Frederic Emile d'Erlanger
Encyclopedia
Frédéric Emile Baron d’Erlanger (born June 19, 1832 in Frankfurt am Main; died May 22, 1911 in Versailles) born as Friedrich Emil Erlanger, was a German banker and Consul.
in order to thank Friedrich Emil, who would eventually inherit the title, for his services. Raphael was subsequently granted titles by the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
and the Austrian Empire
, who named him a hereditary baron and awarded him the Grand Cross of the Order of Franz Joseph. In 1853 Frederick Emile fell ill and withdrew from business activities. In order to restore his health, he began to conduct travelers to Greece
and Egypt
. Here he met the Suez Canal planner Lesseps
and became fascinated by the idea of the Canal. After his recovery, he became a partner of his father's Frankfurt bank, Erlanger & Sons.
(1793–1871). Slidell was the Ambassador of the Confederate States of America at the court of Emperor Napoleon III. His wife, Maria Deslonde Mathilde, was from an influential Creole family whose ancestors emigrated from Brest, France, in the seventeenth century. D'Erlanger met his second wife in New Orleans during a trip to America. She grew up on the prosperous plantation Belle Pointe in Laplace, Louisiana
, ninety miles north of New Orleans. Later, she moved with her family to Paris, where she and her sister received great attention because of their extraordinary beauty. Her sister Marie Rosine married Comte de Saint-Roman. D'Erlanger and his wife built a villa situated in the affluent 16th Arrondissement of Paris that still exists today. The access roads to the villa, "Rue d'Erlanger" and "Avenue d'Erlanger," are named in his honor. In 1870. shortly before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
, the family moved to London
. The headquarters of the banking house moved there from Paris as well. D'Erlanger resided at 139 Piccadilly
in London, the former home of Lord Byron. The German
-born baron and all his family members became British citizens. He was authorized to use his foreign titles of nobility, despite some strong opposition at first.
The couple had four children. Raphael Sidell d'Erlanger (1865–1897) was a zoologist and professor at Heidelberg
. Emile Beaumont, Baron d'Erlanger (1866–1939) later successfully took over the bank's management successfully. Baron Frederic Alfred d'Erlanger
(1868–1943) became a banker, but later acquired acclaim as a composer. François Rodolphe d'Erlanger
(1872–1932) was a musicologist and painter whose palace, Ennejma Ezzahra in Sidi Bou Said
, Tunisia
, now houses the Centre des musiques arabes et méditerranéennes. His son Leo Alfred Frédéric d'Erlanger (1898–1978) eventually became the head of the family-owned bank.
, the dominant financial center of continental Europe in the second half of the 19th Century. He invented high-risk bonds, especially for developing countries. He invested in railroads and mines in Africa
, North America, South America, and Europe, as well as Russian and Tunisian government bonds and Southern cotton during the American Civil War. He financed the Simplon Tunnel
s between the Wallis
and Aosta Valley, then the largest railway tunnel in Europe
.
Along with Paul Julius Reuter (1816–1899), the founder of Reuters
news agency, his bank, Erlanger Ltd., funded the construction of a French transatlantic telephone cable in 1869. His wife, Mathilde, Baroness d'Erlanger, made the historic first call.
In 1889, during an inspection tour of their American railroad investments, the couple created the D'Erlanger Grant for start-up capital to build a hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee
. It is known today as the Erlanger Health System
.
Erlanger, Kentucky
was named to honor the d'Erlangers' financial contributions.
As music lovers and influential members of the haute bourgeoisie who had personal relationships with the leaders of many countries, they promoted Richard Wagner
and his music, including the first performance of Tannhäuser
at the Paris Opera
after the Franco-Prussian War. D'Erlanger also donated several art works, including the seventeenth-century allegorical tapestries depicting the Duke of Alba to the Hampton Court Palace of the British crown.
The d'Erlangers also funded the rescue of the murals from the Quinta del Sordo in 1873. This house, which they bought, was temporarily residence of Francisco de Goya. Goya's Pinturas Negras were costly to save from destruction. These "black paintings" that Goya painted directly on plaster, were gently transferred to canvas. After their lack of public acceptance at the Paris Exposition
of 1878, he bequeathed these works to the Prado
in Madrid
, where they remain, in 1880.
In Italy, the d'Erlangers leased Villa Foscari
, the famous mansion built in the seventeenth by Andrea Palladio
, and commissioned restoration work.
Frédéric Emile, Baron d'Erlanger died in Versailles
on 22 May 1911. His second son, Emile Beaumont, Baron d'Erlanger, had previously succeeded him in the management of the bank.
