From Vilseck to the American Civil War, the legacy of Elias Peissner and Lola Montez

ROSE BARRACKS, Germany - A 19th century love story involving a Vilseck resident, Bavarian royalty, and the American Civil War, is an integral part Vilseck's history.

Every town has its own myths and stories that are an integral part of its' history, and that includes the love story of Elias Peissner, a man from Vilseck, and Lola Montez, dancer and muse of King Ludwig I of Bavaria.

While the famous love affair between Peissner, the son of Vilseck's tower guard, and Montez only lasted a few days, it is still a significant part of Vilseck's history today.

Peissner, who was born and raised in the Vilseck area, first met Montez June 18, 1847, during his studies in Munich.

Montez, originally born as Eliza Gilbert in Ireland, reinvented herself after a failed marriage as a Spanish dancer and eventually travelled to Munich where she started a controversial affair with King Ludwig I.

Her entanglement with the king sparked an outrage, contributing to a revolution that shook the very foundations of the monarchy. In the end, she had to leave Munich and, according to rumors, fled with Peissner's help to Vilseck disguised as a student.

After their stay in Vilseck, the young couple eventually split up. While their love story ended, they both continued to have memorable lives.

Lola Montez

After fleeing Bavaria, Montez first lived in exile in Switzerland. In 1849, she returned to England, where she published her memoirs in 1851 before emigrating to America.

In February 1851, Montez moved to New York and starred in the Broadway show "Lola Montez in Bavaria." She later toured the West Coast, inventing The Spider Dance, a revealing dance that was considered scandalous for the time.

She was an artist and dancer all her life, traveled to several countries, but eventually settled in the United States in 1859.

She died just one month before her 40th birthday on Jan. 17, 1861. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

A tangible trace of Montez's time in Vilseck remains at the Tower Guard Museum in Vilseck, where a dress she allegedly left behind is on display.

Elias Peissner

Peissner also emigrated to the United States. He arrived in New York, became a professor of German language and literature at Union College in Schenectady, New York in 1849.

In the United States, Peissner was known for his publications, including various linguistic essays and his notable work, "The American Question in the National Aspect," which advocated for the non-violent abolition of slavery.

In 1861, Peissner formed the volunteer unit the Union College Zouaves and fought in the American Civil War as Colonel of the 119th New York Regiment. He died from a fatal wound on May 2, 1863, during the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia.

Peissner is recognized in the town of Vilseck. The city has named a street after him and placed a plaque outside his birthplace, the Wünnenberghaus in Vilseck, that still stands today near the marketplace.

Visit the Erste Deutsche Türmermuseum, the first German Tower Museum, in Vilseck to see the Peissner family's ancestral tree and view the travel gown allegedly left behind by Montez. For more information visit http://www.tuermermuseum.de.

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