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In the new release of the Belgian magazine "L'Eventail" Stephane Bern reports about the "Comtesse des ténèbres" - the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen. The French text describes in short form the theory of substitution around Madame Royale as well as the assumption of an identity of the Dark Countess to this princess. However, the author did not use the latest results of the research. Details under Bern (2008).

In 2005 Hélène Becquet published an article with the title "La fille de Louis XVI et l'opinion en 1795 : sensibilité et politique". The author describes, how Madame Royale (who was since 1792 in the Temple prison), after the death of her brother Louis XVII on the 8/6/1795 became an object of the public sympathy. On account of the public opinion about the princess numerous articles and pamphlets were directed to the convention with the request on her release. By songs and articles she was stylised to a romantic heroine, which was an expression of the condemnation of the revolution too. The article is available from the 15/9/2008 on the website of the Annales historiques de la Révolution française.

Rebroadcast of the TV-Documentation about the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen

At the moment the German TV-Channel "MDR" rebroadcasts the five documentations of the series "Geschichte Mitteldeutschlands" of 2007. Among them is the story with the title "Die vertauschte Prinzessin. Die Dunkelgräfin von Hildburghausen" (The substituted princess. The Dark Countess of Hildburghausen). The transmitting is on the 21/9/2008 at 22:00 o’clock at TV-channel MDR.

Recently a new biography about Madame Royale with the title "Marie-Thérèse, Child of Terror. The Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter" was published in the USA. The author Prof. Susan Nagel deals in detail with the official fate of the French princess. Besides, she discusses the so-called theory of substitution around Madame Royale and tries to verify the assertion by a DNA analysis as well as a new comparison of handwritings. On this occasion, she comes to the conclusion that the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen may well have been a Bourbon, she was not, however, Madame Royale. A description of the book you find under: Review (html)    Review (PDF). More information on the internet: Comments on the book  Interview with Susan Nagel.

The topic on the website "Links on the internet" was complemented with numerous publications freely available on the web. It concerns mostly historical literature which is not protected by copyright any more and can be downloaded free of charge in different file formats. In addition, new links to various websites about the subject were taken up in the same topic, for example links to several articles and entries in the free encyclopaedia Wikipedia. Details under Links on the internet.

The historian and journalist Otto van der Meij reports in the December edition of the Dutch magazine "Genealogie" about the mystery of the Dark Countess. For his article "Het geheim van Hildburghausen" he used especially the new publication of Dr. Mark de Lannoy "Das Geheimnis des Dunkelgrafen. War Prinzessin Marie Thérèse Charlotte de Bourbon seine Begleiterin?" and made an interview with the researcher too. Details under Meij (2007).

The publishing house Piper published a historical novel by Robert Löhr with the title "Das Erlkönig-Manöver" which deals with Louis XVII, Vavel de Versay and Madame Botta. The duke Carl August of Weimar asks his privy councillor Goethe to free the French prince Louis XVII and to bring him to Thuringia. Goethe plans an adventurous freeing action together with Friedrich Schiller, Alexander von Humboldt, Heinrich von Kleist, Achim von Arnim and Bettine Brentano. Further information under Löhr (2007). The radio station HR2 offers from the 27/12/2007 daily at 9:30 o'clock a reading of the novel (repetition at 14:30 o'clock). The broadcasting can be also received on the internet by livestream. Details under radio station HR2. Besides, about the novel a short video of Matthias Matussek (culture-chief of SPIEGEL) is available on the Internet under SPIEGEL.

Under the title "Das große Geheimnis von Hildburghausen. Auf den Spuren der Dunkelgräfin" another German book about the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen was published. The authors Helga Rühle von Lilienstern and Hans-Jürgen Salier treats in detail of the theory of substitution around the French king's daughter Madame Royale and arranges this in the political connections of the past. The book is complemented with numerous pictures. More information under Rühle & Salier (2007).

On the website a chronicle is available from now on again. It encloses the most important events in the life of the Madame Royale as well as in the life of the Dark Countess and the Leonardus Cornelius van der Valck in the period from 1769 to 1851. The arrangement offers a quick overview about the facts known up to now. Read the chronicle (only German).

