# Louise Kessenich-Grafemus

Louise Kessenikh-Graphemes (1786 — 30 October 1852) was a female officer, the participant of war with Napoleon 1812-1815 Prussian Uhlan Sergeant major. From 1817 she lived in St. Petersburg and was engaged in private business activities.

## Biography
### Early life and military career

Louise was born in 1786, presumably in the city of Hanau in Prussia. She was born into a family of Jewish jeweler and at birth was given the name Esther Manoa, but at the age of 19 she converted to Christianity and took the new name of Louise. She married a Lutheran man by the surname of Graphemes, who served as an apprentice in a jewellery workshop. The couple lived in Fulda. In 1806, she gave birth to a daughter, followed by a son in 1808. In 1809, her husband, a German patriot, went to Russia and joined as a volunteer in a Russian Lancer regiment. In 1813, the Russian army entered Prussia while pursuing the troops of Napoleon. Louise decided to leave her children in the care of relatives and to volunteer as a Lancer in the Prussian army to find and meet her husband. In order to volunteer, Louise needed to supply her own uniform and arms. In search of patrons who could finance the purchase of a horse, arms and armor, Louise turned to Princess Maria Anna, wife of Prussian Prince Wilhelm, the brother of King Frederick William III. The Prince and the Princess agreed to give Louise the necessary funds, and she joined as a volunteer in the 2nd königsberg Uhlan regiment of militia, which was komendantova mayor Herman.
At the beginning of 1814, the Prussian army marched to the capital of France. The regiment, which served as Graphemes, moved to the French capital via Holland. During this campaign, Louise Graphemes captured officers and six soldiers of the enemy. For this feat she was awarded the Iron Cross. Louise and the regiment made a victorious march through France and arrived in Paris on 29 March 1814. When the allied troops entered Paris, Louise finally found her husband, and the two joyfully reunited.
Following the anti-Napoleonic campaign, Louise was granted a pension of two thalers per month, effective March 1816. The first time Louise was retired in August 1816 for several previous months. The pension was the same amount given to soldiers and lower ranks of the Prussian army, but Louise felt offended by the amount, as she considered herself one of the heroines of the war of 1813–1815. The pension made it possible to lead a very modest life, barely making ends meet. Although Louise's attempts to increase her Prussian pension failed, she was eligible to apply for a Russian pension due to the service of her husband. At the end of March 1817, Louisa received a Prussian pension the last time, issued in further transfer of pensions in Russia and went to St. Petersburg. It is unknown who left her children in Prussia, they lived in Berlin and Fulda. Louise never returned to Prussia, living in Russia until her death.

### Life in St. Petersburg

In St. Petersburg, Louise married a second time in Riga the famous bookbinder, a native of the city of Cologne (North Rhine-Westphalia) a German Lutheran Johann Cornelius Kessenikh, acquired on the Peterhof road tavern, and in St. Petersburg in the house opposite New Holland winter kept the dance class popular, widely attended, not once mentioned in the literature. The Inn Red tavern was on the 7th verst of the Peterhof road, on the left Bank of red river, whence it has received its name.
The school was located in a house built in the early 18th century for the Tsar Peter the great on his way to Strelna and Peterhof. There is only one photo of the Inn taken in 1907, and the building itself the building was demolished soon after the revolution, in 1919.
In life, Louise said: 'I have one wish — to be buried above ground'. They say that this desire was fulfilled. Among the old residents of volkovskogo graveyard existed the legend that Louise Kessenih was indeed buried above ground — hanging on the chains of the zinc sarcophagus. To verify or refute this fact is not possible, because the grave of Louise kessenih is not preserved. Not left any drawings or photos of her grave.
Her great-great-granddaughter was famous Soviet actress Tatyana Piletskaya.

## Interesting facts

Louise Graphemes was not the only woman who hid her gender and who went to war, fought side by side with men. Historically, 22 of the German woman, the heroine of the war of 1813–1815.