clock.”

A Secret Mission to the Saxon Court. As commanded, I reported, but the kaiser was with the empress, who, in one of her private apartments, was holding petit cercle, the Princess Loqisa being present, fndeed, as I entered that semi-circular salon the kaiser was standing astride before Louisa’s chair, laughing gayly with her. He could alter his moods just as he changed his three hundred odd uniforms.

There was something mysterious in the wind—of that I felt absolutely convinced. The atmosphere of that faded green upstairs room was always one of confidential conversations, intimate conferences and secret plots—plots, as has since been proved—against the peace of the world. " > The'emperor, noticing that I had entered the imperial presence, came forward, apd I followed him* back into the softly-carpeted cbrridor. Then he took from the inner pocket of his tunic an envelope of what you ip England call

“court” size—linen-lined, as are all envelopes used by the emperor for his private correspondence. I saw it had been sealed In black by his own hand. Then, as he handed It to me, he said: “Go to Dresden as quickly as possible and obtain a reply to this.” I clicked my heels together, and, saluting, left upon my secret mission to the Saxon court. The letter was addressed to Baron Georg von Metzsch at Dresden. Next day, when I presented it to the tall, thin controller of the household, I saw that its contents greatly puzzled him. He wrote a reply, and as Imperial messenger, I returned at once to Potsdam, handing it to the emperor as hp strode alone from the Shell salon, through which he was passing after dinner. He took It from my hand without a word, tore open the envelope, read its contents, and then smiled contentedly, after which I went to old Von Donaustauf’s room, and smoked a good cigar In his company.

The Crown Princess Calls, Next day we were all back at the Berlin Schloss. During the morning his majesty Inspected the Berlin garrison in the Tempelhofer Feld, and the Princess Louisa rode with him. That same afternoon, while I was busy writing in the long room allotted to me in the Berlin Schloss, her imperial highness, to my surprise, entered, closing the door quietly after her. “Count von Heltzendorff, you have been on a secret mission to that spy, Von Metzsch, in Dresden, have you not?” I rose, bowed, and without replying courteously offered her a chair. “Why do you not admit it?” she asked quickly. - “Princess, if the emperor gives me orders to preserve secrecy, then it is my duty to obey,” I said. “I know,” she answered, and then I realized how upset and nervous she seemed. “But Von Metzsch hates me, and has put about all sorts of scandalous reports concerning me. * Ah! count," she sighed, “you do not know how very unhappy I am —how I am surrounded by enemies!” “I much regret to hear that,” I said. “But your imperial highness has also many friends, of whom I hope I may be permitted to number myself.” “Ahl it is extremely good of you to say that —very good. If you really are my friend, then you can help me. You are in a position to watch and discover what is in progress—the reason the emperor exchanges those constant confidences wdtli Yon Metzgctk. . • . « - 1 1 JI

the man who twisted my husband around his little finger, and who has,, with thy lady-of-the-bedchamber, Frau von Fritsch, already poisoned his mind against me. Ah! you have no idea how much I have suffered!” She seemed on the vergje of a nervous crisis, for I saw that in her fine eyes stood the light of unshed tears, and I confess I was- much puzzled, for I had certainly believed, up to that moment, that she was on excellent terms with her husband. "But surely his highness, the crown prince of Saxony, does not believe any of those wicked reports?” I said. “Ah! Then you have heard. Of course, you have. Voh Metzsch has taken good care to let the wifole world know the lies that he and the Countess Paule Starhemberg have concocted between them. It is cruel! It is wicked!” “No, no. Calm yourself, princess 1 ” I urged sympathetically. “I am at least your friend, and will act as such, should occasion arise.” "Ah '" she exclaimed in a low voice. “I fear I shall require the assistance of a friend very soon. Do you recollect my broken pearls?” And a few moments later she left the room. “You Lie!** Through all that day and the next I wopdered what underhand work could beimprogress. I pitied the goodlooking, unconventional imperial- princess who, because of her somewhat hoydenish high spirits, had aroused the storm of anger and jealousy in the Saxon court. But the Hapsburgs had

