Ferdinand to host returning royalty
Archduke Markus Salvator von Habsburg-Lothringen is planning a return visit to Ferdinand, Indiana this year.
The great-great-great-nephew of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria descended on Southern Indiana in 2003 after learning the town was named for his illustrious ancestor.
Significantly, Ferdinand, Indiana is the only community in the world carrying the name other than a small settlement in Ferdinand, Idaho, founded by the Weyer family from Ferdinand, Indiana.
Archduke Habsburg will arrive in Ferdinand on September 20, just in time to enjoy the Ferdinand Folk Festival. He will be joined by his wife, Hildegarde, as well as by two relatives who now live in the states, Renate Princess Windisch-Graetz and Count Ferdinand Graf von Seefried auf Buttenheim. Other dignitaries and friends of the Habsburgs have been invited to join them.
Lest one is not up on the Habsburg history, the family ruled in Europe for centuries. In fact, the throne of the Holy Roman Empire was continuously occupied by Habsburgs between 1438 and 1740 and the most powerful family dynasty in Europe ruled for more than five centuries.
The house also produced kings of Bohemia, England, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, as well as rulers of several Dutch and Italian countries.
The monarchy effectively came to an end when the heir to the Imperial and Royal thrones, Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife, were assassinated by a Serbian terrorist group, the Black Hand, while they were touring the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo.
Austria-Hungary issued what was considered an unacceptable ultimatum to Serbia and exactly one month later — on July 28, 1914 fighting erupted. The resulting conflict?
World War I.
Today Archduke Markus and his wife reside at the Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl, Upper Austria, the former summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria, who was known as Sisi. There are some movies about Sisi and her love affair with the future emperor — probably very inaccurate but entertaining nonetheless —available for checkout at the Ferdinand Branch Library.
A full agenda is being planned for the royal visit, including a couple of receptions that will allow community members to mix and mingle not only with the Archduke and Archdutchess, but with a princess and a count whose first name is also Ferdinand.
This is but one special event in the works as Ferdinand residents gear up for the town’s 175th birthday.
Here are the details provided by Visit Dubois County.
Archduke Markus and Hildegard will fly into Indianapolis from Vienna late on Thursday, September 18 and will face a full agenda in the Capital city. They will then be transported to Ferdinand Saturday morning, September 20, in time to partake of the Ferdinand Folk Fest.
The royals will be honored by a special presentation from the State Champion Forest Park Marching Rangers, who will perform “Radetzky March” by Johann Strauss and “Children of the Regiment” by Juylius Fucik, along with music from this year’s marching show, entitled “Aquatica”.
Archduke Markus and Archduchess Hildegard, along with Count Ferdinand and Dr. Monique Seefried, look forward to meeting and greeting Folk Fest attendees.
A special 9:30 a.m. mass in German is planned for Sunday, September 21 in St. Ferdinand Catholic Church. Mass will be celebrated by Fr. John Boeglin, pastor of Holy Family in Jasper and Deacon James King, who was born in Germany, in the royal family’s native tongue with English translation.
Immediately following, St. Ferdinand Parish will host an open house reception in the Spiritual Life Center so parishioners who may have missed them at the Folk Fest will have the opportunity to say hello.
The Seefrieds will depart soon after, but Archduke Markus and his wife will stay on through Tuesday morning enjoying the beauty of Southern Indiana in Autumn.
