The Empress resolved that Friedrichshof should be primarily a memorial to her husband, a sort of model domus regalis, as was shown by the pathetic inscription on the porch, “Friderici Memoriæ.”
The first thing to do was to make roads, and this, with draining, building, and planting, occupied fully four years, from 1889 to 1893.
The villa of Dr. Steibel was practically demolished, and in its place rose a stately mansion in the style of the early sixteenth century. There are many examples of this style, which marks the period of transition from Gothic to Renaissance, to be found along the Rhine and throughout Hesse and Nassau. The schloss itself and the stables, which are in the style of a Rhenish or Hessian farmhouse, as well as the out-buildings, were all designed by Herr Ihne, a famous Berlin architect; but the Empress herself personally superintended the carrying out of all his plans.
The Empress’s first idea was to call the place Friedrichsruh, but it was pointed out that name might cause confusion with Prince Bismarck’s estate in the north of Prussia. The name Friedrichshof was then suggested by Princess Victoria, and finally adopted.
The improved relations between the Emperor William and his mother were exhibited early in 1891. He was desirous of testing the real feeling of the Paris populace towards Germany, and so with his sanction, possibly even at his direct request, the Empress Frederick went to Paris.
If her visit had been a success, there is no doubt that the Emperor would have next proposed to visit Paris himself, as he had long been keenly desirous of doing. But the memories of the Franco-Prussian War were more lasting than the Emperor imagined, and his mother’s mission, so far as it was intended to improve Franco-German relations, was a failure.
It was on February 19, 1891, that the Empress Frederick arrived in Paris. Her visit, though not technically of an official character, could not be called incognito, as she and her daughter, Princess Margaret, attended by a considerable suite, stayed at the German Embassy.
The general surprise in Paris was so marked that a communiqué was issued to the French Press. In this it was pointed out that the Empress, having consented to accept the position of patroness of an art exhibition about to be opened in Berlin, had asked some notable French artists to contribute paintings. A number of these, notably M. Bouguereau and M. Detaille, had accepted, and she had felt bound to come to Paris and thank them personally.
It was erroneously said, not only in the French but also in the German papers, that this was the first visit the Empress had paid to Paris since the Franco-Prussian War. This was not the case. She had been there three times, but on the previous occasions she had stayed at the Hotel Bristol, and had travelled in real incognito.
The first three or four days of her stay, whatever the public thought of the reason assigned for it, passed off well. The Empress visited a considerable number of studios and picture galleries, and she also made large purchases in some of the curiosity-shops for which Paris has always been famous. The German Ambassador gave a dinner party each evening in honour of his august guest, and many members of the Diplomatic Corps, notably Lord and Lady Lytton, were asked to meet her.