ever been so unfortunate in their loves. On the day before the crown princess' visit to the Berlin court was due to end, at about six o’clock in the evening, I passed the sentries and ascended to the emperor's study with some papers I had been going through regarding the reorganization of the Stettin garrison. I was one of the very few persons ever admitted to that wing of the palace. As I approached the door, treading noiselessly upon the soft carpet, I heard voices raised excitedly, the door being slightly ajar. Naturally I halted. In my position I was able to hear a great deal of palace Intrigue, but never had I listened to a conversation that held me more breathless than at that moment. “Woman,” cried the emperor, “do you, then, openly defy’my authority?” “What that crafty sycophant, Von Metzsch, has told you is, I repeat, a foul and abominable lie,” was the reply. And I knew that the unfortunate princess was defending her reputation, which her enemies at the court of Saxony had torn to shreds. “No woman ever admits the truth, of course,” sneered the emperor. “I consider you a disgrace to the Dresden court.”

“So this is the manner in which you openly insult your guests!” was the princess’ retort. “You, who believe yourself the idol of your people, now exhibit ynnraelf in vour true light as ■the traducer of a. defenseless woman !” “How dare you utter those words to me!” cried the all-highest one, in fury. “I dare defend myself—even though you may be emperor,” replied Louisa, in a cold, hard tone of defiance. “I repeat that your allegations are untrue, and that you have no right to make them. you can see that my enemies, headed by the king of Saxony, are all conspiring to effect my downfall. I know it 1 I have written proof of it!” ' “Bosh! You say that because you know that the statements are true!” “Yod lie!” she cried fiercely. “They are not true. You cannot prove them.” “Very well,” answered the emperor in that tone of cold determination that I knew too well. “I will prove the charges to my entire satisfaction.” Words That the Kaiser Would Never ’ Forgive.

I was startled at the manner in which the princess had dared to call the emperor a liar. Surely nobody had ever done so before. __ I drew a long breath, for as I crept away unseen I recollected the kaiser’s unrelenting vindictiveness. Poor princess! I knew that the red talons of the Hohenzollern eagle would sooner or later be laid heavily upon, her. She left Berlin two hours later, but half an hour before her departure I found a hurriedly scribbled note upon my table, explaining that she had had "a few unpleasant words with the emperor,” and that she was leaving for Dresden a day earlier than had been arranged. A fortnight passed. Twice Baron von Metzsch came to Potsdam, and was on each occasion closely closeted with the emperor, as well as having frequent consultations with Judicial Councilor Lohleln. I had strong suspicion that the conspiracy against the lively daughter of the Hapsburgs was still in progress, for I felt assured that the kaiser would never forgive those words of defiance from a woman’s lips, and that his vengeance, slow ,and subtle, would assuredly fall upon her. I did not know at the time —not, indeed, until-fully-three years, slater-

how the actions of Von Metzsch, wno was a creature of the kaiser, had from the first been Instigated by the allhighest, who, from the very day pf the princess’ marriage, had, notwithstanding his apparent graciousness toward her, determined that a Hapsburg should never become queen of Saxony. For that reason, namely, because the emperor in his overweening vanity believed himself to be the heaven-sent ruler of the destinies of the German empire, was much opposed to an Austrian princess as a potential queen at Dresden, and bad set himself the task to ruin the poor woman’s life and love and to arouse such a scandal concerning her that she could not remain in Saxony with every finger pointing at her in opprobrium and scorn. I Decipher a Message for the Kaiser. ’ A.fxesh light, was thrown upon what I afterward realized to be an astounding conspiracy by the receipt of a cipher message late one November night at Potsdam. I was at work alone with the emperor in the pale green upstairs room, reading and placing before.him a number of state documents to which he scrawled his scribbly signature, when the telegram was brought. L "Decipher that, Heltzendorff,” he commanded, and went on with the work of reading and signing the documents, while I sat down with the red leather-covered code book, and presently found that the message, which was from Dresden, read: “FrAu von Fritsch today had an interview, with Giron, the French tutor to the crown princess’ children, but

