Death of Dagny Juel. A story that still shocks

For a decade, Dagny Juel Przybyszewska inspired the greatest artists of her era, becoming a legend of Berlin and Krakow bohemia. Her life was a series of scandalous romances, artistic fascinations, and emotional dramas. It all ended in tragedy in a Georgian hotel, where she died at the hand of a lover at just thirty-four years old.

Norwegian Childhood and First Loves

Dagny came into the world on June 8, 1867, in the small town of Kongsvinger, located in southeastern Norway. She grew up in a family with four siblings, having three sisters and a brother who unfortunately died in childhood. This loss forever marked the atmosphere in the family home.

In the spring of 1888, the young woman accepted a position as governess with an influential family. Her uncle Otto Blehr, the future Prime Minister of Norway, entrusted her with care of his own children. This position opened doors to higher social circles and allowed her to establish contacts with the elite.

During the same period, she met Hjalmar Christensen, with whom she began a secret romance. The couple became secretly engaged, hiding their relationship from family and acquaintances. The youthful love proved short-lived, however, and after three years fell apart in the spring of 1891.

The breakup with Christensen closed a certain chapter in Dagny’s life. The young Norwegian woman was ready for change and new experiences. The decision to leave for Berlin completely transformed her fate and introduced her to a world that would fascinate her until the end of her life.

Berlin Muse of the Artistic Elite

In 1892, Dagny came to Berlin, officially to study piano. The German capital was then pulsing with artistic life, attracting creators from all over Europe. The city offered moral and intellectual freedom unimaginable in provincial Norway.

Soon the young pianist discovered a wine bar with the intriguing name The Black Piglet. This place became the epicenter of the artistic avant-garde of the late nineteenth century. Here painters, writers, and poets met, conducting disputes about art and life into the late night hours.

Dagny quickly became a favorite of this artistic circle. Her beauty, intelligence, and nonchalance toward conventions fascinated such creators as Edvard Munch, Richard Dehmel, and Adolf Paul. The Norwegian woman inspired their poetry, painting, and drama, becoming the living muse of a generation.

Among the cafe’s regulars also appeared her former fiancé Hjalmar Christensen. The presence of an old love complicated the situation, but Dagny moved in this environment with remarkable ease. She also met Bengt Lidforss, Holger Drachmann, Carl Ludwig Schleich, and Max Asch, building a network of artistic friendships.

Scandalous Romance and Marriage

In 1893, the twenty-six-year-old Dagny entered into a turbulent romance with August Strindberg, one of the most famous Scandinavian playwrights. The Swedish genius was eighteen years older and already had two failed marriages behind him. Their relationship quickly became the subject of gossip in Berlin salons.

The relationship with Strindberg was characterized by intense passion combined with frequent quarrels. The playwright was known for his difficult character and tendency toward obsessive jealousy. The situation got out of control when Dagny’s family learned of the romance and decisively intervened.

The young woman was forced to return to Kongsvinger for several weeks. This forced stay in her hometown was meant to cool her ardor and break off the scandalous romance. However, Dagny had no intention of remaining long under family control and soon returned to Berlin.

On August 18, 1893, she married Polish writer Stanisław Przybyszewski, despite the fact that he was already in a permanent relationship with Marta Foerder. Marta was pregnant with their second child, and the couple already had a young son. Dagny knew about this situation but decided on a marriage that from the beginning resembled an emotional rollercoaster.

Krakow Bohemia and Relationship Breakdown

Dagny and Stanisław’s marriage was unconventional and full of tensions from the start. In 1895, their son Zenon was born, and two years later came a daughter initially named Ivi, who in adulthood changed her name to Iwa. Children did not stabilize the parents’ relationship, however.

In 1898, the couple moved to Krakow, where they quickly became the central figures of the local artistic bohemia. Dagny shocked Krakow society with her lifestyle. She played billiards with Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński, drank cognac on equal terms with men, and disregarded bourgeois conventions.

Przybyszewski did not maintain marital fidelity, which was widely known in artistic circles. Rumors spoke of his numerous romances with female artists and poets. In Lviv, he met Jadwiga Kasprowiczowa, whom he reportedly even married, though his marriage to Dagny formally continued.

The Norwegian woman did not remain passive in this game either. In the bohemian environment, moral freedom prevailed, and marital loyalty was rather the exception than the rule. The situation became increasingly unbearable for both partners.

Last Journey and Tragic Finale

In 1900, Dagny made the decision to leave her husband. For the next year, she traveled around Europe, seeking meaning and a new direction for her life. During this period, she established a close relationship with Władysław Emeryk, who invited her to visit the Caucasus.

Dagny and her son Zenon left for the Caucasus first. Przybyszewski promised to join them, but as usual did not keep his word. The Polish writer was occupied with his own affairs and successive romances, leaving his wife and son alone.

On June 5, 1901, tragedy unfolded in a room at the Grand Hotel in Tiflis. Emeryk shot Dagny, then turned the weapon on himself. The local newspaper Kaukaz reported that witnesses heard two shots coming from the hotel room.

Dagny died at the age of thirty-four, far from her native Norway. Przybyszewski did not appear at her funeral, occupied with other lovers and affairs. The life of the Norwegian muse, which for years had fascinated artistic Europe, ended in oblivion, in a foreign city, far from all who had once admired her.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

• https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/przybyszewska-dagny-juel-1867-1901
• https://culture.pl/pl/artykul/smutnego-szatana-przyjazn-z-arystokrata-ducha-stanislaw-przybyszewski-i-edvard-munch
• https://kvinnemuseet.no/en/dagny_juel
• https://histmag.org/Stanislaw-Przybyszewski-i-Dagny-Juel-18429