Helene Berg – Kaisertochter Und Komponistengattin

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Helene Berg – Kaisertochter Und Komponistengattin DIPLOMARBEIT Titel der Diplomarbeit „Helene Berg – Kaisertochter und Komponistengattin. Eine Gesellschaftsstudie“ Verfasserin Maria Erben angestrebter akademischer Grad Magistra der Philosophie (Mag. phil.) Wien, 2012 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 312 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: Geschichte Betreuerin / Betreuer: Univ.Doz. Dr. Bertrand Michael Buchmann Abb. 1: Helene Berg, geb. Nahowski Inhaltsverzeichnis Abbildungsverzeichnis........................................................................................5 Vorwort ................................................................................................................7 Einleitung .............................................................................................................9 1 Zur Abstammung Helene Bergs................................................................13 1.1 Das Leben der Mutter Anna Nahowski (18.6.1859 – 21.3.1931)............................ 13 Die Beziehung Anna Nahowskis zu Kaiser Franz Josef.......................................... 14 Das Ende der kaiserlichen Beziehung ..................................................................... 27 1.2 Helene und ihre Abstammung .................................................................................. 34 Bestätigung der Abstammung im Freundeskreis..................................................... 36 1.3 Helenes Kindheit und Jugendzeit ............................................................................. 37 Helenes Bekanntschaft mit Alban Berg................................................................... 40 Helenes Jugendverehrer........................................................................................... 41 2 Zur Biographie von Alban Berg ...............................................................47 2.1 Die uneheliche Tochter Alban Bergs........................................................................ 48 2.2 Der Gesundheitszustand Alban Bergs...................................................................... 50 2.3 Der Beginn des kompositorischen Schaffens........................................................... 53 3 Verlobung und Hochzeit............................................................................59 3.1 Die finanziellen Verhältnisse..................................................................................... 65 Die Musikwelt Wiens .............................................................................................. 67 3.2 Die ersten Ehejahre, Helenes Gesundheit................................................................ 72 Helenes Bruder Franz Joseph .................................................................................. 78 Die Zeit des 1. Weltkrieges...................................................................................... 82 Helene und Alban in der Kriegszeit......................................................................... 86 3.3 Die Nachkriegszeit...................................................................................................... 89 Die ersten Erfolge .................................................................................................... 96 4 Alma Mahler und die Wiener Gesellschaft............................................103 Die Freundschaft von Alma Mahler mit Helene und Alban.................................. 108 Aufkommender Antisemitismus............................................................................ 118 Moderne Technik im Hause Berg.......................................................................... 122 5 Die politische und die private Tragödie .................................................125 Außereheliche Beziehungen Albans...................................................................... 134 3 6 Die Witwenjahre Helenes ........................................................................145 6.1 Die Errichtung der Alban Berg Stiftung................................................................ 167 6.2 Meine persönlichen Erinnerungen ......................................................................... 173 Zusammenfassung...........................................................................................179 Anhang: Drei Gedichte von Peter Altenberg................................................181 Gedruckte Quellen und Literatur..................................................................185 Verzeichnis der ungedruckten Quellen.........................................................187 Abbildungsnachweis........................................................................................188 Abstract ............................................................................................................189 Lebenslauf ........................................................................................................191 4 Abbildungsverzeichnis Abb. 1: Helene Berg, geb. Nahowski......................................................................................... 