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I
t is a royal visit long forgotten and barely mentioned in history.
In 1916, during the early stages of World War I, the King of Bavaria made a curious visit to Warsaw. After German troops occupied the city from the Russians, the “Two Kaisers” - the Emperors of both Germany and Austria-Hungary - hatched a plan to win-over the loyalty of the Poles. They promised greater autonomy with the creation of a so-called “Kingdom of Poland”, accompanied by a loose undertaking of Polish independence, premised on victory in the war.
At the end of October 1916, just a week before the kingless Polish Kingdom was officially proclaimed, King Ludwig III of Bavaria arrived to help put the finishing touches on the plan at the behest of the German Emperor. German newspapers assured their readers that the citizens of Warsaw greeted Ludwig III with great excitement when the royal train rolled into the city’s central station, ceremoniously bedecked with welcoming blue-and-white Bavarian flags and banners.
The Bavarian King didn’t only bring with him the greetings and good wishes of the Kaiser, but he also brought a stash of Bavarian delicacies for his lunches and dinners.
The menu in this collection is from His Majesty’s second day in Warsaw while he was royally lodged at the Belvedere Palace, which is today the official residence of the President of Poland and adorns the vodka label of the same name.
The entrée for His Majesty’s guests included morsels of a Bavarian delicacy from its famous glacial lake, the Königsee. Served by the royal chefs on a bed of creamy scrambled-eggs, Schwarzreiter (or Schwarzreuter) are the rare and prized breed of arctic black char that have been skewered and smoked over beechwood. Historically these small smoked fish had been a treasured gift from the Holy Roman Empire’s Prince-Provosts of Berchtesgaden.
After foie-gras pâté and a serving of beef tenderloin with an asparagus salad, the King’s guests were again treated to the flavours of Bavaria – chocolate, sour-cherries and cream - with a serving of Schokoladpudding mit Weichseln: roughly a custard-mousse (flummery) version of the flavours of the popular Black Forrest Cake.
The menu-card is gilt-edged with the royal arms of Bavaria printed in blue above the abbreviation “Kgl. Tafel” [Königliche Tafel]: the Royal Table.
Just a week after the King’s visit, the Emperors of Austria-Hungary and Germany officially proclaimed the Kingdom of Poland. In truth it amounted to nothing more than a curious historical quirk: Germany didn’t win the war and the “Kingdom” never had a King or Polish autonomy. Almost two years later exactly, Ludwig III fled into exile upon the Kaiser’s abdication. He was the last King of Bavaria.
Royal Menu Collection / © Jake Smith
Menu
Suppe: Soup | Schwarzreiter mit Eier: Smoked black arctic char, from Lake Königssee in Bavaria, skewered and smoked over beech
wood and served on a bed of creamed scrambled eggs | Gansleberpastete: Goose liver (foie gras) pâté | Ochsenfilet mit Spargelsalat: Ox filet with asparagus salad | Brokkoli: Broccoli | Schokoladpudding mit Weichseln: Chocolate custard mousse (flummery) with sour cherries | Obst: Fruit. | Kaffee: Coffee.
Belvedere Palace (Belweder / Pałac Belwedersk) in Warsaw: venue for the royal dinner with King Ludwig III of Bavaria.
(Alamy Stock Photo).
King Ludwig III of Bavaria (centre) arrives by motorcade to review military manoeuvres.
Berliner Börsen-Zeitung, 30 October 1916
In the news...
Warsaw, 28 October.
[Translation]: The excitement with which the Warsaw crowds awaited the official visit of King Ludwig III of Bavaria could be seen in the dense masses of onlookers who surrounded the main square near the railway station and all its access roads, long before the royal train arrived. Shortly before 10 a.m., Governor-General Hans Hartwig von Beseler arrived at the entrance of the train station decorated with Bavarian flags. The special train arrived at exactly 10 a.m. The distinguished guests assembled to the sounds of the Bavarian Presentation March. King Ludwig, carrying a marshal's baton in his right hand, exited the saloon carriage and was first greeted by the Governor-General before being presented to the distinguished gentlemen of the welcoming party including the Governor of Warsaw, von Ezdorf. Then the King greeted the rest of the honorary welcoming party and walked along their front, whereupon a march past followed. During the afternoon the King toured the old town under the leadership of the deputy police chief, Count Lerchenseld. At 6 :30 pm the King dined with Governor-General von Beseler in Belvedere Palace.
1916
Their Majesties King Ludwig III & Queen Maria Theresa of Bavaria
To view other menus from the Bavarian Royal Family,
