The most powerful man in Europe, Clemens Lothar Wenzel Prince von Metternich, was crazy about her: Princess Katharina Pawlowna Bagration, actually Katharina Pawlowna Skawronskaja, a noblewoman who had supposedly been expelled from Russia and who caused a real stir in Vienna’s high society. Her provocative dresses, her posturing and her provocative smile appealed to Viennese high society.
Representatives of Vienna’s elite even filed charges against the outspoken Russian, but Prince Metternich shot them down. This lady was too important to the State Chancellor personally and because of the foreign policy situation during the Congress of Vienna. In addition to State Chancellor Metternich, the fun-loving noblewoman, who was open to all sensualities, had another lover to whom she passed on confidential information: Tsar Alexander of Russia.
From her he learned secret details of Austrian foreign policy with reference to Russia. Metternich received useless information from the Princess. The State Chancellor was careless with the Russian woman . In the Apollo Hall in today’s 7th district, the Russian noblewoman danced a tarantella and undressed. The most powerful man in Austria flew into a rage and shouted at her. Prince von Metternich recognized the embarrassing situation. A short time later, Tsar Alexander was standing by the almost naked noblewoman. The Tsarina stood in his way before the exit. Alexander looked at her and explained that his activities were of the utmost importance to the state. The Tsar and Princess Bagration enjoyed themselves for four days and four nights .
The Russian Tsar had himself brought to the palace where he and his wife had stayed. However, she was staying at Count Czartorsky ‘s palace in Meidling. Indignant, the tsar went there. As his wife boarded the cab, she put her finger over his mouth: “Everything I did was for purely diplomatic reasons!” PrinceMetternich consoled himself with Countess Zichy. She left him to have fun with Crown Prince Wilhelm of Würtemberg and Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria.
(Sources: Czeike, Felix: Der Graben, (Wiener Geschichtsbücher, Band 10), 137 pages, Vienna, Zsolnay 1972, ISBN: 978-3552024014; Welfenburg, Hubert: Die frivolsten Geschichten aus dem alten Wien, 305 pages, Vienna, Elektra, 1980, ISBN: 978-3272070162; Czeike, Felix: Unbekanntes Wien 1870-1920, 22 pages, 44 sheets of illustrations, Lucerne, 1998, ISBN: 978-3765812170)
Time Travel Tip: Metternich-Hof, Theresiengasse 8-10, 2500 Baden. State Chancellor Metternich and Princess Bagration retired here.
Editor: Michael Ellenbogen
