Alexandrine von Hutten-Czapska

Alexandrine Countess von Hutten-Czapska (3 September 1854 in Warsaw, Poland – 8 May 1941 in Vevey, Switzerland), also known as Aleksandra Joanna Maria Franciszka Fabianna or Aleksandra Adamovna Kolemina-Bacheracht, was a Polish noblewoman, novelist and published fictional works in French under the pseudonym Ary Ecilaw.

Early life She was younger daughter of Count Adam Józef Erazm Hutten-Czapski (1819—1883), a Chamberlain of the Russian Empire, and his wife, Countess Maria Anna Katarzyna Rzewuska (1827—1897). She had a brother, Count Adam Hutten-Czapski (1849—1914), and a sister, Countess Henrietta Julia of Plater-Zyberk (1847—1905). Though her mother, she was closely related to Princess Catherine Radziwill, who was a was a prominent figure at the Imperial courts in Germany and Russia. Alexandrine was Catholic, and grew up in Paris, France. She left with her mother and sister for Stockholm, Sweden, in 1870. On 21 February 1873, in the Russian church in Vevey, Switzerland, she married the Russian resident minister Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Kolemine (1844–1894), whom she had met during a trip to Switzerland. Their only son Yuri was born in 1874 in Switzerland. The couple had a stormy relationship, moved to Darmstadt, Germany, and divorced in March 1884.

Her second husband was Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse, widowed since the death of his wife Princess Alice in 1878. The morganatic marriage of Louis and Alexandrine lasted only a few months from 30 April to 9 July 1884, because of objections by the grand duke's late wife's mother, Queen Victoria.

Literary career Her literary career gained momentum beginning in 1884 and in a short time, her books typically reached five or six editions. It was believed that the writer behind the pseudonym Ary Ecilaw was a woman (it was also suspected incorrectly that it could be the French publisher Alphonse Lemerre). It was thought the author was someone who knew the secrets of European courts and that French was not the native language. Several of Ecilaw's books were translated into English: Roland, or The Expiation of a Sin and Le Roi de Thessalie (The Romance of a German Court) were published by Remington & Co in 1886; an alternative translation of Le Roi de Thessalie by NT Laylock as Her Royal Lover was published in New York in 1890. Le Roi de Thessalie was also translated into Italian, German and Polish. They had no children, but Vasily remained on good terms with his stepson Yuri. By the end of the 19th century, Aleksandra Adamovna Kolemina-Bacheracht was no longer mentioned in the press except for one exception, when she visited the Sultan's harem in Marrakesh, Morocco, and sent gifts to his wives.

On 22 July 1927, she received Swiss citizenship through naturalization.

In the last years of her life, she lived at the Hotel Trois Couronnes in Vevey. She died there at 86 on 5 or 8 May 1941 and was buried next to her last husband in the cemetery of St. Martin's parish.