Aizupe Estate in Kurzeme Is by Its Form an Essentially Different Piece of Native Classicism

Imants Lancmanis “…a particularly valuable example: Aizupe Estate in Kurzeme is by its form an essentially different piece of native classicism. The plan and the AIZUPE ESTATE façade of the house were drawn by a well–educated hand of an artist. Everything seems to have been made a peculiar place from a single cast, clear, purposeful and aged in style…. The exterior of the house is considered to be a mature achievement of the school of classicism”. Heinz Pirang, Das baltische Herrenhaus. Part 2, R., 1928, 19 p. The Aizupe Estate has been on a lucky streak for a long time. It is not only about the saying of Pirang that the house was lucky to be born beautiful. It also managed to withstand the cruel fortunes of all the magnificent houses in Latvia. It seems unbelievable that the Aizupe Estate with all of the furnishings managed to carry over without the devastating consequences not only the Revolution of 1905, not only the World War I and Courtyard facade. Photo of the early 20th century. the confusion of the Civil War, but its most severe ordeal, the agrarian reform of 1920. Actually, this was not an ordeal but a total and finite collapse of the system and the culture of the manors. Even in a case when the previous owners managed to retain a manor or even a palace, these were half – empty, adapted to the new living conditions and poverty. Aizupe was the only manor Heinz Pirang could write about in his essay of 1928 Das baltische Herrenhaus: “…falls within the ranks of a few manors completely saved by the war. Interior furnishings have been left mostly intact. The artistic flair and the piety of the owners held it essential to change next to nothing of importance in the furnishing of the inherited house. Each item occupied Portrait: First master of the Aizupe Portrait: First master of the entailed estate Portrait: Sophie von Hahn, Paris. the same place it did when the Estate and the builder of the Manor of Aizupe Paul von Hahn. Pierre Narcissi Gerent, 1819. Adolph Wilhelm von Hahn. Portrait by unknown painter, 1920 – ties. Union of Barons and Free Masters grandma as still alive”. As the Gotlieb Schwenke, 1773. von Hahn, Tegel Castle, Berlin. condition of the manor was Union of Barons and Free Masters described in 1930 – ties by Andre von Hahn. von Hahn: “the only thing missing is the ink in the ink – well, otherwise everything has remained the way my great grandfather and his spouse have arranged it in Aizupe”. This miracle lived on until 1939. The house has mostly remained intact thanks to the school set up there later. And just now, in the last twenty years when it seems like there is more reason and ability to appreciate the cultural heritage, the Aizupe Estate has dwindled to an empty and demolished hull. The future years will show whether the beautiful house is destined to perish or would it be able to rise from ashes to a new life which would reflect some of the former artistic unity and the sense of style. Particularly because the Aizupe Estate has been something special. Apart from the Palace of Eleja and a few other buildings in Latvia the Aizupe Estate is the only example where the whole furnishing, the interior finish, the furniture, the paintings and the household objects, over the centuries has retained the immutable will and taste of its creator. Well, it would be more appropriate to mention two creators: Paul von Hahn and his spouse Sophie. Aizupe Estate property rights were transferred to von Hahn family in 1793. The owner of Pastende, Adolph Wilhelm von Hahn purchased it farsightedly wishing to provide in the future each of his four sons with the entailed estate. Paul von Hahn began his life journey with the adventures which in no way bespoke of a character of a future intelligent and rational statesman, diplomat and farmer: at the age of fifteen he traveled to Russia, the studies at the Tartu University were accompanied by innumerous duels. At the age of nineteen he joined the army which at that time was fighting the Napoleon. Paul von Hahn till the end of his days could remember the incident when he having been taken as a captive of the French and having been sentenced to death penalty was saved at the last moment thanks to the magnanimity of Eugene Boame, the chivalrous adopted son of the Napoleon I who not only undertook the responsibility to cancel the sentence of the Marshal Davou but also freed the captive having presented him with 30 napoleons and the linen from his private wardrobe. Concourse of circumstances had brought also P. von Hahn on the Manor – house of the Aizupe