Daisy Princess Of Pless -- A Discovery

by W. John Koch

Married to one of Imperial Germany's wealthiest princes, Daisy of Pless nee Cornwallis-West occupied a prominent place in Edwardian Society. The biography of Princess Daisy of Pless becomes a journey of discovery through the life of a woman who was beautiful, intelligent, idealistic, and creative in pursuing her humanitarian and political goals. Daisy of Pless was the friend of King Edward VII and Emperor Wilhelm II. She fought against many adversities for the betterment of life of the poor and the working class and for peace in Europe. In the end, although as a woman and as a member of her class she was ahead of her time, her accomplishments went unrecognized and she was quickly forgotten except by the poor and the working people of Lower Silesia she had helped so effectively. Celebrated as one of the great beauties of Edwardian England and as the glamorous hostess of the international set at Castle Furstenstein in Imperial Germany, Daisy of Pless led a life of remarkable triumphs that ended suddenly with the onset of the Great War. Between 1914 and 1918, condemned to life in enemy country, she served as auxiliary nurse on German and Austrian hospital trains in France and in Serbia. Her last triumph was the publication of her diaries after 1927. Her life ended in a great tragedy of chronic illness, social isolation, and poverty. With this startling biography, the accomplishments of Daisy of Pless may rise from obscurity to a recognized place in history and inspire readers everywhere.

344 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2003

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about the life of the English Princess of Pless. Daisy Cornwallis-West made a spectacular, though loveless, marriage to the German Prince of Pless. The book describes her marriage, her friendships with King Edward VII of Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and other notable personalities. Her friendship with the Kaiser is of particular interest to the reader, as she was able to talk with him frankly and honestly without fear of repercussions. At the time of World War I, Daisy worked with the Red Cross, though was later falsely accused of being a British spy, which forever tarnished her reputation in Germany. The Kaiser did come to her aid and tried to rehabilitate her name, but his own name was in shambles.

The book also talks about Daisy's life after the war, made extremely difficult by divorce, ill-health, and near poverty. A few factual mistakes do not hinder the book, though some portions of it seem long and drawn out.