What exactly happened on that fateful September 10, 1898 in Geneva? Who was the young man who put an end to her life? Was Elisabeth simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? What happened after her death?
Elisabeth’s last trip took her to Lake Geneva in 1898 . She initially stayed at the Hotel de Caux near Montreux. From there, she visited Baroness Rothschild incognito. She then moved into the Hotel Beau Rivage in Geneva with her lady-in-waiting .
As always, Sisi travelled under the pseudonym “Countess von Hohenembs”, but was recognized by the hotelier of the Beau Rivage. The next morning, the newspaper reported that Empress Elisabeth of Austria was in Geneva.
The Italian anarchist Luigi Lucheni, who was actually after the French prince Henri d’Orleans, also found out. When he failed to appear in Geneva, Sisi became the prominent victim.
Fateful death – in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Fatal assassination attempt on Elisabeth in Geneva, 1898
On the afternoon of September 10, 1898, Empress Elisabeth’s life came to a fateful end on Lake Geneva. She was in Geneva at the invitation of the Rothschild family, accompanied by her lady-in-waiting.
At around 13:30, a young man bumped into her not far from the Hotel Beau-Rivage, near the landing stage of the paddle steamer on which she wanted to travel on to Caux. Luigi Lucheni plunged a sharp file into her heart, which was only noticed on the ship when the Empress collapsed dead.
The puncture from the stiletto-shaped blade was so small that the empress did not feel it and thought it was just a fist strike. Although she fell down, she got up again and continued on to the ship. She talked to her lady-in-waiting Irma Sztáray about the incident. Ten minutes passed before she collapsed on the ship. The ship returned to the dock and the empress was taken back to the hotel. All attempts at resuscitation were in vain, and only death could be determined. Sisi was 60 years old.
When Emperor Franz Joseph received the terrible news, he is said to have said to his adjutant: “You don’t know how much I loved this woman”.
Empress Elisabeth’s body was transported to Vienna in the court carriage. Her body was embalmed and placed in its entirety in a beautiful Art Nouveau coffin. The body was not divided into three parts, as had been customary for the Habsburgs for centuries.
Sisi wanted to be buried on her favorite island of Corfu. This last wish was not granted. In keeping with tradition, Empress Elisabeth was laid to rest in the Capuchin Crypt in Vienna. The funeral took place on September 17, 1898.
What happened to the Assassin? Luigi Lucheni received a life sentence for murder, although he would have preferred the death penalty. 12 years after the incident, he ended his own life. He was found hanged in a dark cell.
Tip from Sisi’s Amazing Journey: In the Capuchin Crypt , you can visit Sisi’s last resting place. This is where her restless journey throughout Europe came to an end. Many Sisi fans come to this place to commemorate her.