Thursday, May 12, 2016

Princess Radziwill is dead at 84

May 12, 1941


Mrs. Charles Louis Kolb-Danvin died tonight in New York City, reports the New York Times.  She was 84.  She was formerly Princess Catherine Radziwill, the daughter of a czarist Russian army officer.   Well known "as a writer and lecturer under her title of Princess,"  Mrs. Kolb-Danvin was a naturalized American citizen.   She also converted to the Roman Catholic faith.

She died at St. Clare's Hospital, having entered the hospital on April 15, after suffering a hip fracture.

 She "continued her writing efforts" until a few hours before her death, as she insisted that her "knowledge of Europe would be of great value in the present world crisis."

The former princess was the daughter of Count Adam Rzewuski, a Russian army officer.    She wrote often of "many episodes of a youth spent close to the throne of the czars."

She married Prince Adam Karl Wilhelm Radziwill in 1873, and they settled in Berlin.  He died in 1910.   The couple had three children.  A son, Prince Vladislav, was killed in action in East Prussia during the World War.

During her time in Berlin, the princess worked as secretary to Empress Friedrich, widow of Friedrich III.

Her second husband was Charles Louis Kolb-Danvin, an Alsatian by birth, who was living in Stockholm when they married.  He was an "exporter engaged in trade with English and Dutch concerns."

Her most recent residence was at the Hotel Orleans at 100 West 80th Street.  She is survived by two daughters, both of whom are said to be living in Germany.

[Catherine and her first husband actually had seven children: Anna (1874-1875), Victoria (1876-1966), Ada (1877-1966), Anna Maria (1878-1968), Raphael (1880-1914), Alfred (1882-1883) and Dimitrius (1888-1903)

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