Estate from the direction of the pond. field of the Waterloo battle; it was him who delivered the message on the victory of Photo of the early 20th century. the allied army to emperor Alexander I. The next stage in the life of Paul von Hahn was the diplomatic service which brought him to the Russian Embassy in Italy, later he served with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in St. Petersburg. In 1823 Paul von Hahn in Manheim married Sophie de Grember, the Baroness di Bello, daughter of French emigrant and Amelia von Beninghausen – Budberg. Adolph von Hahn who left for the wedding of the son has not lived to see it and died in Manheim. The heir of Aizupe traveled to Kurzeme with a young wife and a coffin with the father. The new manor in Aizupe has already been roofed, but the owners still resided in the old, one – storied building which fully reflected the practical and unassuming lifestyle of a certain portion of the nobility in Kurzeme. Sophie von Hahn who was raised in a well – groomed and highly civilized court of Baden, was forced to put together all the sense of duty, love of her husband and tolerance in order to recognize and accept the peculiarities and the virtues of Kurzeme which she got to know just recently. She felt lots of things to be completely barbarian. Memories by Sophie von Hahn reflect those first impressions: “…we were riding over a rickety bridge leading over the borderline river between Vane and Aizupe. We joined our hands affectedly Bridge over the pond. Photo of the early 20th century. and in this way, hand in hand crossed the borders of our estate for the first time. We could see some contours of the roofs of Aizupe with the newly built stone edifice rising between them. …We turned into a birch grove which was planted by my father in law and his children. Right beside the threshing barn which together with the old bay window are the only remains of the old manor of Aizupe the road took a sharp turn and led on to a paved road…there loads of stones lay in a quagmire which still could not provide for a solid foundation. Apart from the beautiful lime – trees under which foresightedly lime pits were dug out there was nothing else to see but the construction and demolition waste around a stately living house which, it seemed, was close to being finished. One glimpse at the house was enough for the dreams of a future to skip the things going on at the moment. The house where Hahn (husband of the author, Paul von Hahn – I. L.) grew up in and which he had his most pleasant childhood associated with was completely overshadowed by a new building. Between it and the shore of the pond the carriage find its way among the stones and ruins, turned left and stopped at the door of the main entrance overshadowed by two lime – trees…. After the first sincere greetings at the old, elongated one – storied building where the wealthiest Portrait: Portrait: man in Kurzeme spent many of his years (W. A. von Hahn, father – in – law of the Second landlord of the entailed Third landlord of the entailed author – I. L.) and which was to become our temporary dwelling, we entered in. estate Aizupe Adolph von Hahn. estate Aizupe Paul von Hahn To the left of the antechamber there was a huge dining – room where a served Photo of 1870 – ties. during his studies. table waited for us. There was a timepiece which now stays in the Red Study and Photo of 1890 – ties. which at that moment stroke my first after the arrival at Aizupe. Spacious dwelling room was located next to the dining – room. Two elegant, upholstered with broadcloth sofas with bronze legs brought from St. Petersburg contrasted with the simplicity of other furniture…. The walls were decorated with some copper engravings, and a large number of views of England and Scotland in the ebony frames purported an i nterest by which the parents followed upon the travels of their son in the Great Britain. This same sequence of the rooms also included the bed – room the wall of which was shadowed by a huge lime – tree. Apart from the bed, some comfortable writing – table as well as a dressing – table from the mahogany with the mirror indicated that the extremely modest manor has not lost some of its disposition to the elegance. The rooms facing the garden now served as the drawing – rooms for the ladies. The walls were bleached, and the curtains and the carpets belong to that category of the interior not to be found anywhere else in Kurzeme. All of this created an impression of a great unpretentiousness, though at the same time were cozy and comfortable, at least this is how I felt”.

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