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BARON VON FALZ-FEIN: Legend of Our Time
Baron Eduard Oleg Aleksandrovich von Falz-Fein, nobleman, citizen of the princedom Liechtenstein. He is a famous athlete, talanted journalist, successful businessman, generous and selfl ess collector, patron of art and philanthropist.
On September 14th in an estate belonging to the Falz-
Fein family, the son Eduard was born. After losing everything, Alexander and Vera Falz-Fein, together with two small children, immigrated to Germany, where they
stayed from 1918 to 1923. In 1923 after the death of
Alexander, Vera moved to France. The house in Nice remained the only hope for the family already used to famine and need. Eduard was sent to study at the school of fl oriculture in Antibes, and later studied agronomical sciences in Colonial institute near Paris. In the capital of France and owing to the hobby of cycle racing, the young man began a career as a sports journalist. In 1932 Eduard Falz-Fein won a bicycle race among students and became the champion of Paris. The executive director of “L`Auto” (renamed after war to “L’Equipe”) noticed the young athlete and invited him to become the general correspondent of the sports newspaper in Germany. In 1936 Eduard Falz- Fein won a “gold feather” as the best reporter of the Olympic Games. Observing and making comments on the success of others, he confi dently achieved his own results: once he covered a distance of 621.40 miles from Berlin to Liechtenstein in 6 days, on a bicycle. Later Eduard became
the founder of the Olympic committee of Liechtenstein, created a team, though small, of champions, and visited the role of successful trainer. Eduard returned to Liechtenstein because his mother insisted on it. By the rules of the princedom a nobleman is required to carry a title. Falz-Fein became a baron. The real tourist boom in Liechtenstein began thanks to the energy of the young man, his erudition and talents.
Question: Eduard Aleksandrovich, why has your journalistic career ended?
Falz-Fein: There were no souvenirs in Liechtenstein and it occurred to me to open a souvenir shop. I had no money at the time so I took the credit in princely bank.
Under the order of the prince, who always knows to whom and on what the bank gives money, I was loaned 50 thousand dollars. At the time it was huge money. I have made hundred photos of the princedom, developed breadboard models of souvenirs including everything from postcards to silk scarves and books with princedom photos.
 After I have thought up souvenirs and have found space for my shop, I have gone to other countries. At the time few tourists came to the princedom, and I have arranged for the bus excursions to stop at Liechtenstein. Parking for buses was built in front of my shop. Approximately 30 buses stopped near my shop each day, approximately one thousand people from different countries including Americans, Germans, Spaniards, and Australians. I came into each bus with a microphone in hand. I after all know six languages. And in the native language of tourists I told them stories about Liechtenstein. Then they automatically came to me and bought everything that they liked. My price lists were written in pounds, dollars, franks and marks as the person tends to count money in the native currency. Additionally tourists paid and received change in their native currencies, that way they knew exactly how much they have spent.
Question: How long did it take you to repay your loan?
Falz-Fein: It took me one year to repay the loan. It was surprising to all that I was able to clear the debt this fast. After that I began to work for myself. I worked from 7am till 9pm without breaks and without days off. I had only two employees. For the fi rst ten years I worked every day, every day, every day...
 The Baron, citizen of the tiny European princedom Liechtenstein, has seen much and played his part in many historical events. It was not an accident or a consequence of his high origin. Falz-Fein repeatedly started his endeavors from scratch, in business, in sports, in home life, and never gave up. Never ending energy and genuine interest to everything that occurred around him helped Eduard to continuously achieve his goals. He undertook many different projects and, despite skepticism of others, achieved his goals with spectacular results. Meanwhile he continued to be actively involved in his tourist business thanks to which he has made a great fortune.
Continuous work and achievements brought recognition to the Baron in his homeland and in other European countries. His unique nature, recognized by anyone who knows him helped Baron Falz-Fein to break many stereotypes. His fi rst gift to the Russian Federation Falz-Fein remembers till now. It was the wonderful carpet presented by the Persian ruler to Emperor Nicholas II in honor of the 300th anniversary of the reign of the House of Romanovs: on it all members of the imperial family were represented. The contribution of the Baron to the Russian culture is invaluable. For many years Eduard is known worldwide for collecting arts and crafts of various cultures. He spent his own wealth buying various masterpieces from auctions and private collectors with only one goal, to return them to their homeland.
