Actress. Daughter of actors Carl Birnbaum and Maria Sargany.
While an actress at the court theater of Kassel, where her parents were also employed, Auguste met Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hanau, at the home of a friend. The couple fell in love, to the violent opposition of Friedrich's father, the head of the House of Hanau.
Soon Auguste became pregnant. Her father, Carl Birnbaum, told Friedrich in a stormy interview that he must do right by Auguste and restore the honor he had taken from her under the promise of marriage. Furthermore, Carl declared that if Friedrich did not marry his daughter, he would kill both Auguste and himself on the prince's front doorstep.
Friedrich and Auguste eloped to England, and were (morganatically) married 23 September 1856 at St. James, Westminster, London. For this, her father was imprisoned and her family exiled and persecuted. She bore a premature child who died soon after birth, and Friedrich Wilhelm abandoned her under pressure from his father, who also removed him from the succession. They were divorced soon after. After this, Auguste was known as Auguste, Countess von Schaumburg, from a minor title in the Hanau family.
Auguste died of tuberculosis and a broken heart in 1862 in Bad Cannstatt near Stuttgart. She and her father had taken refuge there under the protection of King Karl of Wuerttemberg, a devotee of the theater. Her mother had already died in exile in Prague.
Source: memoirs of Lilli Lehmann, "My Path Through Life".
While an actress at the court theater of Kassel, where her parents were also employed, Auguste met Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hanau, at the home of a friend. The couple fell in love, to the violent opposition of Friedrich's father, the head of the House of Hanau.
Soon Auguste became pregnant. Her father, Carl Birnbaum, told Friedrich in a stormy interview that he must do right by Auguste and restore the honor he had taken from her under the promise of marriage. Furthermore, Carl declared that if Friedrich did not marry his daughter, he would kill both Auguste and himself on the prince's front doorstep.
Friedrich and Auguste eloped to England, and were (morganatically) married 23 September 1856 at St. James, Westminster, London. For this, her father was imprisoned and her family exiled and persecuted. She bore a premature child who died soon after birth, and Friedrich Wilhelm abandoned her under pressure from his father, who also removed him from the succession. They were divorced soon after. After this, Auguste was known as Auguste, Countess von Schaumburg, from a minor title in the Hanau family.
Auguste died of tuberculosis and a broken heart in 1862 in Bad Cannstatt near Stuttgart. She and her father had taken refuge there under the protection of King Karl of Wuerttemberg, a devotee of the theater. Her mother had already died in exile in Prague.
Source: memoirs of Lilli Lehmann, "My Path Through Life".
Actress. Daughter of actors Carl Birnbaum and Maria Sargany.
While an actress at the court theater of Kassel, where her parents were also employed, Auguste met Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hanau, at the home of a friend. The couple fell in love, to the violent opposition of Friedrich's father, the head of the House of Hanau.
Soon Auguste became pregnant. Her father, Carl Birnbaum, told Friedrich in a stormy interview that he must do right by Auguste and restore the honor he had taken from her under the promise of marriage. Furthermore, Carl declared that if Friedrich did not marry his daughter, he would kill both Auguste and himself on the prince's front doorstep.
Friedrich and Auguste eloped to England, and were (morganatically) married 23 September 1856 at St. James, Westminster, London. For this, her father was imprisoned and her family exiled and persecuted. She bore a premature child who died soon after birth, and Friedrich Wilhelm abandoned her under pressure from his father, who also removed him from the succession. They were divorced soon after. After this, Auguste was known as Auguste, Countess von Schaumburg, from a minor title in the Hanau family.
Auguste died of tuberculosis and a broken heart in 1862 in Bad Cannstatt near Stuttgart. She and her father had taken refuge there under the protection of King Karl of Wuerttemberg, a devotee of the theater. Her mother had already died in exile in Prague.
Source: memoirs of Lilli Lehmann, "My Path Through Life".
While an actress at the court theater of Kassel, where her parents were also employed, Auguste met Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hanau, at the home of a friend. The couple fell in love, to the violent opposition of Friedrich's father, the head of the House of Hanau.
Soon Auguste became pregnant. Her father, Carl Birnbaum, told Friedrich in a stormy interview that he must do right by Auguste and restore the honor he had taken from her under the promise of marriage. Furthermore, Carl declared that if Friedrich did not marry his daughter, he would kill both Auguste and himself on the prince's front doorstep.
Friedrich and Auguste eloped to England, and were (morganatically) married 23 September 1856 at St. James, Westminster, London. For this, her father was imprisoned and her family exiled and persecuted. She bore a premature child who died soon after birth, and Friedrich Wilhelm abandoned her under pressure from his father, who also removed him from the succession. They were divorced soon after. After this, Auguste was known as Auguste, Countess von Schaumburg, from a minor title in the Hanau family.
Auguste died of tuberculosis and a broken heart in 1862 in Bad Cannstatt near Stuttgart. She and her father had taken refuge there under the protection of King Karl of Wuerttemberg, a devotee of the theater. Her mother had already died in exile in Prague.
Source: memoirs of Lilli Lehmann, "My Path Through Life".
Inscription
AUGUSTE
Gemahlin Sr. Durchlaucht des Fürsten Friedrich Wilhelm von Hanau
geb. Birnbaum
geboren den 9. November 1937, gestorben 29 Juni 1862.
Translation:
AUGUSTE
Wife of His Highness
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Hanau,
nee Birnbaum.
born November 9, 1837,
died June 29, 1862
The back of the stone bears a golden star and the word "Wiedersehen!" (To meet again!)
Gravesite Details
Buried by the eastern wall.
Family Members
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