Empire's Orphan

From Habsburg Austria to New York

By: Bernard F. Herberick, D. Herberick

Narrated by: Pete Ferrand

Discover the glamorous life of Albertina Zimmerman, who traversed the Atlantic from Habsburg, Austria to New York—“where the streets are paved with gold.”

Albertina Zimmerman, known affectionately as “Oma” by her loving grandson, Bernard, was an endless source of fascination and narrator of true stories, whose protagonists were leading figures from music, politics, and the Viennese opera.

Born in Silesia, she lived the grand old days of the Habsburg Empire in Austria to the fullest, forging friendships with composers Bedřich Smetana and Johann Strauss.

She was also a guest at Imperial balls, attended by those with “at least 16 generations with the word ‘von’ as part of their surname.”

Discover:

• Oma’s love for high fashion—she became a modiste just to “swim in a sea of beautiful hats.”
• How Oma brushed shoulders with the biggest celebrities of her time—including the famous “Empress Sisi”.
• Oma’s attendance at historical events, such as the premiere of Die Fledermaus.
• The assassination that took the life of Empress Sisi.
• The tensions between Johan Strauss and his father, also an eminent musician.
• The tragic murder-suicide pact between the Crown Prince Rudolph and his young mistress, the 17-year-old Baroness Marie von Vetsera.
• The eccentric Bohemian composer, Bedřich Smetana, who used to pay surprise visits to play the piano and leave just as unexpectedly.
• Oma’s interest in an education that was deeply steeped in the arts.
• The clashes between the Emperor, Franz Joseph, and heir Franz Ferdinand—whose assassination led to the outbreak of World War I.

Empire’s Orphan is an intimate tale of a woman who lived for culture and the arts. Far from resting on her fortune, she was a fierce protector of her family, making a courageous move to New York in search of a better future for those she loved.

©2023 Darcy Herberick (P)2023 Darcy Herberick