Life
Frederic Emile Baron d'Erlanger was born to banker Raphael Erlanger and his young wife, Margarete Helene Albert (1800–1834). Just prior the birth of his eldest sister Susanne Adolphine (1829–1873), his father converted from Judaism to Christianity for his wife's sake. Susanne eventually married the Frankfurt merchant Franz Josef Carl Langenberger (1821–1878). As the eldest son, Friedrich Emil Erlanger became involved in extensive banking and bill transactions early in life. By age 19, he was so successful with his father in the brokerage business that he was appointed Consul General and fiscal agent at Paris by the Greek Government under Otto I. He visited the royal court in Stockholm and was involved in successful Swedish and Portuguese state financial negotiations. Queen Maria II of Portugal and her husband, Ferdinand II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, ennobled Raphael as a hereditary Portuguese BaronBaron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
in order to thank Friedrich Emil, who would eventually inherit the title, for his services. Raphael was subsequently granted titles by the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Saxe-Meiningen
The Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia....
and the Austrian Empire
Emperor of Austria
The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of...
, who named him a hereditary baron and awarded him the Grand Cross of the Order of Franz Joseph. In 1853 Frederick Emile fell ill and withdrew from business activities. In order to restore his health, he began to conduct travelers to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Here he met the Suez Canal planner Lesseps
Ferdinand de Lesseps
Ferdinand Marie, Vicomte de Lesseps, GCSI was the French developer of the Suez Canal, which joined the Mediterranean and Red Seas in 1869, and substantially reduced sailing distances and times between the West and the East.He attempted to repeat this success with an effort to build a sea-level...
and became fascinated by the idea of the Canal. After his recovery, he became a partner of his father's Frankfurt bank, Erlanger & Sons.
First marriage
On 30 June 1858, Frederick Emil Erlanger married a young Parisian socialite, Florence Louise Odette Lafitte (1840–1931). Her grandfather was a banker, governor of the Bank of France, Finance Minister, and Prime Minister of France temporarily. In 1859, d'Erlanger officially took over the business of the banking house in Paris. He changed his name and was afterwards called Frédéric Emile Baron d'Erlanger. His marriage failed, however. The couple had no children and they divorced in December 1862.Second marriage
On 3 October 1864, Baron d'Erlanger married the American Marguérite Mathilde Slidell (1842–1927), the daughter of the influential American lawyer, businessman and politician John SlidellJohn Slidell
John Slidell was an American politician, lawyer and businessman. A native of New York, Slidell moved to Louisiana as a young man and became a staunch defender of southern rights as a U.S. Representative and Senator...
(1793–1871). Slidell was the Ambassador of the Confederate States of America at the court of Emperor Napoleon III. His wife, Maria Deslonde Mathilde, was from an influential Creole family whose ancestors emigrated from Brest, France, in the seventeenth century. D'Erlanger met his second wife in New Orleans during a trip to America. She grew up on the prosperous plantation Belle Pointe in Laplace, Louisiana
Laplace, Louisiana
LaPlace is a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the east bank of the Mississippi River in the New Orleans metropolitan area. The population is 32,134 at the 2010 census....
, ninety miles north of New Orleans. Later, she moved with her family to Paris, where she and her sister received great attention because of their extraordinary beauty. Her sister Marie Rosine married Comte de Saint-Roman. D'Erlanger and his wife built a villa situated in the affluent 16th Arrondissement of Paris that still exists today. The access roads to the villa, "Rue d'Erlanger" and "Avenue d'Erlanger," are named in his honor. In 1870. shortly before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, the family moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The headquarters of the banking house moved there from Paris as well. D'Erlanger resided at 139 Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
in London, the former home of Lord Byron. The German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born baron and all his family members became British citizens. He was authorized to use his foreign titles of nobility, despite some strong opposition at first.
The couple had four children. Raphael Sidell d'Erlanger (1865–1897) was a zoologist and professor at Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
. Emile Beaumont, Baron d'Erlanger (1866–1939) later successfully took over the bank's management successfully. Baron Frederic Alfred d'Erlanger
Frédéric Alfred d'Erlanger
Baron Frédéric Alfred d'Erlanger was an Anglo-French composer, banker and patron of the arts. His father, Baron Frederic Emile d'Erlanger, was a German, while his mother, Mathilde , was an American. One of four sons, his father was the head of a French banking house...
(1868–1943) became a banker, but later acquired acclaim as a composer. François Rodolphe d'Erlanger
Rodolphe d'Erlanger
Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger was a French painter and musicologist specializing in Arabic music. He studied in Paris and London....
