New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-07
VIENNA'S NEW QUEEN.
THE SOCIAL STRUGGLES OF TWO WOMEN
PRINCESS PAULINE METTERNICHs RULE AND
ITS TRAGIC ENDING-HER TRIUMPH
ANT SUCCESSOR

II anything were needed to add to the bitter
ness Of poor Princess Pauline Metternich now
that she has lost husband. favorite daughter.
her Viennese palace. her country seats Of
Plassy and Johannesburg and all the priceless
Jewels and art treasures that are heirlooms
OF the family. and such have passed to her
husbands lf-brother, along with the estates.
n would be the accession 10 the Austrian
Premiership Of Count Kielmansegg. For his
wife, the Countess. has for more than ten years
been her most powerful and indeed, only rival
In the fight for the social and popular SUI
premacy Of Vienna. That city Is inhabited by
a genial. merry populace. whose only object In
life seems to be the pursuit Of pleasure and
amusement. Now. 10 organize and promote the
latter in its popular and public form. some
moving and directing spirit is needed. During
many years Princess Pauline Metternch full
filed that duty. welding much the same sway
over classes and masses alike. as that previ-
ousy exercised by the equally famous Princess
Lori Schwarzenberg.
Not a public entertainment Of any Importance
could take place without Princess Pauline being
10 the fore Was 1t an amateur theatrical per-
Torrance given by the arstocracy for the bene-
Mt Of some charity. 1t the Princess who
was the life and soul of the entire affair. A
few nights later would find her receiving as
one Of the patronesses, the guests at the an
nual ball Of the hack drivers and opening the
dance with the most "fesch" of these "Fiaker
kutscher"-typical Wiener Kinder"-and. per-
haps the next day leading the revels at an
open-air fete organized by the ladies Of the
bourgeoisie. And every function of this kind.
no matter whether held in palace or in public
hall garden. bore the stamp Of her indi-
viduality. For a long time she was without
rival But about ten years ago one appeared
on the scene in the person Of the Russian bride
OF Count Kielmansegg the Governor of the
metropolitan province of Lower Austria.
THE HANDICAP OF A COUNTESS.
At first Princess Metternich paid no heed to
her. and treated her with something very much
akin TO Contempt. The Niennese aristocracy
4, close and exclusive body. extremely chary
about admitting any stranger. no matter Of
what rank into its charmed circle. Now, Coun-
tess Kiemansegg was nothing but the daush-
ter Of mere country gentleman of Bessarabia-
very rich II is true. but of tres petite no.
blesse." Then. her husband belonged. not to
the Austrian. but to the Hanoverian nobility.
end labored under the disadvantage of being
Protestant All this contributed to cause the
great ladies Of the Viennese court to look upon
the Countess Anastasia much in the same
way as II she were entitled TO no social con-
alteration save a certain kind Of liberation at
public functions as the wife of Government
official.
The Countess, however, like so many women Of
her race. is nothing If not ambitious. and deter
mined to play leading role. Possessed Of
youth, personal attractions and wealth. she set
TO work within a short time after her marriage 10
advance both her husbands official interests and
her own social career. Taking advantage Of her
position as wife OF the highest official OF the
province and consequently also Of the capital she
insisted on asserting her rights Of precedence and
social supremacy in all public entertainments and
functions which the Count attended in his official
capacity. BY degrees always on the strength
Of her husbands official position. she usurped
the presidency of the lady patroneeses Of the
charitable and benevolent institutions Of the cap
ital. and then when she had succeeded in accom-
plishing that much. began to assault the supre-
macy Of Princess Metternich leader of revels
and director OF amusements.
Frercer and fercer ragged the merry war be-
tween the two ladies each having her own set
Of followers the bourgeoisie and the masses
gradually deserving to the Countess Anastasia.
while the aristocracy remained true in It's allie
glance to Princess Pauline. Vienna on the whole.
benefited by this contest. for no sooner would
Princess Metternich organize some great popular
festival with the object OF crushing Countess
Kielmansegg. than the latter would Immediately
devise some still grander public entertainment for
the purpose OF celebrating in the minds OF the
yiennese the success Of her rival
COUNTESS KIELMANsEGG's VICTORY.
Matters may be said to have reached a climax
when. last spring. Princess Metternich lost her
husband and, In consequence. the major part OF
her resources. Ply a curious coincidence. the
Countess fell seriously Ill just at the time hence
the viennese had to finish off the Carnival and TO
get through the metropolitan season without the
assistance Of either Of the two ladies. The result
was not pIeasant Never has Viennese season
been more dull and dispirited. For the nonce the
capital seemed 10 have lost all its "Feschheit'
and brio" and In spite OF the immense sums OF
money spent on the Flower Corso in the Prater
last May the whole affair turned into dismal
and ridiculous failure. This has served to show
the viennese. rich and poor. high-born and pie
beian that they cannot get along without
leader. ana inasmuch as Princess Metternich by
reason of her widowhood and restricted resources
must henceforth be considered out Of the running.
while her rival is now the wife Of the Prime Min
ister. the social supremacy Of Vienna may be said
TO have fallen into the hands Of the Countess
Kiemansegg.
II must be somewhat In the nature OF blow TO
the nroud and exclusive aristocracy OF Austro-
Hungary that the three most important fem
mime positions In the Empire should be held, not
by native Princesses. but by ladies not entitled
by blood and birth TO any such supremacy. These
three ladies are Countess Anastasia Kiemansegg,
the Russian wife Of the Premier OF Austria;
Countess Goluchowski. the French consort OF
the Chancellor Of the Dual Empire, and Baroness
Banffy, the wife Of the Prime Minister OF Hun
gary. Baron Banffy. like Count kieimansegg' Is
Protestant. He is married to village school,
teacher. the daughter OF a carpenter whose ac-
Qua!ntance he made during one OF MS ofnciai
tours. Countess Gouchowski, although she was
born as Princess de Murat. has likewise pieDeian