For short time a movie with and about the Dark Countess researcher Helga Rühle von Lilienstern from Hildburghausen is available. The approx. 50-minute movie with the title "The big mystery of Hildburghausen. Helga Rühle von Lilienstern tells the unbelievable story about the Dark Countess" originated within the scope of a private film project in 2007. In it the researcher talks about the mystery of the Dark Countess as well as the events in the life of the French king's daughter Madame Royale who should have been identical with her. The movie is illustrated by numerous pictures. Language: German. System requirements of the DVD: PC or TV/DVD player. The DVD can be ordered under telephone +49 3681-722710.

To the documentation "Die vertauschte Prinzessin. Die Dunkelgräfin von Hildburghausen" from the MDR-series "Geschichte Mitteldeutschlands" a comment by Hans Georg Otto is available. Read the comment (only German).

On the 28/10/2007 for the first time the 45-minute documentation "Die vertauschte Prinzessin. Die Dunkelgräfin von Hildburghausen" (The exchanged princess. The Dark Countess of Hildburghausen) on the German television was broadcasted. In the new volume of the MDR-series "Geschichte Mitteldeutschlands" the authors Leonore Brandt and Hans-Michael Marten came to the result: "Marie Therese of France was not the Dark Countess definitely". The movie will be available from the middle of November 2007 on DVD. For more information about the movie see the Website of the MDR. At the same time a new edition of the book about the series "Geschichte Mitteldeutschlands" will be published, which deals with the Dark Countess on basis of the television documentation. See Brandt (2007).

After the end of the 7th symposium about the Dark Count and Dark Countess from 7/9/ to 9/9/2007 in Hildburghausen, one of the lectures with the title "The mystery of the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen. Balance of 160 years of research" is available on the website in a PDF-version. Details to the balance of 160 years of research.

From 7/9 to 9/9/2007 the 7th symposium about the Dark Count and the Dark Countess takes place in Hildburghausen. The program with the planned lectures is available from now on. A registration is possible for every enthusiast.

Program (PDF)   Application form (PDF)

Recommendation: "The secret of the Dark Count" by Dr. Mark de Lannoy

The fact, that the Dark Count and the Dark Countess are known not only in Thuringia, but also wake up interest and stimulate to research activities in foreign countries, a German book proves now covers with the title "Das Geheimnis des Dunkelgrafen. War Prinzessin Marie Thérèse Charlotte de Bourbon seine Begleiterin?". The Dutch author Dr. Mark de Lannoy gives to the 200th return of the arrival of the pair in Hildburghausen a comprehensive book of the subject and promises more clarification about the backgrounds of the events at that time. On 324 pages he shows the present research state and complements this substantially with own investigations which he pursues for over 25 years. Review (html)    Review (PDF)

The city Hildburghausen celebrates a special jubilee this year: At the beginning of February it will be 200 years that the Dark Countess and her companion came in the town and took accommodation in the hotel "Zum Englischen Hof". Of this jubilee of the 7/2/1807 should be reminded with several events.

On the 7/2/2007 at 21 o'clock the arrival of the pair is adjusted at the market. They will drive up in a coach and move into the building in which formerly the hotel "Zum Englischen Hof" was. Afterwards a special exhibition on the "Secret of Hildburghausen" is opened in the former hotel building. The exhibition will be opened up to 170-th day of death of the Dark Countess on the 25/11/2007, Tuesday to Friday 11:30 to 17:30; Sunday 10:30 to 16:30.

For the autumn a scientific symposium is planned. From 7/9 to 9/9/2007 researchers and interested people will present and discuss new information about the pair. The symposium is organized by the city Hildburghausen in collaboration with the "Madame Royale" Historical Society / "Interessenkreis Madame Royale". It is meanwhile the 7-th arrangement of that kind. The event is public and accessible for every enthusiast. Current speaker and talk subjects are still searched. If you have any interest please contact the town museum Hildburghausen or the Historical Society; you find both addresses under Contact. A detailed program will be available from the middle of 2007.

Reiner Hammeran presents thrilling "stories from the history of the old new German countries" in his new book "Dunkelgräfin, Kahlbutz & Co." A chapter of the book from the publishing house Wagner in Gelnhausen deals with Hildburghausen, the royal seat with contact to the big world and the research around the Dark Countess. More information under Hammeran (2006).

In March 2006 the publishing house "Rütten and Loening" in Berlin published a new novel about Madame Royale. Author Guido Dieckmann describes the life of the last princess of France between 1788 and 1797 in a literary adaptation. A central point of the novel is the relation of Madame Royale to her half-sister Ernestine de Lambriquet in whom the author sees an illegitimate daughter of Louis XVI. A short summary of the novel you will find on the literature database:  Dieckmann (2006).

