Today, a significant milestone is being celebrated by the royal family of Austria as Archduchess Helen of Austria marks her 85th birthday. Born Countess Helen zu Toerring-Jettenbach on May 20, 1937, she is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of European royalty during times of turmoil. Her life has been marked by a rich tapestry of royal connections, spanning multiple countries and dynasties.
Archduchess Helen's early life was shaped by the tumultuous years of World War II, during which she and her family sought refuge in Bavaria to escape the atrocities unfolding across Europe. Her parents' strong opposition to the National Socialists and her mother's intense dislike for Hitler and his associates led to a semi-isolated existence, yet one that allowed them to maintain connections to their royal relations outside Germany. This remarkable story of survival and perseverance is a testament to the strength of the royal family's bonds and their ability to navigate the complexities of war and its aftermath[1].
what is the significance of archduchess helen of austria's birthday
Archduchess Helen of Austria's 85th birthday is significant because it marks a milestone in her life, reflecting her longevity and resilience. As a member of the European royal family, her birthday is also notable for its connections to the historical and cultural heritage of the royal houses she is associated with. The celebrations surrounding her birthday serve as a testament to her enduring influence and the continued relevance of her royal lineage in contemporary European society.what is archduchess helen of austria's background and family history
Archduchess Helen of Austria was born Countess Helen zu Toerring-Jettenbach on May 20, 1937, at Schloß Winhöring. She is the second child of Count Carl Theodor zu Toerring-Jettenbach and Princess Elisabeth of Greece, who was the middle daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Grand Duchess Helen Vladimirovna of Russia. This makes Helen a granddaughter of Grand Duchess Helen Vladimirovna of Russia and a niece of the Duchess of Kent and Princess Paul of Yugoslavia, as well as a cousin of the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Michael of Kent. Helen's parents were part of a prominent European royal family. Her father's parents were Count Hans Veit zu Toerring-Jettenbach and Duchess Sophie in Bavaria, who was the daughter of Karl Theodor, Duke in Bavaria, and Infanta Maria José of Portugal, a daughter of King Miguel I of Portugal. This Portuguese ancestry connects Helen to a multitude of royal personages, including the Duke of Braganza, Archduchess Maria Teresa of Austria, Grand Duchess Maria Anna of Luxembourg, and Duchess Maria Antonia of Parma. Archduchess Helen married Archduke Ferdinand of Austria in 1956, and they had three children: Elisabeth (1957-1983), Sophie (b. 1959), and Maximilian (b. 1961). The family lived in various European countries due to Archduke Ferdinand's business obligations, but they maintained strong connections to London, Munich, and Salzburg. Archduchess Helen lost her husband in 2004 after a long illness.what is the history of the toerring-jettenbach family
The House of Toerring-Jettenbach is a prominent European noble family with a rich history dating back to the 16th century. The family's origins are rooted in the Bavarian region of Germany, where they were granted the title of Graf (Count) and the appellation of His or Her Illustrious Highness. The earliest notable members of the family include Albert Toerring, Bishop of Regensburg from 1613 to 1649, and Ferdinand I of Toerring-Seefeld, who lived from 1583 to 1622. The family's influence continued through the centuries with notable figures such as Maximilian Cajetan of Toerring-Seefeld, a bodyguard of the Elector Maximilian II Emanuel, and Ignaz Felix von Toerring-Jettenbach, a Bavarian Minister and Marshal. In the 18th century, the family produced notable members such as Maximilian Prokop of Toerring-Jettenbach, Archbishop of Munich and Freising from 1788 to 1789, and Regensburg from 1787 to 1789, and Joseph August of Toerring-Gronsfeld to Jettenbach, Electoral treasurer and Hofkammerrat, President of the State Council, and playwright. The family's connections to the royal houses of Europe are evident through their marriages and alliances. For example, Countess Sophie Adelheid in Bavaria, a member of the House of Wittelsbach, married Count Hans Veit of Toerring-Jettenbach, head of the mediatized House of Toerring-Jettenbach, and had three children, including Count Carl Theodor of Toerring-Jettenbach, who married Princess Elizabeth of Greece and Denmark. The family's history is well-documented through various sources, including the Almanach de Saxe Gotha, which provides detailed information on the family's genealogy and notable members. The family's legacy continues to be celebrated through their contributions to European history and culture.
