Schratt, Katharina |
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BORN 11 Sep 1855, Baden, Niederösterreich (near Wien) - DIED 18 Apr 1940, Wien GRAVE LOCATION Wien: Hietzinger Friedhof, Maxingstraße 15, Hietzing (Gruppe 19, Nummer 108) |
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Katharina Schratt was the daughter of a merchant from Baden near Vienna. As an actress she soon made herself a name and over time she became one of the most popular and well paid actresses of her time. In 1879 she married the aristocrat Nikolaus Kiss de Ittebe and in 1880 they had a son, Anton. After an engagement in New York she was permanently engaged at the Hoftheater in Vienna. In 1883 she met the emperor Francis Joseph and they became close friends. In 1885 Tsar Alexander II had an eye on her. Her friendship with Francis Joseph was supported by the empress Elisabeth and it lasted until Francis Joseph's death in 1916. It is unknown if they ever were lovers. After his death she appeared next to the new emperor Charles VI and her two roses were the only ones that were buried with Francis Joseph. In later years there was talk that Francis Joseph has secretly married her, but this was neither confirmed nor denied by Otto von Habsburg, the son of the last emperor Charles VI. Her husband had died in 1909 and after the death of the emperor she lived at her palace at the Kärntner ring that Francis Joseph had given her. In old age she was deeply religious. Related persons • was a friend of Devrient-Reinhold, Babette • was a friend of Franz Joseph von Habsburg, Emperor of Austria • is family of Knoteck, Hansi • was helped by Laube, Heinrich |
| Images |
 The grave of Katharina Schratt at the Hietzinger Friedhof, Vienna. Picture by Androom (25 Aug 2016) |
Sources • Grosse Frauen der Weltgeschichte, Neuer Kaiser Verlag, Klagenfurt, 1987 • Katharina Schratt - Wikipedia |
