The Summer Capitals of Europe, 1814-1919

357 Pages·2017·4.488 MB·English

by  Marina Soroka

The Summer Capitals
of Europe, 1814–1919
This book is about the great European health spas of the nineteenth century: what
they were, how they operated, what life was like there and how their functions
evolved to the point where their original medicinal purpose was relegated to a
secondary place by the unintended uses of spas as stages of social and political
interactions.
These popular resorts were nicknamed ‘the summer capitals of Europe’ be-
cause of the tendency of nations’ governing classes to gather there. Every summer
between 1814 and 1914 (and in a few cases even during World War I) continen-
tal watering places became a microcosm of cosmopolitan aristocratic Europe,
incorporating its conventions, tastes, concerns and interests. As the nineteenth
century advanced, fashionable watering stations increasingly became associated
with social bonding, matchmaking, pleasure, career building, conspicuous con-
sumption and diplomatic activity that took place during the high season.
Marina Soroka completed her PhD at the University of Western Ontario in 2009
and is the author of Becoming a Romanov. Grand Duchess Elena of Russia and
Her World, 1807–1873 (2015) and Britain, Russia and the First World War (2013).
Routledge Studies in Modern European History
For a full list of titles in this series, please visit www.routledge.com.
34 Meanings and Values of Water in Russian Culture
Edited by Jane Costlow and Arja Rosenholm
35 Italy and Its Eastern Border, 1866–2016
Marina Cattaruzza
36 Franco-Israeli Relations, 1958–1967
Gadi Heimann
37 (Re)Constructing Communities in Europe, 1918–1968
Senses of Belonging Below, Beyond and Within the Nation-State
Edited by Stefan Couperus and Harm Kaal
38 Order and Insecurity in Germany and Turkey
Military Cultures of the 1930s
Emre Sencer
39 Green Landscapes in the European City, 1750–2010
Edited by Peter Clark, Marjaana Niemi and Catharina Nolin
40 Resistance Heroism and the End of Empire
The Life and Times of Madeleine Riffaud
Keren Chiaroni
41 The Summer Capitals of Europe, 1814–1919
Marina Soroka
42 German Reunification
Unfinished Business
Joyce E. Bromley
43 Oil Exploration, Diplomacy, and Security in the Early Cold War
The Enemy Underground
Roberto Cantoni
The Summer Capitals
of Europe, 1814–1919
Marina Soroka
First published 2017
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa
business
© 2017 Marina Soroka
The right of Marina Soroka to be identified as author of this work
has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Soroka, Marina, author.
Title: The summer capitals of Europe, 1814–1919 / Marina Soroka.
Description: Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge,
2017. | Series: Routledge studies in modern European history; 41 |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016048035
Subjects: LCSH: Health resorts—Europe—History—19th century. |
Summer resorts—Europe—History—19th century. | Cities and towns—
Europe—History—19th century. | Aristocracy (Social class)—Europe—
History—19th century. | Cosmopolitanism—Europe—History—
19th century. | Political culture—Europe—History—19th century. |
Social interaction—Europe—History—19th century. | Europe—Social
life and customs—19th century. | Europe—Social conditions—
19th century. | Europe—History, Local.
Classification: LCC RA846 .S68 2017 | DDC 613/.122094—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016048035
ISBN: 978-0-415-79245-5 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-21170-1 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by codeMantra
To my daughter Irina, the best friend and the first reader
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
List of figures ix
Acknowledgements xi
List of abbreviations xiii
Introduction 1
PaRT I
Spa life
1 Shrines–springs–spas 13
2 Therapy versus pleasure 39
3 Spa society 65
4 Making money out of pleasure 90
PaRT II
Business of Europe
5 Royalty at spas 117
6 Era of congresses 143
7 Looking after Europe 171
8 Secret diplomacy 195
9 Puppets and puppeteers: Summer of 1870 in Ems 224
10 Bismarck’s cures 247
11 Rapprochements 269
viii Contents
12 The flight from spas and the end of an
era: 1914–1919 295
Conclusion 317
Bibliography 321
Index 335
List of figures
1.1 Ostend. Bather posing for photo (1913) 17
1.2 Kissingen. Prince Luitpold Kurhaus 20
1.3 Carlsbad. Buvette 22
1.4 “Brunnenpromenade in Kissingen” 24
1.5 Richard Pűttner. Wildbad Gastein (1885) 29
1.6 La Bourboule. Source Felix 31
1.7 Kissingen. Konversation 33
2.1 Abbazia. Hotel Stephanie and park 46
2.2 Baden-Baden view 52
3.1 Sem. Monaco casino (1900) 84
4.1 La Belle Otero 101
4.2 Cora Pearl 103
5.1 Nice (1909) 123
5.2 ‘Ulk’. King Edward VII at Marienbad (1903) 127
6.1 Alexander I (1814) 144
6.2 Prince Klemens von Metternich (c.1835–40) 146
6.3 Count Karl Vasilievich Nesselrode (c.1815–20) 147
7.1 Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna (1863) 180
8.1 Biarritz Casino and Baths 205
8.2 “After you”. Napoleon III and Bismarck hesitating to accept
the invitation of Peace (1867) 210
8.3 Aloys von Aehrenthal 214
8.4 Aleksandr Petrovich Iswolsky 215
9.1 William I of Prussia (c.1870) 232
11.1 “The Peace of Europe Is Assured” (1893) 274
11.2 Ferdinand of Bulgaria 282
11.3 “Diplomats’ Luncheon” 289