Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

Princess Augusta Marie Luise Katharina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach 30 September 1811 – 7 January 1890 was a queen of Prussia and the number one German empress as a consort of William I, German Emperor.

Return to Berlin

In 1858, William became Regent after his brother was no longer able to lead his government due to suffering several strokes. He in addition to Augusta traveled to the court at Berlin.

William soon dismissed the old ministry when he succeeded his childless brother as king in 1861 and appointed liberal ministers of his own, notably from his own court at Koblenz, including: Alexander von Schleinitz, who became Foreign Secretary; August von Bethmann, who became Minister of Culture; and Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen who became Minister President of Prussia. The conservative opponents saw this as the realise of Augusta, but her political influence on William was rather small. This became evident a few months later when he dissolved parliament, which was not bending to his will. The King appointed Otto von Bismarck as the new Prussian Minister President. Augusta, now Queen, regarded Bismarck as her mortal enemy and Bismarck likewise despised Augusta for her albeit small influence on her husband.

Augusta was especially horrified at Bismarck's foreign policy and his score in the commencement of the Austro-Prussian War. At the same time, she became more and more estranged from the king and Bismarck began tonegatively on the Queen in parliament; the Queen reacted by being rude to Bismarck's wife, Johanna.

The Queen soon began to suffer from her manic-depressive phases again and started devloping frequent trips to Baden-Baden, in search of a cure. At this time, the Prussian population was rejoicing in the victory at Königgrätz, but Augusta began mourning for the dead and injured. Augusta also became estranged from her daughter-in-law, Victoria who, contrary to custom, inherited the former Queen Elisabeth's jewelleries, which were supposed to be left to Augusta.

Augusta, who clearly abhorred war, founded the National Women's connection in 1864, which looked after wounded and ill soldiers and convened with Florence Nightingale for ideas. Several hospital foundations represent today from Augusta's initiative, including the German Society of Surgery. Augusta was an avid supporter of the Red Cross movement, and the Augusta Fund at the International Committee of the Red Cross still exists today.