1 Abb. 2: Franz und Anna Nahowski in Trahütten ..................................................................... 33 Abb. 3: Helene im Musikzimmer des Elternhauses Maxingstraße 46 ..................................... 38 Abb. 4: Helene Nahowski im Jahr 1907 .................................................................................. 40 Abb. 5: Am Hochzeitstag......................................................................................................... 60 Abb. 6: Das Wohnhaus in der Trauttmansdorffgasse 27.......................................................... 63 Abb. 7 und Abb. 8: Schönbergs Porträts von Helene und Alban Berg.................................... 69 Abb. 9: Franz Nahowski mit Sohn Frank................................................................................. 79 Abb. 10: Alban und Helene Berg............................................................................................. 95 Abb. 11: Alma Mahler, Foto aus Bergs Nachlass.................................................................. 103 Abb. 12: Helene und Alma auf dem Rücksitz (v.l.), Werfel am Lenkrad und daneben Alban ................................................................................................................................................ 123 Abb. 13: Alban Berg, 1935 .................................................................................................... 127 Abb. 14: Horoskop von Helene Berg. Charakterbild einer sehr selbstbewussten Persönlichkeit. ................................................................................................................................................ 133 Abb. 15: Helene Berg im Alter .............................................................................................. 145 Abb. 16: Todesanzeige in der Tageszeitung „Die Presse“..................................................... 175 Abb. 17: in der Aufbahrungshalle Hietzing, ganz links mit Brille Frau Fritzi Schlesinger- Czapka.................................................................................................................................... 176 Abb. 18: auf dem Friedhof, vor dem Grab stehend Erich A. Berg ........................................ 176 Abb. 19 und Abb. 20: Das Ehrengrab von Alban und Helene Berg am Hietzinger Friedhof, Gruppe 49 Nr. 24 F Je. 3, im November 2012 ....................................................................... 177 5 6 Vorwort Die Wahl des Themas dieser Arbeit hat sachlich-historische als auch persönliche Gründe. Sowohl die Persönlichkeit Helene Bergs als auch die Zeit, in die sie hineingeboren wurde, haben mich seit langem beschäftigt. In meiner Jugend studierte ich an der damaligen Hochschule für Musik in Wien Musikpädagogik und Violoncello bei meinem späteren Mann Valentin Erben, dem Cellisten des Alban Berg Quartetts. Zu dieser Zeit lebte auch noch Helene Berg, und ich hatte das große Glück, sie bei mehreren Besuchen in ihren letzten Lebensjahren kennen zu lernen. Die Persönlichkeit und die Ausstrahlung dieser faszinierenden Frau hinterließen bei mir einen unauslöschlichen Eindruck. Es ist mir ein Bedürfnis, mit dieser Arbeit die Erinnerung an Helene Berg zu erhalten und ihr auch den ihr gebührenden Platz in der österreichischen Geschichte zu verschaffen. Durch meinen eigenen Lebenslauf fühle ich mich mit Helene Berg seelenverwandt. Es gibt in meinem Leben einige Parallelen zu ihr. Ich verzichtete ebenso wie Helene durch meine Heirat mit einem berühmten Mann in der Musikwelt auf eine eigene Karriere. Vertraut ist mir der Ort Trahütten in der Weststeiermark, wo Helenes Familie ein Sommerhaus besaß und Helene mit ihrem Mann jahrzehntelang den Sommer verbrachte, wo auch Alban seinen ersten Welterfolg, die Oper „Wozzeck“, komponierte. Mit unseren Kindern verbrachten mein damaliger Mann und ich viele Jahre lang sommers und winters die Ferienzeit in diesem idyllischen Bergdorf. Beim Studium der umfangreichen Korrespondenz im Nachlass Helenes waren mir einige Namen von ortsansässigen Geschäftsleuten wohl vertraut. Durch meinen Bekanntenkreis ist es mir auch möglich, noch einige Zeitzeugen von Helene Berg in diese Arbeit einzubeziehen. Vielleicht konnte ich damit erklären, wie sehr mich intellektuell und emotional das Thema dieser Arbeit anspricht und wie sehr ich mich bemühen möchte, der Persönlichkeit Helene Bergs annähernd gerecht zu werden. Es bedürfte eines wesentlich größeren Zeitaufwandes, als er mir zur Verfügung stand, um den umfangreichen Nachlass Helenes aufzuarbeiten. Trotz dieser
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