On 31 March, at an event organised jointly with the Rubicon Institute, we commemorated the life of Charles I (IV), the former King of Hungary and Emperor of Austria, with a discussion and the finale of our exhibition Exiled in Madeira in the Royal Palace of Gödöllő. A large audience attended the programme, and several institutions expressed their interest in hosting the exhibition on the last months of the former monarch and his family in Madeira. Thus, the exhibition, created in collaboration with the Regional Archive and Public Library of Madeira, will be on display in the Almásy Castle in Gyula from mid-April.
Gergely Prőhle, Director of our Foundation, expressed his gratitude to Dr. Tamás Ujváry, Director of the Royal Palace of Gödöllő, for hosting the exhibition and the event. Afterwards, Gábor Péterfi, senior research fellow at the Rubicon Institute, had a conversation with Eszter Fábry, one of the curators of the exhibition, and Gergely Fejérdy, Deputy Scientific Director of the Otto von Habsburg Foundation. Eszter Fábry first recalled the family’s visit to Gödöllő between 22 and 26 October 1918 (the children stayed with their caretakers until 31 October), based on the diaries handed over to the Otto von Habsburg Foundation by Archduchess Walburga Habsburg-Douglas. Our colleagues then recalled the adventurous journey of the royal couple to Madeira and outlined some of the most significant episodes of their months on the island. This gave the audience an insight into the events of the few years between the accession of Charles to the throne and his death. They learned not only about the political intentions and decisions of the monarch, but also about the person who turned with humility to God, his family and his fellow human beings.
In November, we presented two publications at the opening of the exhibition in the Palace of Gödöllő, which offer a broader insight into the times that were recalled during the conversation. These publications, the archival sourcebook, Exiled in Madeira and the collection of essays entitled Goodwill and Misfortune were both available for purchase at the event, but those who missed the opportunity can get them at Libri bookshops or in limited numbers at the Royal Palace of Gödöllő.
At the end of the evening, Gábor Péterfi asked the most important question about Emperor and King Charles, who was beatified in 2004: “What is the message of his life’s work for the people of today?” In their answer, the colleagues of our Foundation emphasized Charles’ humility, his faith, his great openness to other people and his constant search for the common good.
After the discussion, the audience had the opportunity to take part in a final guided tour with Beáta Vitos-Merza, the other curator of the exhibition, then they had a chance to reflect on the topic over a glass of white wine.
You can watch the video of the full conversation here:
