The recovery of a Habsburg family treasure, lost for a century, has ignited intrigue and raised questions about transparency within the formerly ruling dynasty. Karl Habsburg, head of the family and grandson of the last Austrian Emperor, confirmed to “Der Spiegel” that a collection of priceless jewels, including the legendary “Florentiner” yellow diamond, has resurfaced in a Canadian bank vault.
The treasure, spirited away by Emperor Karl I. in November 1918 amidst the tumultuous aftermath of World War I, had been previously presumed lost, the victim of theft or desperate sales to sustain the family’s dwindling fortunes. Rumors circulated for decades, fueled by unsubstantiated claims of diamond fragmentation and illicit sales, with a 1966 memoir even alleging the diamond’s disassembly.
The jewels, which originally comprised a significant portion of the imperial treasury held in the Vienna Hofburg Palace, included Empress Elisabeth (“Sisi”)’s diamond crown, a smaragdine timepiece gifted by Maria Theresa to Marie Antoinette and numerous other significant pieces. According to Habsburg’s account, Kaiserin Zita, Karl I’s widow, transported the valuables to Canada in a brown suitcase following her exile from Europe in 1940. The vault’s location, in the French-speaking province of Quebec, suggests a deliberate effort to obscure the treasure’s whereabouts.
Photographs of the recovered jewels, reportedly the first images of the collection in over a century, have been released, authenticated by Vienna-based jeweler Christoph Köchert’s expert assessment. While the find represents a remarkable historical recovery, the circumstances surrounding its concealment and Habsburg’s own apparent lack of awareness until recently – he claims to have been informed by cousins only a year ago – have drawn criticism.
The decision to initially display the jewels in Canada, rather than Austria, has been framed as a gesture of gratitude to the nation that provided refuge for Zita. However, it also signals a degree of separation between the Habsburg family and its historical seat of power, potentially aimed at shifting the narrative surrounding the dynasty’s legacy.
Importantly, the recovery is incomplete. While Sisi’s crown has reappeared, Habsburg acknowledges that numerous other pieces, previously held within the Viennese treasury at the time of their removal to Switzerland, remain unaccounted for. Their disappearance continues to fuel speculation and suggests that the full story of the Habsburg diaspora and its treasures remains shrouded in mystery, raising concerns about a potential lack of comprehensive accountability from the family.