In May 2005 Mrs. Claudia Schacke published a scientific work with the title "Die zwei Leben der Madame Royale - Duchesse d'Angoulême oder Dunkelgräfin?" at this website. At a lot of requests the author now translated the French parts and citations of the work. The translation you can download under the following link:  

Schacke2005-Zitate (PDF)

On 30/4/2005 the German "Madame Royale" Historical Society / "Interessenkreis Madame Royale" was found. The union deals with the fate of Madame Royale and the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen and Eishausen. For the first time in the 160-year history of the dark countess research there is an official union of several persons interested in the topic. The society is the new official operator of the "German website about the secret of Madame Royale".  You find further information under:   Press release (html)    Press release (PDF)  Portrait.

Under the title "Die zwei Leben der Madame Royale - Duchesse d'Angoulême oder Dunkelgräfin?" Mrs. Claudia Schacke has written a scientific work about the Duchess of Angoulême and the Dark Countess. The author turns her attention towards the question what justifies the acceptance that particularly the duchess wasn't the real Madame Royale. On the circumstantial evidence which is specified by different authors for the falseness of the duchess or the authenticity of the so-called Dark Countess (e.g. the portrait comparisons as well as the changes of the character of the duchess) she comments critically. Using French literature evaluated newly as well as a graphological expert opinion ordered by her on different specimen proofs of the Madame Royale it proves that the exchange thesis can be not at all regarded as proved. The text is very helpful to a critical discussion with the topic, especially by the list of references and sources. Details.

Download: Die zwei Leben der Madame Royale (PDF 5,1 MB)
Contact to the author: ceres45@yahoo.de 

In spring 2005 a "Madame Royale" Historical Society will be found. The "Interessenkreis Madame Royale" has the aim to find out all historical events related to the names Madame Royale, Marie Therese Charlotte, Duchess of Angoulême and Dark Countess. The society will develop own research projects and support the work of other researchers. Members of the society should be: private researchers, representatives of public institutions and organizations (e.g. museums, archives) and interested people from Germany and other countries. During regular meetings new themes and results of the researchers will be discussed. The society is looking for engaged members who are interested in the topic Madame Royale and want to be a part of the project. Interested people should get in contact until 28/5/2005 under Contact.

The report gives a short overview of the context and the running off of the 6th symposium about the Dark Countess which took place from 10/9 to 12/9/2004 in Ingelfingen (Germany) with nearly 100 participants. The text is available in German as an internet version (html) and as a download and printing version (PDF-file):

Report Ingelfingen (html)             

Report Ingelfingen (PDF)

The German radio-channel "Deutschlandradio Berlin" will present the town Hildburghausen in the series "DeutschlandRundfahrt". On next Saturday, 19/9/2004, 15 p.m., the broadcasting will be send live.

More information about the "Deutschlandradio" (e.g. the frequencies) are available under Deutschlandradio.

A comment on the report "Das Geheimnis des Kiefernknochens" (Freies Wort, 12/5/2004) deals with the political or financial background of the activities to open the grave of the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen. Read the report (only German).

In July will be presented the historical play "Marriage at Heidegg" at the castle of Heidegg in Switzerland. The story deals with Madame Royale, who probably lived there after the substitution in 1795. More information you can find on the website of Heidegg Castle: Heidegg Castle.

The 6th symposium about the Dark Countess will take place in Ingelfingen (Germany, Baden-Württemberg) from the 10/9 to 12/9/2004. Some lectures about the topic and an excursion are prepared. The invitation and an detailed program are available here: Program (html)   Program (PDF).

Further information about the program, the registration and the accommodation you can get from the following person:
Mrs. Rathe-Seber, Stifterstraße 3, 74653 Ingelfingen, GERMANY, Phone: (+49) 07940/2866
Mr. Wolfgang Kunzfeld, e-mail: Kunzfeld@t-online.de 
Stadtverwaltung Ingelfingen, Phone: (+49) 07940/1309-10, Fax: /1309-62, e-mail: Info@Ingelfingen.de

