Fourteen letters written by Bavarian King Ludwig II between 1869 and 1878 are due to be auctioned in Munich on November 3. The documents, addressed mainly to cabinet secretary Lorenz von Düfflipp, are being offered as a single lot by Hartung & Hartung during an auction of rare books, autographs and graphic works. They are valued at €12,000.
Six of the letters were written by Ludwig himself, while the others are secretary’s copies. Together, they document the coordination required for the construction of Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof, projects that ran in parallel over several years.
The correspondence portrays a monarch who repeatedly demanded faster action. Ludwig urged Düfflipp to press the architects working on Neuschwanstein and instructed him to prepare work connected with Herrenchiemsee, his Versailles-inspired project. He also demanded tables listing all advance orders so that rooms could be completed within his chosen timeframe.
The king’s instructions extended beyond construction. He sought to influence the scheduling of Wagner operas in Munich and ordered Düfflipp to admonish singer Mathilde Mallinger if she caused difficulties. Ludwig also wanted action taken against newspapers he considered insulting or disrespectful, particularly those associated with National Liberal Prussian supporters.
Another letter concerns a breakfast service whose completion Ludwig wanted pursued with urgency. In recognition of Düfflipp’s work, the king promised him rooms in the “new castle,” Neuschwanstein, and at Linderhof.
Düfflipp eventually left his post in 1877. The final two letters in the collection were already addressed to his successor, Friedrich von Ziegler.
Sources: FAZ.