So endete eine Liebe (1934)

Because Josephine cannot give Napoleon I an heir to the throne, Talleyrand, Napoleon’s political adviser, does everything he can to convince her that a divorce is inevitable. The Emperor absolutely needs a son. Josephine is 47 at this point and suffers greatly at the prospect of having to separate from her husband. Once the divorce has been finalized, Metternich, who directs the affairs of Austria, receives a letter from Talleyrand that begins: “I have done my part in this matter; now do yours.” At the same time, Napoleon himself approaches Emperor Francis I of Austria, asking for his help, since the Corsican wants a Habsburg princess at his side and on the French throne. Metternich soon sends a reply saying that Francis I agrees to such a match and has his eldest daughter, 19-year-old Marie-Louise, in mind. The young archduchess, who is staying with Francis I’s second wife, the often ailing Empress Maria Ludovika, and the Emperor’s other children at the couple’s summer residence in Hungary, has no idea of the sword of Damocles hanging over her. Marie-Louise has a good, friendly relationship with her father’s second wife, who is not much older than she is. Ludovika hates Napoleon because he not only defeated Austria but also seized the duchy of her brother, Francis of Modena. Metternich is convinced that an alliance between the Houses of Habsburg and Bonaparte is politically necessary, but encounters unforeseen difficulties in carrying out his plan. The Austrian Emperor suddenly seems unwilling to give his daughter in marriage to the revolutionary dictator and emperor. He had promised her in the past that she could choose a husband according to her own inclination. So he leaves it to the statesman to obtain the archduchess’s consent to such a match himself. Metternich knows all too well how much Marie-Louise cares about the opinion of Empress Maria Ludovika, who detests Napoleon, and realizes that such an undertaking is almost impossible. When he points this out to the Emperor, the latter merely remarks offhandedly that whether and how Metternich manages it is his own affair—he is a diplomat, after all. Metternich thinks it over and then hits upon the idea of entrusting the task of changing her mind to Duke Francis of Modena, Maria Ludovika’s brother. Having been deposed by Napoleon, Duke Francis no longer has any real purpose and needs money to maintain his accustomed standard of living, as Metternich quickly discovers. The statesman therefore has a large sum paid to the young duke, along with a request that he travel to Hungary to visit his sister and prepare everything there for Napoleon to woo the young Marie-Louise. Although Francis is initially unwilling to comply, accepting the money puts him in Metternich’s debt, and he eventually agrees. In Hungary, Francis is warmly welcomed by his sister and the children. When he comes face to face with Marie-Louise, he recognizes his former childhood companion. Marie-Louise’s behavior quickly makes it clear to him that he was and remains her first great love, and that she has not forgotten the promise he once made her. When the archduchess was 15, Francis had assured her that he would return to ask for her hand. Marie-Louise had promised him then that she would wait for him. Convinced that this is why Francis has come to Hungary, the archduchess is overjoyed. She savors every hour with the man who has her heart. Francis sincerely returns her love. Again and again, he puts off telling Marie-Louise what he knows about her future fate. When he tells her about Napoleon’s divorce and the reasons behind it, Ludovika sees her opinion of the Corsican confirmed, while Marie-Louise innocently pities the future wife of such a man. But even now Francis cannot bring himself to speak openly to the woman he loves; the happiness he feels with her is too great, and he does not want to lose it. So the summer passes like a dream. Maria Ludovika is delighted to see how happy Marie-Louise and her brother are together, and writes about it in her letter to the Emperor. He is alarmed and sees only one option. He replies to his wife, explains the situation, and tells her that Marie-Louise’s marriage to Napoleon has by now been decided. The Empress falls ill at the terrible news, and Francis travels to Vienna to speak with Marie-Louise’s father and ask him to reverse his decision. He soon realizes, however, that the Emperor himself is deeply troubled by it and would never have made this choice if there had been any other way out for his country. At the same time, Metternich speaks with Marie-Louise in Hungary, where she now knows that she is to marry Napoleon. He makes it clear to the young archduchess that a war will follow if she refuses Napoleon’s proposal—a war whose outcome is predictable and in which the Austrian Empire and its dynasty would be sacrificed. And all of this because she would put her personal happiness above the fate of her country. The young woman therefore agrees to marry the French Emperor. On her wedding day, Marie-Louise is given one last opportunity to speak with Francis of Modena. Although she now knows everything, she thanks Francis for the happiest time of her life. When Marie-Louise then stands alone before the altar at a proxy wedding, not a single happy face can be seen among those present. Metternich, too, is moved by the loneliness surrounding her. He murmurs quietly to himself, “You fortunate Austria, marry ...” Francis, standing close by, replies: “Even that will not bind countries together forever, Herr von Metternich, nor give the world everlasting peace!” As the organ music fills the church, signaling that the wedding ceremony is complete, a great love story comes to an end.