There is hardly a person in the history of Luxembourg around whom so many myths surround as Grand Duchess Marie Adelheid. On the occasion of the centenary of her abdication, Josiane Weber questions the historical importance of the first Grand Duchess of Luxembourg in this political biography. The historian has compiled and evaluated numerous sources, some of which are unknown or little-noticed.
The result is a comprehensive and richly illustrated study of Marie Adelheid's reign.
The biography sheds light on Marie Adelheid's Life and Political Action, particularly between 1912 and 1919, and takes stock of her six and a half years of reign, which contain many key moments in modern history and the Grand Duchy and its political institutions. The frequent government and state crises, demonstrations and uprisings testify not only to unstable conditions and a polarized public, but also to a monarch who did not limit himself to representative tasks.
The dense network of partly true, partly constructed stories that continue to exist today The historiography of Marie Adelheid is revealed in this book in order to show precisely her important political function with the help of meticulous source work. Around 400 images, including many rare photographs, postcards and archival documents complete the work.