(1872–1932) was a musicologist and painter whose palace, Ennejma Ezzahra in Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said is a town in northern Tunisia located about 20 km from the capital, Tunis.The town got its name for a Muslim religious figure who lived there, Abou Said ibn Khalef ibn Yahia Ettamini el Beji . The town itself is a tourist attraction as it is known for the extensive use of blue and...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, now houses the Centre des musiques arabes et méditerranéennes. His son Leo Alfred Frédéric d'Erlanger (1898–1978) eventually became the head of the family-owned bank.
Career
D'Erlanger was one of the leading bankers of ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the dominant financial center of continental Europe in the second half of the 19th Century. He invented high-risk bonds, especially for developing countries. He invested in railroads and mines in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, North America, South America, and Europe, as well as Russian and Tunisian government bonds and Southern cotton during the American Civil War. He financed the Simplon Tunnel
Simplon Tunnel
The Simplon Tunnel is an Alpine railway tunnel that connects the Swiss town of Brig with Domodossola in Italy, though its relatively straight trajectory does not run under Simplon Pass itself. It actually consists of two single-track tunnels built nearly 20 years apart...
s between the Wallis
Wallis
- Places :* Valais, a Swiss canton with the German name "Wallis"* Walliswil bei Niederbipp* Walliswil bei Wangen* Wallis Islands- Others :* Wallis , a British clothing retailer* Wallis Theatres, an Australian cinema franchise- See also :...
and Aosta Valley, then the largest railway tunnel in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Along with Paul Julius Reuter (1816–1899), the founder of Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
news agency, his bank, Erlanger Ltd., funded the construction of a French transatlantic telephone cable in 1869. His wife, Mathilde, Baroness d'Erlanger, made the historic first call.
In 1889, during an inspection tour of their American railroad investments, the couple created the D'Erlanger Grant for start-up capital to build a hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. It is known today as the Erlanger Health System
Erlanger Health System
The Erlanger Health System , is a multi-hospital system with five campuses based in Chattanooga, Tennessee—Erlanger Baroness Campus, Children's Hospital at Erlanger, Erlanger East Campus, Erlanger North Campus, and Erlanger Bledsoe Campus...
.
Erlanger, Kentucky
Erlanger, Kentucky
Erlanger is a city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,676 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Erlanger is located at ....
was named to honor the d'Erlangers' financial contributions.
As music lovers and influential members of the haute bourgeoisie who had personal relationships with the leaders of many countries, they promoted Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
and his music, including the first performance of Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser was a German Minnesänger and poet. Historically, his biography is obscure beyond the poetry, which dates between 1245 and 1265...
at the Paris Opera
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and renamed the Académie Royale de Musique...
after the Franco-Prussian War. D'Erlanger also donated several art works, including the seventeenth-century allegorical tapestries depicting the Duke of Alba to the Hampton Court Palace of the British crown.
The d'Erlangers also funded the rescue of the murals from the Quinta del Sordo in 1873. This house, which they bought, was temporarily residence of Francisco de Goya. Goya's Pinturas Negras were costly to save from destruction. These "black paintings" that Goya painted directly on plaster, were gently transferred to canvas. After their lack of public acceptance at the Paris Exposition
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
of 1878, he bequeathed these works to the Prado
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, where they remain, in 1880.
In Italy, the d'Erlangers leased Villa Foscari
Villa Foscari
thumb|Villa Foscari: facing the [[Brenta]]Villa Foscari is a patrician villa in Mira, near Venice, northern Italy, designed by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio...
, the famous mansion built in the seventeenth by Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio was an architect active in the Republic of Venice. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily by Vitruvius, is widely considered the most influential individual in the history of Western architecture...
, and commissioned restoration work.
Frédéric Emile, Baron d'Erlanger died in Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
on 22 May 1911. His second son, Emile Beaumont, Baron d'Erlanger, had previously succeeded him in the management of the bank.
External links
- Photo of Kate daughter in law of Frédéric Emile Baron d’Erlanger
- History of Lady Galway daughter of Frédéric Emile Baron d’Erlanger
- Portrait of Maria Elisabetha Cleopha Scholastica daughter in law of Frédéric Emile Baron d’Erlanger
- Portrait Marie Rosine d'Erlanger de St. Roman daughter of Frédéric Emile Baron d’Erlanger and wife Mathilde
- Erlanger Hospital Foundation
- Erlanger Health SystemErlanger Health SystemThe Erlanger Health System , is a multi-hospital system with five campuses based in Chattanooga, Tennessee—Erlanger Baroness Campus, Children's Hospital at Erlanger, Erlanger East Campus, Erlanger North Campus, and Erlanger Bledsoe Campus...