Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-26

BERLIN. November 1G 1905.
@HAT Count Francis Erbach, a
young German nobleman of eX-
allied rank had created a sensa
ton In this country by marrying
a washerwoman's pretty daugh
Ger American readers have already been
told by a few lines In the cable dispatches.
Hardly more than suggestion, however.
was thus given Of what must be described
as one of the most striking romances in the
annals of German society.
Some of the details here given in conuec-
ton with It have not been published in
Berlin, but with the accompanying pho
tographs have been received from a reli-
able correspondent in the neighborhood OF
the counts ancestral estate in the German
Grand Duchy of Hesse. l think it will Re
agreed that the story they tell of sacri-
fees for loves sake has had few parallels
Ill either fact or fiction.
To begin with, II should be remembered
that the German ardstocracy is far more
exclusive and far more Jealous of its rights
and privileges than the arstocracy of Eng
sand or France. or Italy. German counts
and barons with line of ancestors ex-
tending back to the darkest early middle
ages look down with contempt upon the
mushroom families which have sprung up
in England and other countries during the
last three or four centuries. The Erbachs
are not only 4 noble family but they are
u mediatized family, which means that they
enjoy absolute equality of birth with all
the royal families of Europe. The counts
of Erbach trace their descent back to no.
BILE warriors of the tenth century. Ever
eince that remote period every male and
every female ancestor of the present reign
ing Count of Erbach has been of noble
birth. The children of those who contract
ed mesalIiances have been excluded from
the succession.
!
Eight hundred years ago the counts of
Erbach were The independent monarchs Of
a state situated in South Germany on tie
right bank OF the Rhine, aud they con-
tinued to rule over their domnions, which
were then absorbed IN the Grand Duchy
of Hesse. After the loss OF their actual
suzerainty the counts Of FL, bach received
the guarantee that their rank and that
OF their descendants should be considered
equal to that of all reigulng houses for
ever and ever At the same time the
mead or the family, who still is entitled
to call himself the 'Reigning Count" re-
9eived the night Of styling himself Serene
Highness"
various Teigning families in Germany the
counts Of Erbach can never be arrested
and are exempt from the necessity of ap-
pearing in ANY law court either as de-
PENDANT In a civll action or as a witness
to give evidence on oath. Ii their evil
Gence should he necessary a special com
mission IS required to wait upon them il
thelr own home and 10 take their evil
dence privately. In such cases their simple
assertions are considered as weighty as
the evidence of ordinary m0rtals given on
oath.
Count OF Erbach Is thus absolutely
equal In rank and birth TO the German en-
peror or the Gar of Russia, and his line of
descent. from genealogical point of view.
hap hat ~
monarch at present reigning in Europe. 1t
is necessary to bear these circumstances in
mind in order to estimate the enormity of
the onense which Count Francis Erasmus
Erbach has committed in marrying ple-
beian peasant girl.
The counts Of Erbach possess not only
high rank and birth. but also large estates
and great wealth Their landed possessions
are dotted about In Hesse, Wurtemberg
and Batavia, as well as In the Australian
provinces of Bohemia and Salzburg These
estates cover an aggregate area of rather
more than 10000 acres and are source of
rich annual revenue 10 their owners The
reigning count of Erbach possesses three
stately castles, situated on his estates in
Hesse. Wurtembers and Salzburg, as
we'll as a magnificent palace In Berlin a
smaller palace in Munich and a third town
residence in Vienna. A villa on the shores
OF Lake Constance. another villa at the
fashionable South German summer resort
of Baden-Baden. and half dozen hunting
lodges on their various estates CONFLICTS
the number of houses at the disposal of
the Erbachs. The annual income of the
reign!ng count of Erbach is known to ex-
coed one million dollars
Count Francis Erasmus Erbach is the
eldest son of the Ieignng count. and was
thus the heir 10 all the wealth and glory of
the family. He was brought up In strict
seclusion. and his tutors took especial pains
TO Undue him with the family pride and
with respect for the family traditions He
was taught to regard an Erbach as a su-
perior being, who must not on any account
contaminate himself by contact with per-
sons of plebeian birth. He was taught to
recite the names of his ancestors back to
the tenth century and to remember that
those who had married women of lower
birth than themselves had been expelled
from the family in disgrace
Count Francis Erasmus lived and grew
up In this suffocating intellectual atn1os-
phere until he reached the age of eighteen.
when. like most other young German no.
blemen. he became student at the Uni
versity OF Bonn. Here for the first time
~ came into contact with the outside