History Schloss Ketschendorf

1 history

1.1 original building
1.2 rosine stoltz
1.3 construction of new schloss
1.4 current structure

history
original building

villa @ obere klinge 3

keczendorff, ketschendorf first known around 900 years ago, undefended village outside city walls of coburg on western slope of buchberg. few inhabitants suffered under hussite invasions in 1430 , german peasants war in 1525. twice, in 1567 , 1626, plague affected village.

in 1632, during siege of veste coburg, general wallenstein moved personal quarters ketschendorf. 2 years later, during siege in 1634/5 imperial colonel schlitz destroyed whole village croats , reconstruction started in earnest in 1657.

in 1802, duchess augusta, wife of francis, duke of saxe-coburg-saalfeld, bought properties on schloss , park located today. in 1804 had summer palace in empire style built.

after death of duke in 1806, schloss ketschendorf remained property of widow augusta. besides 7 children, many princes came visit duchess. sons-in-law, duke alexander of württemberg, grand duke constantine pavlovich of russia , queen victoria’s father, prince edward, duke of kent , strathearn. frederick louis, hereditary prince of mecklenburg-schwerin, , parents of constantine, paul , sophie dorothea of württemberg, brother, tsar alexander of russia, guests @ castle.

in 1831, after death of dowager duchess augusta, duchess marie of württemberg, second wife of duke ernst i, moved schloss ketschendorf , lived there until herself died in 1860. owner of property duke ernst ii. in 1866, sold building supposedly ailing frenchwoman named victorine noël.

rosine stoltz

victorine noël/rosine stoltz, circa 1850

born in paris in 1815, victorine noël had been, last 22 years, celebrated opera singer stage name of rosine stoltz. sang @ theatre de la monnaie in brussels, paris opera, teatro municipal in rio de janeiro , famous la scala in milan. composers, giacomo meyerbeer , gaetano donizetti, had written roles her. enjoyed highest recognition in professional circles , aristocratic audiences.

the reigning duke of saxe coburg , gotha, ernst ii, not friend of artists , singers, composer of opera, santa chiara. main role in romantic work sung rosine stoltz in 1856 @ brussels opera. developed intimate relationship, rosine stoltz staying more , longer guest of duke of saxe-coburg in gotha without ever appearing in court theaters of gotha or coburg.

ernst ii raised peerage in 1865. addressed freifrau (baroness) von stolzenau and, since 1868, baroness von ketschendorf. after 1865, fulfilled 1 guest commitment, @ la scala in milan , never again appeared in public singer.

her great wealth enabled freshly ennobled baroness acquire schloss ketschendorf adjoining park grounds 100,000 francs, allegedly illegitimate son charles, father, according baroness, none other napoleon bonaparte , style himself karl freiherr (baron) von ketschendorf. real father, ernst ii, said have openly boasted have been virile (keinesfalls kinderlos, not childless) outside own marriage.

construction of new schloss

schloss ketschendorf

already in 1868 baroness von ketschendorf commissioned architect coburg, de:georg konrad rothbart had created de:edinburgh-palais in coburg 2 years before, renovation of ducal empire-style manor. rothbart, however, created new castle, bigger , stronger, next original building , condemned first building, 63 years old, demolished because surrounding walls were, part, totally rotten . within less year, achieved, use of 70 craftsmen, construction.

in june 1869, new schloss ketschendorf finished , old 1 demolished. demolition material used build villa @ obere klinge no. 4 in coburg, quite accurately reproduced appearance of old schloss ketschendorf in every way , using original porches classical columns old schloss. villa therefore called altes ketschendorfer schloss.

the new castle, square ground plan, built sandstone , red brick textbook example of gothic revival castle style in coburger land. 4 sides flanked octagonal crenellated towers. each of sides has in centre gable of tracery protruding top of porch. porch on south side, designed entrance park, particularly complicated. above gate, loggia overlying terrace leads bedroom of baroness. porch’s columns on north front entrance copy central projection of south side in simpler way. building owner allowed attach new family crest, carved in sandstone, northwest corner tower. shield of coat of arms shows harp , helmet baron s coronet , 2 folded wings. motto underneath reads vis in corde (latin, power in heart ). in gable, arms of later owner baron von mayer can seen. split show rampant lion on left side , 3 ears of corn on right side, above spangenhelm (combat helmet middle ages) crown sprouts rampant lion. motto underneath reads: fortes fortuna adjuval (latin, fortune favors brave ).

inside building staircase formed decorative cast-iron railings , view, tracery of cathedral windows, representative of south side of castle’s centre. stuccoed ceilings in every room , finely paneled great music room reflect personal tastes of new chatelaine. also, dumbwaiter installed between kitchen , overlying hall.

current structure

after franco-prussian war, french baroness left germany , returned france.

she sold whole property 90,000 francs , moved paris devote herself charity. died penniless in 1903 , buried @ expense of overseers of poor in paris in common pauper s grave. new owner of castle was, few months, municipal architect coburg, de:julius martinet known architect of luther , rückert school.

in 1872, american william tilden acquired property , sold in 1873 kommerzienrat karl rudolf epner berlin. 1n 1891, freiherr von mayer bought castle , park family residence. in 1893 staircase created castle johannes koehler tracery balustrade access park. in 1940, came under state administration through foreclosure because of alleged debt of 145,000 reichmarks in reich flight taxes , expulsion of jewish family mayer. town of coburg bought schloss ketschendorf @ auction, 45,000 reichmarks, including park , furnishings, , set shelter german repatriates bessarabia. 1942 end of war, schloss used branch of main hospital coburger trade school, until 1955 tuberculosis ward of state hospital. family property returned in 1954 egon freiherr von mayer way of wiedergutmachung (reparation) did not move ketschendorf.