One year after the last symposium in Altenburg the 6th event of that kind will take place in Ingelfingen (Germany, Baden-Württemberg) from 10/9 to 12/9/2004. In that city the Dark Count and the Dark Countess lived in the "Hofapotheke" 200 years ago (from autumn 1803 to spring 1804). The symposium with the title "Dunkelgraf und Dunkelgräfin - eine europäische Geschichte" [English: "The Dark Count and the Dark Countess - an European story"] will be organized by the local "Verein der Ingelfinger Geschichtsfreunde" [English: "Association of the Friends of Ingelfingen's History"]. Some lectures and an excursion are planned. A detailed program and a registration-form will be available in May 2004. Further information you can get from the following person:
Mrs. Rathe-Seber, Stifterstraße 3, 74653 Ingelfingen, GERMANY, Phone: (+49) 07940/2866
Mr. Wolfgang Kunzfeld, e-mail: Kunzfeld@t-online.de 

From 19/9 to 21/9/2003 the 5th Symposium about the dark countess took place in Altenburg. About 90 participants from Germany, France, Belgium and other countries report upon and discuss about the events around the dark count and the dark countess of Hildburghausen and Eishausen. Several lectures informed about topical results of researches and about the earlier promotion of this research work by the dukes of Saxony-Altenburg. The report gives a short overview of the context and the running off of the symposium. Read the report (only German).

An up to now rather unknown Hungarian novel with the title "Névtelen vár" from 1877 describes the liberation of Madame Royale out of the prison by the Count Vavel and their common flight to Hungary. But the book from the Hungarian author Jókai Mór (1825-1904) don't base on the historical facts. A short description of the novel (which was published in English under the title "The nameless Castle" in 1889) is available on the literature database:  Jókai (1877).

In 1980 there was produced a TV-serial (6 parts) on the base of Jókai's novel. At the moment the German TV-channel "MDR" televise the serial under the title "Die namenlose Burg" (19/8/2003-23/9/2003 every Tuesday in the night program). The next dates are: 2/9/2003, 9/9/2003, 16/9/2003 and 23/9/2003. More information: TV-channel "MDR".

 5th Symposium about the Dark Countess: program and registration

From 19/9 to 21/9/2003 the 5th symposium about the secret of the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen will take place in Altenburg (Germany, Thuringia). The title is "Das Haus Sachsen-Altenburg - Förderer der Dunkelgrafenforschung" [The court of Saxony-Altenburg - a promoter of the research about the Dark Count]. The event is organized by the "Schloss- und Spielkartenmuseum Altenburg" [Museum of Altenburg Castle]. Now the official program is available. Several lectures about the Dark Countess, the court of Saxony-Altenburg and excursions to the Castle "Fröhliche Wiederkunft" and "Jagdschloss Hummelshain" are planned. The program and the registration-form are available here (only in German!):

Program (html)               Program  (PDF)
Registration-form (html)  Anmeldeformular  (PDF)

The deadline for registration is the 30/6/2003. Registration by post or by fax: Schloss- und Spielkartenmuseum, Schloss 2-4 in 04600 Altenburg, Phone.: (+49) 03447/315193, Fax: (+49) 03447/502661. More information - also about accommodation (hotels and pensions) - are available at the "Museum of Altenburg Castle" or at the "Museum of brewery", Mr. Uwe Gillmeister, Braugartenweg 10, 04600 Altenburg, Phone: (+49) 03447/506587 (private), Phone: (+49) 03447/890930 (vocational), e-mail: UWGilli@t-online.de and brauereimuseum-altenburg@t-online.de (please send emails to both e-mail-addresses).

On the 23/1/2003 the German television channel "MDR" presented a report about the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen in the series "artour". A further theory about the secret of Madame Royale was discussed: Therefore, the princess flights out of the prison "Temple" and went to St. Petersburg. But on the way there were some "problems" and so Madame Royale had to live in "West-Prussia" as a "farmer's wife" until the end of her life. That is the opinion if Mrs Brigitte Klump who believes, that she is a grandchild of 3rd degree of that "farmer's wife" and accordingly of Madame Royale. Therefore the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen would not be the real French princess. More information under TV-channel "MDR".

