Princess Daisy von Pless was born at Ruthin Castle in Wales in 1873. She married the German prince von Pless, Hans Heinrich XV. Soon after, the couple moved to Wałbrzych. It is worth mentioning that after 1871, this Lower Silesian town was incorporated into the German Reich together with all of Prussia. For several hundred years, Wałbrzych was a private city. Initially, it belonged to the Szoff family, then to the Czetryc family and then to the Hochberg family.
The duchess and her husband were provided with luxury and wealth by their coal mines as well as extensive landed estates. Daisy used them without any embarrassment. She lived lavishly and often became the object of gossip. It was also not without moral scandals, such as. car accident she caused in the early 20th century – crashing a car traveling at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour.
Duchess “Diana” from Silesia. Who was Daisy von Pless?
She and her husband had three children. However, it was not a happy relationship. As stated by the president of the Daisy von Pless Foundation, Matt Mykytyszyn, quoted by Onet.pl, certain features connected her with the late Brits, beloved by the British. princess Diana.
Both were the epitome of the ‘English rose’, and both found themselves trapped in loveless marriages with older, powerful men. Similarly, Diana and Daisy have dedicated most of their lives to charity and helping others
he said.
Social activist and nurse. Princess Daisy passed away alone
Hans and Daisy divorced in 1922. After thirteen years, however, the duchess returned to Silesia, where she devoted herself fully to the charitable activities she had already carried out. She founded a school for disabled children, was involved in helping women and children, and was also active in the arts. When World War I broke out, Daisy worked in field hospitals as a nurse. She worked on the French, Austrian and Serbian fronts. She provided help to all the wounded – regardless of which side they fought on.
When she learned how poor many of the residents were, she organized a huge Christmas party in one of the castle’s ballrooms, complete with gifts and food. She made Christmas a reality for hundreds of people
– said Mykytyszyn quoted by Onet. He also stressed that all social program to combat infant mortality – had a lasting impact on the life of the Wałbrzych community. One of the largest projects she was involved in was the river cleaning program – to ensure that miners working in mines and their families had access to clean water. It also contributed to the control of the epidemics of typhoid and cholera, which had hitherto decimated the city.
Unfortunately, the Duchess died in obscurity and poverty. However, her memory did not die. The Princess Daisy von Pless Foundation publishes fragments of her diaries from time to time and cares for the legacy she left behind. In one of the memoirs made available by the foundation, we read, for example:
I also had to accept that sometimes I would have to behave like a German princess for long periods of time. It’s so strange that life gives with one hand and takes away with the other. The fact that my husband inherited a fortune allowed me to spend money, change things up, and get my way much more often. But this new kind of freedom was conditioned by my ever-deeper blending into an environment where, despite my best efforts, I never succeeded in creating a haven for my heart.
Sources: Onet.pl/pless.pl/Księżnej Daisy von Pless Foundation
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
