Prince Pierre de Wittgenstein

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2026-10-21 Diary Coverage: 1873-01 to 1877 (about 120 entries, mostly 1873-1875)

Overview

«Le prince de Wittgenstein», a Russian prince with a villa in Nice, with whom the young Marie is fascinated in 1873-1875. The Mon Journal (t.3) index lists him as «Wittgenstein (Pierre, prince de), [Blackprince], [Bute]». Marie's text calls him «russe» («on voit bien qu'il est russe et ours», 018.0209) and «le prince de Wittgenstein» (018.0120); in a struck-out passage of April 1874 he is her «Blackprince» («le prince noir», 018/1874-04-05). His companion is Rosalie Léon, the demi-mondaine whom the index lists as «La Wittgenstein» (see Rosalie Léon); Marie writes of him «avec une cocotte» (059.0082).

He is not a member of the family of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (the Austrian industrialist Wittgensteins were untitled).

Identity uncertain

We are not sure who this is. What the diary gives: «le prince de Wittgenstein» with a villa at Nice (011.0007, 015.0005), «russe et ours» (018.0209), living with Rosalie Léon (index «Wittgenstein (la), (Mme Rosalie Léon), maîtresse du prince»), and in November 1874 a Figaro cutting reporting that he dined at the Élysée with the Tsarevich and Grand Duke Alexis, with Marie's comment «Wittgenstein en tenue de général !» (027.0099). The Mon Journal indexes (t.2-t.7, t.9) call him «Wittgenstein (Pierre, prince de)»; t.5 also lists a «Wittgenstein (Emile, prince de Says)». The best candidate is Prince Pyotr (Pierre) Lvovich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (b. 1831), a general in Russian service, son of Ludwig zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Stefania Radziwiłł (O. Popko, Vestsi NAN Belarusi, 2021, on his portraits; Wikipedia «Ludwig zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg»): the forename, the Russian service and the general's rank fit, but we found no source placing him at Nice with a villa in 1873-74, so this stays a hedge (about 0.55). Sources checked: the diary, the t.1-t.9 indexes, web searches in French, English and Russian (2026-10-22). If you can identify this person, we would be glad to hear from you.

Key appearances

• 1873-01-26: «l'ombrelle rouge de la Wittgenstein» on the Duke of Hamilton's yacht (001.0050; the lady, Rosalie Léon, not the prince: retag to ROSALIE_LEON queued). On 1873-03-04 his yacht and the Duke's «sont partis il y a huit jours» (002.0181).
• 1873-10-15: «Nice n'est plus Nice. Gioia n'est plus et Wittgenstein non plus.» «Ce Wittgenstein avec sa villa ne me faisait rien du tout; je le voyais une fois par mois pas même, sa belle aussi.» She mourns the departure because the two houses were tied to Hamilton (011.0007, 011.0008).
• 1874-01-02: she passes «la villa Wittgenstein», under reconstruction, in Nice (015.0005).
• 1874-03-05: «un personnage intéressant, Wittgenstein avec le prince Dolgorouky» on the Promenade (017.0178). 1874-03-28: at the Monte Carlo casino «le prince de Wittgenstein avec Madame» (018.0023).
• 1874-04: the spring of her fixation. She walks behind his carriage and horse: «Toutes les fois que le prince de Wittgenstein monte à cheval nous le voyons rentrer chez lui vers six heures, galopant» (019.0037, 1874-04-29); in 1874-04-21 she realises she was addressing her wish for rescue «machinalement au prince de Wittgenstein» (018.0345).
• 1874-11-30: the Figaro cutting and «en tenue de général» (027.0099). 1874-12-14: a marginal note «Wittgenstein - Nietsnegttiw» (027.0254).
• 1875-10-05: «Une beauté comme, comme Wittgenstein par exemple, me plaît mais je crains cet homme imposant» (046.0143).
• 1876-04-21, Naples: «Est-ce vilain de se montrer partout avec une cocotte ! Comme Wittgenstein.» (059.0082). 1876-07-09: her uncle goes to the prince's house (063.0123).

References in Diary

First mentioned (as «Wittgenstein»): 1873-01-26 (001.0050); the prince himself from 1873-10-15 (011.0007). Heaviest in carnets 015-019 (Jan-May 1874). About 120 entries tagged, to 1877.