The next symposium about the secret of the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen will take place from the 19/9 to 21/9/2003 in Altenburg (Germany, Thuringia). The museum of the Altenburg Castle and others organize an event about the history of the former court "Saxony-Altenburg". Several lectures about the topic "The court of Saxony-Altenburg - a promoter of the research about the Dark Countess" with new results from the Madame-Royale research will be presented at that event. The program is not prepared in all details yet. So you can offer further lectures if you want. Responsible for more information or appointments is:

Mr. Uwe Gillmeister, Braugartenweg 10, 04600 Altenburg, GERMANY
Phone: (+49) 03447/506587 (private), Phone: (+49) 03447/890930 (vocational)
e-mail: UWGilli@t-online.de and brauereimuseum-altenburg@t-online.de 
(please send emails to both e-mail-addresses)

The case of Kaspar Hauser, which was rolled up again in 2002, shows how historical mysteries can be solved by the help of DNA analysis. On the 15/12/2002 (from 7.30 pm to 8.15 pm) the German TV-channel ZDF transmit a rerun of the documentary film "Mordfall Kaspar Hauser" by Gabriele Wengler in the series of "ZDF Expedition, Sphinx" (first run on the 17/8/2002 at TV-channel ARTE). That report gives an example, in which way we could investigate the mystery of the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen.

12/10/2002

 

"Sächsische Zeitung" reports about the Dark Countess

On the 12/10/2002 the German newspaper "Sächsische Zeitung" (Dresden) published an article with the title "Das Geheimnis der Madame Royale". The author Thomas Schade informs about the theory of substitution of the French princess Madame Royale and gives a short abstract about the current discussion about an exhumation and a DNA analysis of the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen.

An interview with Prof. Dr. Brinkmann from the "Institute of Legal Medicine at the University of Münster" (Germany) clears up special questions about a DNA analysis of the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen (text in German). Read the interview.

A new German article with the title "Gedankensplitter zur Diskussion - Genanalyse der Dunkelgräfin" was published by an anonymous author. It deals with the problems of a DNA analysis of the Dark Countess and discuss the difficulties in the interpretation of different results. Read the article.

A new article on the website (in German) informs about a interesting relics-collection of the royal family of Louis XVI, which is exhibit in the museum Carnavalet (Paris). The collection includes a tuft of hair by Madame Royale. Read the article.

English article about the Dark Countess in the "Telegraph"

The British newspaper "Telegraph" published an article about the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen. The report has the title "German grave to unlock 'mystery of the Bourbons'", was written by Tony Patterson and published in the release of the 28/7/2002. Read the article under Telegraph.

20/7/2002

During the last weeks several German newspapers and magazines published articles about the Dark Countess of Hildburghausen. On the 3/7/2002 the "Frankfurter Rundschau" published an article of Bernhard Honnigfort with the title "Das Geheimnis der Dunkelgräfin". The same report was also published in further newspapers, e.g. on the 16/7/2002 in the "Badische Zeitung" (read the article under Badischen Zeitung). The magazine "Der Spiegel" also wrote about the secret. In the release 29/2002, page 52,  from the 15/7/2002 Wolfgang Bayer published his article "Ruhestörung im Wald" (read the article under Spiegel-Online). Both reports inform about the secret of Madame Royale and the up-to-date discussion about a DNA analysis.

The house "Schulersberg" in Hildburghausen, in which the Dark Countess and her guardian L.C. van der Valck spend some time, is history now: Short time ago, the old building collapsed. Now, one of the last houses, which remembers on the their life is destroyed. Even in 1874 the Castle Eishausen was pulled down and another house in Hildburghausen, which was owned by the Dark Count, had the same fate in 1912. The owner of the house "Schulersberg" and the government at Hildburghausen, were not in a position to save the important building in the last years. See a Photo of the ruin by Ralf Kaulfuß. 

In 2000 Mr. Arnold zum Winkel published the interesting German article "'Dunkelgräfin-Geheimnis' kann entschlüsselt werden". Now, the text is published on this website. Read the article.

On the 26/2/2002 there was a 15 minute report about the "Secret of Madame Royale" by Helge Cramer on the German television channel "MDR". The program from the series "Hierzulande" reports on the events between 1807 and 1845 in Hildburghausen and Eishausen. Many people, who deals with the secret, gave a short interview, e.g. Helga Rühle von Lilienstern, Dr. Heinrich Dietz, Michael Römhild from the museum of local history in Hildburghausen, pastor Jürgen Fritsch from Eishausen and Roland Eyring from the local history organization in Eishausen. One of the most important points of discussion was the possibility to identify the Dark Countess by a DNA analysis.

The German television channel "MDR" is working on a report about the "Secret of Madame Royale". In Hildburghausen and Eishausen were shootings and interviews with several people. The report will be published on the 26/2/2002 at television channel "MDR" in the program "Hierzulande".