Mathilde von Rothschild facts for kids

Hannah Mathilde von Rothschild (born March 5, 1832 – died March 8, 1924) was a German baroness. She was also a talented composer and a generous patron, meaning she supported artists and good causes.

Life and Contributions

The Zeilpalast (second building from the right) in Frankfurt, around 1910.

Mathilde von Rothschild was born in Frankfurt, Germany. She was the second daughter of Charlotte and Anselm von Rothschild. Her father was a leader of the famous Rothschild family's bank in Vienna.

Early Life and Musical Talent

Mathilde showed great musical talent from a young age. She even studied music with the famous composer Frédéric Chopin. Imagine learning from such a master!

In 1849, she married her cousin, Wilhelm Carl von Rothschild. He was a banker, just like her father. The couple lived in a grand Rothschild house in Frankfurt, called the Zeilpalast. Later, they moved to a palace in Grüneburg and also had a villa in Königstein im Taunus.

Mathilde and Wilhelm had three daughters. Two of them lived to adulthood: Adelheid Rothschild and Minna Caroline Rothschild. Adelheid married her cousin, Edmond James de Rothschild. Minna married Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild.

Supporting Good Causes

Mathilde von Rothschild was very generous. She gave money to many important foundations. These included The Rothschilds' Hospital Foundation and the Georgine Sara von Rothschilds' Hospital Foundation. She helped fund places like orphanages for children without parents. She also supported sanatoriums and rest homes for older people.

Her support also reached research projects at the University of Heidelberg. She helped The Jewish Museum of Antiquities too. Mathilde also founded a public library in Frankfurt called the Carl von Rothschild Public Library. This shows how much she cared about education and helping others.

Her Musical Works

Mathilde von Rothschild was not just a supporter of music; she created it! She wrote songs for famous singers like Selma Kurz and Adelina Patti.

In 1878, she published a book of 30 melodies. This book included songs based on poems by the famous writer Victor Hugo. Later, in the late 1880s, she published another book of twelve songs. These songs featured words from many different poets. Some of these poets were Franz von Dingelstedt, Friedrich von Bodenstedt, Wilhelm Jordan, Alexey Tolstoy, and Paul Collin.

Mathilde also collected many beautiful artworks. Her collection included paintings by old masters. She also owned works by popular artists of her time, such as Gerard Dou, Jan Steen, and Gabriel Metsu.

Recorded Works

• The Songs of Mathilde de Rothschild by Charlotte de Rothschild (soprano), Adrian Farmer (piano) 2CD Nimbus

See also

In Spanish: Mathilde von Rothschild para niños