Archduchess Helen of Austria.
Today Archduchess Helen of Austria (née Toerring-Jettenbach) celebrates her eighty-fifth birthday!
The christening of Archduchess Helen in 1937. Holding her is her grandmother and namesake, Grand Duchess Helen Vladimirovna of Russia.
Countess Helen zu Toerring-Jettenbach was born at Schloß Winhöring on 20 May 1937. She was the second child of Count Carl Theodor zu Toerring-Jettenbach and of his wife, Princess Elisabeth of Greece, herself the middle daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece (1872-1938) and Grand Duchess Helen Vladimirovna of Russia (1882-1957). Count Carl Theodor Toerring-Jettenbach's parents were Count Hans Veit zu Toerring-Jettenbach (1862-1929) and his wife Duchess Sophie in Bavaria (1875-1957), herself the daughter of Karl Theodor, Duke in Bavaria (a brother of Empress Elisabeth of Austria) and of his second wife Infanta Maria José of Portugal, a daughter of King Miguel I of Portugal.
Interestingly, this Portuguese ancestry connects Helen to a plethora of royal personages. Maria José's siblings included: The Duke of Braganza (whose descendants include the present holder of the title, Dom Duarte, as well as descendants in the houses of Liechtenstein and Thurn und Taxis); Archduchess Maria Teresa of Austria (last wife of Archduke Karl Ludwig [1833-1896], a brother of Emperor Franz Joseph as well as the great-grandfather of Archduke Ferdinand, Helen's late husband); Grand Duchess Maria Anna of Luxembourg (who married Grand Duke Guillaume IV and who was the mother of six daughters, among them Grand Duchesses Marie Adelaide and Charlotte, as well as Crown Princess Antonia of Bavaria); and Duchess Maria Antonia of Parma (who was the second wife of Duke Robert, by whom she had twelve children, among them: Prince Felix of Luxembourg, Empress Zita of Austria and Duke Francesco Xaverio of Parma, to name a few).
Helen passed the war years in Bavaria, where her family felt protected from the atrocities consuming Europe. Her father's opposition to the National Socialists and her mother's outright and intense dislike for Hitler and his cronies made it imperative that then family remain in semi-isolation, while living quietly. The fact that Princess Elisabeth's sisters (Olga of Yugoslavia and Marina of Kent) were married into families that opposed Nazi Germany during the war only made life more fragile for the Toerring-Jettenbachs.
With peace in 1945 also came an opportunity for the family of Countess Helen to renew long-lost connections to their royal relations outside Germany. Visits to Athens to see Grand Duchess Helen and other members of the Greek royal family were soon arranged, while others traveled to Bavaria to reconnect with the Toerring-Jettenbachs. Luckily, Schloß Winhöring was unscathed by the ravages of war and the bombings that Munich underwent.
Princess Elisabeth of Greece (Countess zu Toerring-Jettenbach) with her children Hereditary Count Hans Veit and Countess Helen – Schloß Winhöring, c. 1944.
Tragedy, however was also around the corner. In 1955 Princess Elisabeth succumbed, quite rapidly, to a malady that she had been fighting against. The previous year the family of Grand Duchess Helen, a widow since 1938, suffered a sad blow when Prince Nicholas of Yugoslavia, second son of Princess Olga and Prince Regent Paul, died in a car crash in England.
Princess Olga of Yugoslavia, Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, Countess Helen zu Toerring-Jettenbach and Princess Marina, The Duchess of Kent.
Archduchess Helen on her wedding day.
