While the Swarm was in Innsbruck, Austria, it decided to make a little hike up to the Pilgrimage Site Heiligwasser. Which hosted an unfortunate group of hikers 01.08.1854 on the way up Patscherkofel Mountain. Who, as we drank the water of the holy spring next to the pilgrimage church.
- Emperor Franz Josef of Austria (father of crown prince Rudolf † 1889 Mayerling)
- His Brother Maximilian Emperor of Mexico (Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian † executed in Mexico 1867)
- His Brother Karl Ludwig Archduke of Austria, (father of later Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand †1914 in Sarajewo and Grandfather of Emperor Karl I. of Austria † 1922 Madeira, beatified by Pope Johannes Paul II)
4. Karl Ludwigs wife Margarete of Saxony - Friedrich August King of Saxony († 09.08.1854, Brennbichl; married with Maria Anna of Bavaria, daughter of King Maximilian I. of Bavaria, called Marie)
First when we arrived at the inn and church we had to laugh. We saw a Rubber Duck lying capsized in the partly frozen water of the trough for the animals. We suspected it was left by the royals and might have drunk too much foul water.
Then we saw the memorial plate of the Royal Hiking Group. And drank some of the water from the holy spring.
Things did not go well for emperor Franz Josef and the Habsburg Dynasti. After he had married Elizabeth, Princess I n Bavaria (Sisi), daughter of Ludovica and granddaughter of Maximilian I. , king of Bavaria. Ludovica cursed the forced marriage when she threw her wedding bouquet. After her sister got kings to marry and she only got Zitter-Maxl, a second class Duke I N Bavaria.
His only son died in Mayerling (suicide, and murder of his lover Mary Vatsera).
Pious brother Karl Ludwig died from Typhus after dinking water from the Jordan River in Palestina during a Pilgrimage in the Holy Country.
Maximilian of Mexico was executed in Mexico after the Revolution.
Crown Pince Nephew Ferdinant was assassinated in Sarajevo and last heir, the Grand-Nephew of the emperor, died from the Spanish Flu 1922 impoverished in a cold Villa in Funchal, Madeira. Where he was put up by a friend.
Only fourth brother Ludwig Victor (Luzi-Wuzi, Luziwuzi) who never married did not join the hiking group.
King Friedrich August II. of Saxony-Weimar shared the curse. He died only days after the Hiking tour. He fell from the carriage between the horses and was horse-kicked dead. August 9’th, 1854. About 40 km west from Innsbruck at Brennbichl.
The view overlooking the Inntal with Innsbruck was excellent on a sunny day.
The Pilgrimage Church:
Fountain with the holy water:
The Ducks are kind of glad that I am still OK after drinking the water at Heiligwasser. And we had grabbed some royal grub in the cozy mountain den with nice wooden paneled walls. The food was excellent.
The skiing season had not yet started so we mastered crossing the already icy slopes without problems. The mountain gondola cableway was not running and could not knock us dead.
Credit: Maps Icons ColIlection, https://mapicons.mapsmarker.com/
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