unfortunately the latter refuses to admit any affection for Louisa. Giron angrily declared his intention to leave Dresden, because of Von Fritsch’s suggestion. This cotirse, I saw, would be unfortunate for our plans, therefore I urge the king to Induce Louisa to request him to remain. She has done so, but to no avail, and Giron left for Brussels tonight. May I be permitted to come to discuss with your majesty a further elaboration of the plans? — Von Metzsch.” - The emperor read the secret message twice. “We go to Erfurt tomorrow, do we not?” he said. “Telegraph in cipher to Von Metzsch to meet us there tomorrow evening at seven. And destroy that message,” he added. I obeyed his orders, and afterward continued to deal with the state papers, much enlightened by the news transmitted by the emperor’s creature. I confess that I felt the deepest sympathy for the helpless victim. At the Schloss, high above the old-world town of Erfurt, Von Metzsch had a long conference with the emperor, but I was unable to overhear atiy word of it All I know is that the controller of the Saxon household left Erfurt for Dresden by special train at midnight .Poor, defenseless Louisa! You, my dear LeQueuf, to whom the princess a t few months afterward fled for advice, know well how sterling, how womanly and honest she was; how she was one intrigues by which the arrogant war lord of Germany has until the present managed to retain his throne. The Crisis, i Well, I watched the course of events; watched eagerly and daily. Twice I had received letters from her imperial highness, short notes in her firm, bold handwriting. From Von Metzsch came several cipher messages to the emperor after we had returned to Potsdam, but Zorn von.Bulach, my colleague, deciphered all of them, and, as he was not my friend, I did not inquire as to their purport. I knew, however, that matters in Dresden were fast approaching a crisis, and that the unfortunate Hapsburg princess could no longer sustain the cruel and # unjust pressure being put upon her undoing. That a hundred of Germany’s spies and. agents provocateurs were busy I realized from the many messages by telephone and telegraph passing between Berlin and Dresden, and I felt certain that the ruin ofpoor Princess Louisa was nigh. i A significant message came to Potsdam late one December night—a message which, when I deciphered it and handed it to the emperor, caused him .to smile.

The princess had left Dresden! Three days later, on December 9, a further cipher telegram came from Von Metzsch, In Dresden, which read: “Louisa has learned of the Sonnensteln project, and has left Salzburg for Zurich, her brother accompanying. —Von Metzsch.” x Sonnensteln ! That was a private lunatic asylum! In a few moments the kaiser had summoned, by his private telephone, Koehler, then chief of the Berlin secret police, and given orders that the princess be watched in Switzerland. Half an hour later three police agents were on their way to Zurich to follow the poor, distracted woman, even beyond the confines of the empire. '* fjhe was, no jloubt, in deadly fear of being sent to a living tomb, so that her mouth should be closed forever. And seeing herself surrounded by enemies and spies on every hand —for

even" her brother-Leopold, jrith whom she had traveled to Switzerland, now refused to assist her —she adopted the only method of further escape that at the moment presented itself. Alone and without anyone to advise her, she, as ypu know, took a desperate resolve, one alas I fraught with disastrous consequences. The iron had indeed entered the poor princess’ soul. Note by William LeQueu*. The denouement of this base intrigue will he best related in her imperial highness’ own words. In one of her letters, which I have on my table as I write, she says : •—*— —- “I saw before me in those never-to-be-forgotten days all the horrors of a •Maison cle Sante.' What could I do? I was friendless in a strange hotel. Even Leopold seemed disinclined to be further troubled by a runaway sister. I knew Frau von, Fritsch had accused me falsely of having secret love affairs, and that the emperor had directed the whole plot which was to culminate in my confinement in an asylum. Suddenly a solution occurred to me. I remembered Monsieur Giron, who had already suffered great* ly through his friendship with me. It he joined me, then my flight from Dresden would be,? considered as an elopement, and I should escape a living death in a madhouse! Monsieur Giron was at that moment my only friend, and it was for that reason that: I telegraphed to him at Brussels. Well, he joined me, and by doing 8Q completed the emperor’s triumph.” (Copyright, 1817, by Wiliam LeQueux.)