Early life
Gabriela von Habsburg was born in Luxembourg, the fourth child of the German politician Otto von Habsburg, head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and erstwhile heir apparent to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and Regina (née Prinzessin von Sachsen-Meiningen). She was baptised with the names Gabriela Maria Charlotte Felicitas Elisabeth Antonia. The name in her birth certificate is Gabriela von Österreich-Ungarn. [4]
Gabriela von Habsburg was raised at her parents' home in exile, Villa Austria, in Pöcking, Bavaria. As a result of the Habsburgs' banishment from Austria, she feels that she grew up devoid of any sense of pride of country and thus identifies as European. [5] She believes that her dynasty's role in history shaped her upbringing, noting that her family "never spoke about anything at mealtimes except politics". [5] A granddaughter of the last Austrian emperor, Charles I, she does not use the traditional Habsburg-Lorraine titles ("Princess Imperial and Archduchess of Austria, Princess Royal of Hungary and Bohemia", with the style of Imperial and Royal Highness). [5] [6]
After graduating in 1976, Gabriela von Habsburg studied philosophy for two years at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. From 1978 to 1982, she studied art at the Munich Academy of Arts with Robert Jacobsen and Eduardo Paolozzi.
Career
Since 2001, she has been an art professor at the Academy of Arts of Tbilisi, Georgia while also teaching at the Summer Academy of Arts in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany until 2005. She found the creativity and cheerfulness of her students in the face of the adversity then prevalent in Georgia inspiring. [5] During her tenure there she was granted Georgian citizenship. [5] Her five hectare vineyard in Georgia produces wine. [5]
In November 2009, Georgia appointed Gabriela von Habsburg as its ambassador to Germany, and since March 2011, she has maintained a flat in Berlin. [5] [7] Believing that Georgian history served as a crucible for European culture, she has maintained that the liberalizing reforms of President Mikheil Saakashvili have been welcome and invigorating for Georgia's people and economy, which has prompted her to work for Georgia's membership in the European Market. [5] She was dismissed from her position in January 2013, after the change of government in Georgia in October 2012.
Since March 2010, Gabriela von Habsburg has represented Georgia at the International Council [8] of the Austrian Service Abroad.
Otto von Habsburg was the last crown prince of Austria-Hungary from 1916 until the dissolution of the empire in November 1918. In 1922, he became the pretender to the former thrones, head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and sovereign of the Order of the Golden Fleece, upon the death of his father. He resigned as Sovereign of the Golden Fleece in 2000 and as head of the Imperial House in 2007.
Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg was the wife of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Their assassination in Sarajevo sparked a series of events that led, four weeks later, to World War I.
Karl Habsburg is an Austrian politician and the head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, the former royal house of the defunct Austro-Hungarian thrones. As a citizen of the Republic of Austria, his legal name is Karl Habsburg-Lothringen.
Maria Anna of Bavaria was a German princess, a member of the House of Wittelsbach by birth and an Archduchess consort of Inner Austria by marriage.
Maria Anna of Spain was a Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia by her marriage to Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor. She acted as regent on several occasions during the absences of her husband, notably during his absence in Bohemia in 1645.
Countess Walburga Douglas is a German-born Swedish lawyer and politician, who served as a member of the Riksdag of Sweden for the Moderate Party from 2006 to 2014. She is the vice-president of the Paneuropean Union and a board member of the Institute for Information on the Crimes of Communism.
Georg von Habsburg is a German-born Hungarian diplomat. He is referred to in Austria as Georg Habsburg-Lothringen, in Hungary as Habsburg György, and in some international media by his courtesy title Archduke Georg of Austria.
Regina von Habsburg, also known by the traditional royal title of Archduchess Regina of Austria, was a German-born Austrian social worker. She was a member of the House of Wettin by birth and married to Otto von Habsburg, the last heir of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Princess Isabella Hedwig Franziska Natalie of Croÿ was by birth member of House of Croÿ and by marriage member of House of Habsburg.
Baroness Francesca Anna Dolores von Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva, formerly Francesca von Habsburg-Lothringen, is a Swiss art collector. By birth, she is a member of the House of Thyssen-Bornemisza. She is also the former wife of Karl von Habsburg, current head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
Archduchess Charlotte of Austria was a daughter of Emperor Charles I of Austria and his wife Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma. She was also known by the name Charlotte de Bar while a welfare worker in the United States from 1943 to 1956.
Archduchess Mathilde Marie Adelgunde Alexandra of Austria was a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine as the daughter of Archduke Albert, Duke of Teschen. She was intended to become the Queen of Italy as the wife of King Umberto I, but her early death prevented the marriage.
The Order of the Starry Cross is an imperial Austrian dynastic order for Catholic noble ladies, founded in 1668. The order still exists under the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
Archduke Joseph Árpád Benedikt Ferdinand Franz Maria Gabriel was a member of the Hungarian Palatine branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and as such an Archduke of Austria, Prince of Hungary and Bohemia with the style His Imperial and Royal Highness.
Eleanor of Austria, was an Austrian archduchess and a member of the House of Habsburg.
On 4 July 2011, Otto von Habsburg, also known as Otto of Austria, former head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and Sovereign of the Order of the Golden Fleece (1922–2007), and former Crown Prince (1916–1918) and, by pretense, Emperor-King of Austria-Hungary, died at 98 years of age.
Archduchess Mechthildis of Austria was a daughter of Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria and a first cousin of King Alphonso XIII of Spain. She was a member of the Teschen branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and an Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Hungary, and Bohemia by birth. In 1913 she married Prince Olgierd Czartoryski. The couple had four children and lived in Poland until the outbreak of World War II when they emigrated to Brazil.
Archduchess Eleonora of Austria was a daughter of Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria and a first cousin of King Alphonso XIII of Spain. She was member of the Teschen branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and an Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Bohemia, Hungary, and Tuscany by birth. She renounced to her titles upon her morganatic marriage to Alfons Kloss, the captain of her father's yacht. During World War II her sons served in the German army.
Archduchess Dolores of Austria German: Dolores Erzherzogin von Österreich-Toskana;(5 May 1891 – 10 April 1974) was a daughter of Archduke Leopold Salvator of Austria. She was member of the Tuscan branch of the Imperial House of Habsburg-Lorraine, an Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Tuscany by birth. After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, she lived under reduced circumstances with her family in Spain, Austria, and Italy. She died unmarried.
Eleonore von Habsburg-Lothringen is an Austrian jewelry designer, gemologist, model, and member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
