Louise Elisabeth de Meuron
Encyclopedia
Louise Elisabeth de Meuron, better known as Madame de Meuron (22 August 1882 – 22 May 1980), was an aristocrat and well-known eccentric
personality in the city of Bern.
) von Wattenwyl in the family town residence (today the cantonal finance department) on the Münsterplatz
in the city of Bern. Her family refused permission for her marriage to the man she loved and she was obliged to marry her cousin, Frédéric-Alphonse de Meuron, in 1905. The marriage ended in divorce in 1923. Her father, a doctor of philosophy and colonel in the engineers, died in 1927. Her son committed suicide in 1939 and her daughter emigrated to Morocco.
She owned several houses in the Bernese old town as well as the alpine meadowland known as Rämisgummen above Eggiwill. In addition she inherited Amsoldingen
Castle from her father and Rümligen
Castle from her mother; the latter became her main residence for many years. She died just before the age of 98 in the Riggisberg borough hospital and lies buried in the cemetery at Gerzensee
.
Following the tragedy of her son’s suicide in 1939, she dressed in mourning for the rest of her life. She devoted herself to philosophy and wrote innumerable letters. She regularly staged the famous show jumping event, the Concours hippique, in Rümligen and was noted for her imperious manner. The lifestyle of Elisabeth de Meuron gave rise to innumerable anecdotes which, however, while having substance, should not all be taken at face value. Her reputation as a Bern original was derived not only from her anachronistic appearance – old fashioned widow’s weeds, walking stick and ear trumpet (So that I hear only what I want to hear) – but also on account of her eccentric behaviour. She was often seen in Bern city centre accompanied by her Russian greyhounds. Her staff were allowed to park her car anywhere and if a policeman came along, she would explain: That stays here! She never bought a tram ticket because, as she said: I was here before the tram! She would ask total strangers: Are you someone or do you get a salary? When a farmer wanted to sit on the Frisching family pew
, she put him right, saying: Up in heaven we’ll all be equal, but in the meantime down here, we’ll have a bit of discipline. And once when a female vagrant
(or as she put it: crazy little beggar woman) was caught stealing fruit from her castle grounds, she locked her up in the coach house for two days. When charged with false imprisonment, she produced in court a document dating from the Middle Ages
which authorised the owner of Rümligen Castle to administer low justice. She was let off with a small fine and a lecture on current law.
Eccentricity (behavior)
In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...
personality in the city of Bern.
Family and life
She was born the daughter of Ludwig von Tscharner and Anna (néeNEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
) von Wattenwyl in the family town residence (today the cantonal finance department) on the Münsterplatz
Münsterplatz (Bern)
The Münsterplatz is a plaza in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland. It is part of the Zähringerstadt which was built during the foundation of the old city in 1191...
in the city of Bern. Her family refused permission for her marriage to the man she loved and she was obliged to marry her cousin, Frédéric-Alphonse de Meuron, in 1905. The marriage ended in divorce in 1923. Her father, a doctor of philosophy and colonel in the engineers, died in 1927. Her son committed suicide in 1939 and her daughter emigrated to Morocco.
She owned several houses in the Bernese old town as well as the alpine meadowland known as Rämisgummen above Eggiwill. In addition she inherited Amsoldingen
Amsoldingen
Amsoldingen is a municipality in the Thun administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Amsoldingen has an area, , of . Of this area, or 60.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 21.9% is forested...
Castle from her father and Rümligen
Rümligen
Rümligen is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Rümligen has an area of . Of this area, 77% is used for agricultural purposes, while 16.3% is forested...
Castle from her mother; the latter became her main residence for many years. She died just before the age of 98 in the Riggisberg borough hospital and lies buried in the cemetery at Gerzensee
Gerzensee
-External links:...
.
Following the tragedy of her son’s suicide in 1939, she dressed in mourning for the rest of her life. She devoted herself to philosophy and wrote innumerable letters. She regularly staged the famous show jumping event, the Concours hippique, in Rümligen and was noted for her imperious manner. The lifestyle of Elisabeth de Meuron gave rise to innumerable anecdotes which, however, while having substance, should not all be taken at face value. Her reputation as a Bern original was derived not only from her anachronistic appearance – old fashioned widow’s weeds, walking stick and ear trumpet (So that I hear only what I want to hear) – but also on account of her eccentric behaviour. She was often seen in Bern city centre accompanied by her Russian greyhounds. Her staff were allowed to park her car anywhere and if a policeman came along, she would explain: That stays here! She never bought a tram ticket because, as she said: I was here before the tram! She would ask total strangers: Are you someone or do you get a salary? When a farmer wanted to sit on the Frisching family pew
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
, she put him right, saying: Up in heaven we’ll all be equal, but in the meantime down here, we’ll have a bit of discipline. And once when a female vagrant
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
(or as she put it: crazy little beggar woman) was caught stealing fruit from her castle grounds, she locked her up in the coach house for two days. When charged with false imprisonment, she produced in court a document dating from the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
which authorised the owner of Rümligen Castle to administer low justice. She was let off with a small fine and a lecture on current law.