Eduard von Falz-Fein Patron of arts, public figure of Liechtenstein Date of Birth: 14.09.1912 Country: Liechtenstein

Biography of Eduard von Falz-Fein

Eduard Alexsandrovich von Falz-Fein, a patron and public figure in Liechtenstein, was born in 1912 in the village of Gavrilovka in the Kherson Governorate of Russia. He was the son of Alexander Eduardovich Falz-Fein, an agronomist and brother of F.E. Falz-Fein, the founder of the "Askaniya-Nova" reserve where the famous Przewalski's horse was saved from extinction. Eduard's mother, Vera Nikolaevna, came from the distinguished family of Admiral Epanchin, renowned for its generals and admirals.

Growing up in a wealthy and prestigious family that owned newspapers, factories, and steamships, Eduard experienced a drastic change in 1918 when his family was forced to emigrate and settled in Germany. Later, the Falz-Feins moved to France and eventually settled in Liechtenstein.

In 1932, Eduard, who was passionate about sports, won a student cycling race and became the champion of Paris. As a result, he was invited to work as a correspondent in Germany for the sports newspaper "L'Auto."

In 1936, Falz-Fein covered the Olympic Games in Germany and was awarded the title of "Best Reporter of the Newspaper" - the "Golden Pen." In the same year, he established the Olympic Committee in Liechtenstein and assembled the country's Olympic team to participate in the 1936 Winter Olympics. He also took part in the Olympics himself, competing in bobsledding and finishing 18th.

During World War II, Falz-Fein shifted his focus from sports reporting to tourism. He opened a souvenir shop in Vaduz, which quickly gained popularity and became a stop for tourist buses. From 1953 to 1973, he served as the president of the Bicycle Sports Association in Liechtenstein.

Throughout his life, Falz-Fein sought connections with Russia. In the mid-1970s, he befriended Ilya Samoilovich Zilberstein during a Sotheby's auction in Monte Carlo. Falz-Fein gifted a unique 18th-century Russian edition from the Diaghilev-Lifar collection to the library represented by Zilberstein. This encounter further motivated him to visit Russia. He played a significant role in bringing the 1980 Olympics to Moscow, and at the age of nearly 70, he was allowed entry into Russia for the first time. His mission became the restoration of the names of his family, the Falz-Feins, and the Epanchins, in their homeland.

Falz-Fein's first gift to Russia was approximately 100 books from the Diaghilev-Lifar library. Later, after the establishment of the Russian Cultural Foundation, his gifts to Russia became frequent. He worked with Julian Semenov to create the International Committee for the Return of Russian Treasures to their homeland. Falz-Fein played a significant role in the repatriation of Fyodor Chaliapin's remains and was also known for his contribution to the search for the Amber Room from the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo.

In the 1990s, Falz-Fein contributed to the creation of two Russian museums outside of Russia - the Suvorov Museum in Switzerland and the Catherine II Museum in Germany.

One of his most important projects was the organization of the transfer of the "Sokolov Archive" - a famous archive of investigation documents related to the murder of the Russian royal family.

Among the numerous awards and honors received by Baron Falz-Fein are the Gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation (1998), the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1993), the Order of Honor (2002), the Pushkin Medal (2007), the Order of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh 2nd degree (2002), and the Medal "In Memory of the 300th Anniversary of St. Petersburg" (2003), among many others. He has also been honored by Ukraine and, of course, the state of Liechtenstein.

When Baron Falz-Fein visited Russia in his 90s, people were amazed by his youthful appearance and vitality. Throughout his life, he had a reputation as a heartthrob and a lover of women, who reciprocated his affections. He was often referred to in the press as the Casanova of the 20th century, Don Juan, and the European Playboy. When asked about his love for women, he simply stated, "One should love all women!"

Falz-Fein was married twice. His first wife was Virginia, the daughter of an English lord, with whom he had a daughter. After their divorce, his second wife was Christina Schwarz, a model from Munich, who tragically died from a drug overdose in 1977.

Today, at the age of 99, Eduard von Falz-Fein is the last of the Falz-Fein family. He is known worldwide as a generous patron, public figure, and a great appreciator of Russian and European art.