Mary Vetsera – The “pure angel” who accompanied Rudolf into the other world (Part two)

Read part one here.

At the end of January, Rudolf planned to go to the hunting lodge of Mayerling, and he informed Stéphanie that her “presence was not wanted.”¹ Two days before he was set to go to Mayerling, Rudolf showed up at Marie’s suite at the Grand Hotel. He told her, “I want you to bring Mary tomorrow to the Hofburg. You must persuade the Baroness to allow Mary to go out with you.”² Marie later wrote to him, “You know that I am blindly devoted to you and that I will always obey your command whenever you call me. I shall naturally come along under these threatening circumstances, I cannot expose her to unpleasantness on her own – I shall therefore certainly come, no matter what happens.”³

On the evening of 27 January, Marie found Mary, her mother Helene and her sister Hanna at home. Mary was drinking tea laced with rum and sat smoking as her mother admonished her. Mary and Marie retreated to Mary’s bedroom, where Mary asked her if she looked nice. Marie later wrote, “Her eyes looked positively evil.”³ Mary would snub Crown Princess Stéphanie later that evening at a soiree at the German Embassy with a “violent scene” being reported in the press. Even the Emperor had been present, and his apparent slight towards Mary had incensed Rudolf. He later said, “The Emperor has openly affronted and degraded me. From now all ties between us are broken. From now I am free.”⁴ That night, Rudolf spiralled even further in the presence of his mistress Mitzi Caspar.

The following morning, Marie collected Mary and told her mother that they planned to go shopping. They shopped for lingerie before going to Rudolf’s apartments at the Hofburg. As they waited for Rudolf, Mary reportedly told Marie, “I want you to forgive me from the bottom of your heart for all the trouble I have caused you. Whatever happens, don’t think I wished to deceive you or play you false.”⁵ Rudolf and Mary then left together before Rudolf reappeared alone. He told Marie to return to Helene and report to her that Mary had disappeared while they were shopping. Marie objected to this, but Rudolf became violent and waved a gun in her face. He then gave her money to bribe the driver to back up her story.

Marie did as she was told, and Helene was immediately was convinced that Mary would do something rash. A letter was then found in which Mary had written, “I cannot go on living. Today I have gained a lead on you; by the time you catch up with me, I shall be beyond saving, in the Danube, Mary.”⁶ Marie perhaps hoped that she could conceal her own role in the tragedy and volunteered to go the police chief. However, he refused to intervene in Rudolf’s private affairs, and a second interview went no better. The police chief later wrote, “She [Marie] came not to make a statement, but because she wanted to exculpate herself.”⁷ Desperate, Marie wrote the police chief two letters, explaining how she had only been reluctantly involved.

The end came in the early hours of 30 January 1889. Mary had spent her last hours writing her farewell letters. She wrote to her mother, “Dear Mother, forgive me for what I have done. I could not resist my love. In agreement with him, I would like to be buried beside him at Alland. I am happier in death than in Life. Yours, Mary.” To her sister, she wrote, “We are both blissfully into the uncertain beyond. Think of me now and then. Be happy and marry only for love. I could not do it, and since I could not resist love, I am going with him… Do not weep for my sake. I am crossing this line merrily. It is so beautiful out here… Again farewell.” She then asked her sister to lay a gardenia on her grave on January 13th and on the day of her death and added, “As the last of her dying daughter, I ask Mama to care in the future for the family of [her personal maid] so that she does not suffer for my sake.” To her little brother, she wrote, “I shall watch over you from – the other world because I love you so much. Your faithful sister.”⁸

They then discussed the method of their death – the choices being poison or a revolver. They finally decided on the revolver, and Mary wrote on the ashtray, “Rather a revolver, a revolver is safer.”⁹ Then she stretched out onto the bed and cried a little as Rudolf held the gun to her temple. It was over in seconds.

Read part three here.

1. Twilight of Empire: The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs by Greg King and Penny Wilson p.113
2. Twilight of Empire: The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs by Greg King and Penny Wilson p.117
3. Twilight of Empire: The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs by Greg King and Penny Wilson p.118
4. Twilight of Empire: The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs by Greg King and Penny Wilson p.119
5. Twilight of Empire: The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs by Greg King and Penny Wilson p.121
6. Twilight of Empire: The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs by Greg King and Penny Wilson p.125
7. Twilight of Empire: The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs by Greg King and Penny Wilson p.127
8. The road to Mayerling; life and death of Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria by Richard Barkeley p.239-240
9. The road to Mayerling; life and death of Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria by Richard Barkeley p.240