He opened a museum of Catherine II in Germany, has constructed two churches in Ukraine and put a monument to Suvorov in the Swiss Alps. Even though he was denied an entry visa to the USSR up until 1980, he managed to help Moscow to acquire the right to the 1980 Olympic Games. He sent various equipment and drills to the Imperial village in Russia to assist in the restoration of the Amber room. He has established a fund called “For the fair relation to Russian Art in the West.” In 2002 he was awarded the Order of Hour by Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Question: Baron Falz- Fein, how would you defi ne modern charity?
 Falz-Fein: There are such words that change their meaning with time and cultural mood. The literal sense of charity is transparent – creation of the blessing, good, to make affairs of mercy, compassions, sympathy, readiness to render free aid to everyone who requires it. There were times when multimillion transactions were sealed with a promise and a handshake, no papers and/or contracts. So happens that today charity and business are closely connected among themselves. One can say that the building of capital is the foundation of charity, for you fi rst need to make a profi t before donating it to charity. However, in reality you do not need to be rich in order to help people.
Question: Which traits are important to develop in children to help them grow into honorable adults?
Falz-Fein: There is nothing more important than good reputation and it can only be developed by self respect. Children should strive to be honest and fair. It is crucial to develop kindness in youth: Kindness toward the world, universe, people and animals, and opposite gender.
Question: Baron Falz-Fein, can I ask you about your personal relations with women? Which types of women are interesting to you?
Falz-Fein: Above all, smart! And charming. Once in Saint-Petersburg I met a beautiful, world famous woman, but soon learned that it is impossible to carry a conversation with her. I lost interest immediately.
Question: You married for the fi rst time when you were 38. At that time you already had your title and wealth. In addition you were handsome and famous. Was it hard to pick a woman to spend your life with? Who became your wife?
 Falz-Fein: Of course my mother desperately wanted me to marry at the time. Before my trip to the United States she gave contact information of my cousin Vladimir Nabokov and prince Sergey Obolensky. But destiny had different plans.
I was invited to the banquet at Waldorf-Astoria where I saw a young woman at the table near by. It was love at fi rst sight, turned out that I already met her when she was 7. It was in 1936 in Berlin during Olympic Games. She was there withher father, Sir Noel Curtis-Bennet, who was the chairman of the British Olympic Committee. He was an advisor to King George VI and his wife – Grand Lady of the King’s Court. And so I meet 21-year-old Virginia and set a date with her for the next evening. But during our fi rst date, she learned that her father has passed away, we fl ew to London together. We were married in London at Westminster Abbey. A year later our daughter Ludmila was born.
 Question: Baron Falz-Fein, you have a lot of pictures of your daughter during her childhood and teenage years. And here is her adult photo with a caption that reads “Ludmila Nova, premier dancer of London Theater.”
Falz-Fein: She was the premier dancer of London Theater Palladium, where she successfully performed under her stage name Ludmila Nova. But she fell madly in love with a Dutchman who is 25 years older and has two children, and so she left the theater. I was shocked but didn’t interfere. I know what love is. Since 1979 they live happily in Monte-Carlo. Ludmila never misses her theatrical past and loves her husband as much as she did when they fi rst met. Kees Verkade is a wonderful person, famous European sculptor. There is a bronze sculpture erected in Monte-Carlo called “Two monks,” which was created by Kees and ordered by Prince Rene III in honor of 700th anniversary of Grimaldi dynasty.
 Regardless of his age, Baron Falz-Fein is full of life. He has many grand plans. His father used to say, “Don’t demand from the motherland — give to her.” And so Baron Falz- Fein is in a rush. There is so much more to be done. He is still doing good deeds and many goodwill projects are organized thanks to his personal involvement. Rarely does he deny interviews. He doesn’t need additional attention from press, but he likes to remind us all that life and love are more important than disappointments and upsets. Love everything — past, present and future. Long live the person who cures us from indifference, indifference to our own history.
Maria Kryszat
Photo: http://shkolazhizni.ru/archive
http://www.russika.ru/faltzfein/baron.htm
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