However, as life always does, great loss is oftentimes replaced by deep happiness. Such was the case in 1956 when Countess Helen married a longtime family friend, Archduke Ferdinand of Austria (1918-2004), eldest son of Archduke Maximilian (1895-1952) and of his wife Princess Franziska zu Hohelonhe-Schillingsfürst (1897-1989). Ferdinand and Helen were to be married for nearly five decades.
The couple were blessed with three very attractive and delightful children: Elisabeth (1957-1983), Sophie (b. 1959) and Maximilian (b. 1961). They were raised in various European countries as Archduke Ferdinand's business obligations demanded relocation every so often. However, throughout the family remained much attached to London, Munich and Salzburg, where Ferdinand's mother lived. They also retained countless links to most of their royal relations across the continent, particularly with King Constantine II of the Hellenes and Queen Sophie of Spain, as well as with Helen's first cousins of Yugoslavia and Kent.
Archduchess Helen with her eldest daughter, the late Archduchess Elisabeth.
In October 1982, Helen's eldest daughter, Elisabeth, married an Australian gentleman by the name of James Litchfield. The couple settled in faraway Australia and hoped for a long life together. Sadly, it was not to be as Archduchess Elisabeth passed away quite suddenly at Myalla, Cooma, Australia, on 18 May 1983.
In the meantime, Archduchess Sophie, who can easily be argued is one of the most strikingly beautiful royals, was making a name for herself as both a top model and an humanitarian devoted to orphaned children. After several attempts at finding a soul mate, Sophie married Fürst Hugo zu Windish-Grätz in 1990. The couple settled in Italy, where Furst Hugo has vast interests as well as playing an important role within the Vatican's administrative structure. Hugo has also served as Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
The baptism of Archduke Nikolaus: Prince Alexis, Princess Larissa, Archduchess Helen with baby Nikolaus and Hereditary Prince Maximilian.
Hugo and Sophie had three children: Hereditary Prince Maximilian (b. 1990), Prince Alexis (1991-2010) and Princess Larissa (b. 1996). The death of their son Alexis was a deeply sad tragedy for the boy's parents and his grandmother Helen. Christian fortitude and a deep belief in Catholic principles allowed the family to find the strength to overcome this immensely challenging loss.
The family's benjamin, Archduke Maximilian settled in Madrid, where he works in the medical device field. Maximilian Heinrich Ferdinand of Austria was born in Boulogne-sur-Seine in 1961. In 2005 he married Maya Al-Askari, a lovely lady whose family proudly claims descent from the Prophet Mohammed. Max and Maya have been blessed with three children: Archduke Nikolaus (b. 2005), Archduke Constantin (b. 2007) and Archduchess Katharina (b. 2010). All children were born in Madrid, where Max has lived for the better part of the last quarter century.
Archduke Ferdinand and Archduchess Helen of Austria.
In 2004, Archduchess Helen lost her husband, who succumbed to a long malady.
Today, on Archduchess Helen's 85th birthday, we at Eurohistory, wish her the very best and may God continue keeping a watchful eye over the life of a truly lovely lady...As we conclude this article celebrating the remarkable life of Archduchess Helen of Austria, we would like to express our gratitude to our readers for joining us on this journey through her remarkable life. From her early years in Bavaria to her marriage to Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, Archduchess Helen's story is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of European royalty during times of turmoil. Her life has been marked by a rich tapestry of royal connections, spanning multiple countries and dynasties, and her legacy continues to inspire and educate us about the complexities of European history and culture.
We hope that this article has provided a comprehensive overview of Archduchess Helen's life, highlighting her significant contributions to European royalty and her enduring influence on contemporary society. As we bid farewell to this remarkable individual, we would like to emphasize the importance of preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Europe, which is embodied in the lives and stories of individuals like Archduchess Helen. We encourage our readers to continue exploring and learning about the fascinating history of European royalty and the significant roles that individuals like Archduchess Helen have played in shaping the course of European history. Thank you for your interest in this article, and we wish you a continued exploration of the fascinating world of European history and culture.
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