Marianne, Princess zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn explained

Marianne
Dowager Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
Birth Name:	Baroness Marianne von Mayr-Melnhof
Birth Date:	9 December 1919
Birth Place:	Salzburg, Austria
Father:	Baron Friedrich von Mayr-Melnhof
Mother:	Countess Maria-Anna von Meran
Spouse:	Ludwig, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (m. 1942; died 1962)
Issue:	Princess Yvonne, Edle von Kronstätt Alexander, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn Princess Elisabeth, Baroness Schuler von Senden Princess Teresa, Countess von Kageneck Prince Peter zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
House:	Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (by marriage)

Maria Anna, Dowager Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn,^[1] (born Baroness Maria Anna Mayr von Melnhof; 9 December 1919) is a German noblewoman, socialite, a professional photographer and the mother of Alexander, 7th Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (born 1943).^[2]

Early life and ancestry

Maria Anna, commonly known as Marianne was born on 9 December 1919 in Salzburg, the eldest daughter of Baron Friedrich Mayr von Melnhof (1892–1956), owner of the Glanegg Castle near Salzburg, and his wife, Countess Maria-Anna von Meran (1897–1983), granddaughter of Franz, Count of Meran, head of a morganatic branch of the imperial Habsburg-Lorraine. The Mayr von Melnhof family were Catholic Styrians since the 15th century and, having become industrialists, were ennobled with the title of Baron in Austria in 1859.^[3]

Career

She started a career as a professional photographer and archived about 300,000 of her photos until her 100th birthday in December 2019. She photographed celebrities from Maria Callas to Gianni Agnelli to Luciano Pavarotti and published travel reports.

She was given the name "Mamarazza" based on the word "paparazzo" as a nickname from Princess Caroline of Monaco, who once said to her: "Manni, you are a real Mamarazza." In contrast to paparazzi shows but she never took indiscreet or derogatory photos: "I always photographed my friends as friends."^[4]

Marriage and children

Baroness Marianne married Ludwig, 6th Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn on 12 March 1942 in Glanegg, who was born in 1915 and died accidentally at Sayn in 1962.^[3] They had five children:^[2]

• Princess Yvonne (born 9 December 1942) married firstly in 1962 Alfons, Count von Coreth zu Coredo und Starkenberg (1930-2017), a photographer who served as honorary Thai consul in Salzburg (divorced 1970), and married secondly in 1976 physician Klaus Bolzano, Edler von Kronstätt (born 1936), and has issue from both marriages;^[3]
• Alexander, 7th Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (born 22 November 1943) married in 1969 Countess Gabriela von Schönborn-Wiesentheid (born 16 October 1950), daughter of Count Rudolf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid (1918-1998) and his wife, Princess Helene von Thurn und Taxis (1924-1991). They have issue;^[3]
• Princess Elisabeth (born 1 April 1948) married bank manager Hasso, Baron Schuler von Senden (born 30 January 1943) in 1970, and they have issue;^[3]
• Princess Teresa (born 25 April 1952) married firstly in 1973 Don Luis de Figueroa y Griffith, Count of Quintanilla (born 5 February 1950) (divorced 1983), son of author Aline Griffith, Dowager Countess of Romanones, and married secondly attorney Count Karl-Erbo von Kageneck in 1983, and has issue from both marriages;^[3]
• Prince Peter (born 22 January 1954) married in 1993 actress Sunnyi Melles (born 7 Oct 1958), daughter of Austrian orchestral conductor Carl Melles and his wife, Judith von Rohonczy. They have issue.^[3]

Notes and References

1. In 1919 royalty and nobility lost their privileges in Germany, hereditary titles were to be legally borne thereafter only as part of the surname, according to Article 109 of the Weimar Constitution.
2. Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XIX. "Sayn-Wittgenstein". C.A. Starke Verlag, 2011, pp. 331-334. (German). .
3. Enache, Nicolas. La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg. ICC, Paris, 1996. pp. 292, 300-301. (French).
4. https://www.westwoodgallery.com/the-sayn-wittgenstein-collection