A committee was formed of persons who shared the Princess’ views, and who were commissioned by her to take the necessary steps for carrying out her plans. By far the most difficult part of the work fell to her own share—namely, that of finding the necessary funds. To obtain these she organized a Bazaar in her new palace. This was a totally novel proceeding in Germany, and well calculated to attract a large number of visitors. The Bazaar was opened on the 6th of April, and lasted four days. The Princess and Prince Louis and her brother, Prince Alfred, took an active part in it. The result surpassed utmost expectations, a success mainly due to her own personal efforts, and to the charm which she exercised over all. At the close of the Bazaar she was not only able to announce that she had realized the sum of 16,000 florins, but that she had also gained the conviction that the whole country supported her in her undertaking.
In spite of the success of this Bazaar, the Princess was in later years opposed to a repetition of such an expedient, as she felt—what many do—that people often come on such occasions for their own personal amusement rather than to aid the charity.
The war of 1866, which was the consequence of the unfortunate conflict about the Duchies of Schleswig-Holstein, was viewed by the Princess with feelings in which personal interests and attachments conflicted with political convictions. She was so truly German that she felt most keenly the struggle between Germans and Germans, or as she herself says in one of her letters, “brother against brother.”
At times she could not help being downcast, because she saw how much her husband and her husband’s country suffered from it, and because she foresaw how disastrous to South Germany the results of such a war must be. Prince Louis himself was soon obliged to assume his command in the field.
The Princess gave birth to a third daughter on the 11th of July, during the most anxious days of that trying time. Prince Louis had happened to be home on leave for a few days when the event took place; but he was obliged to leave the Princess on the 14th of July, and to go at once into action at Aschaffenburg. As the South-German troops had to retreat, all communication with his home for some time was cut off.
On the 31st of July the Prussians under General von Göben entered Darmstadt. Prince Louis’ parents, who were the only relations remaining in Darmstadt, were daily with the Princess. On the 8th of August, whilst on her way home from visiting her parents-in-law, the Princess unexpectedly met the Prince in the street. He had obtained leave of absence during a short armistice. The joy of this meeting can easily be pictured! The Prince and Princess together visited the wounded; and on the 10th of August the Prince was appointed by the Grand Duke to the command of the Hessian division then in the field. By the Grand Duke’s wish the Prince went for two days to Berlin, and then joined the troops in Rhenish Hesse. He took up his quarters in the “Gelbe Haus” at Nierstein-Oppenheim, and the Princess courageously shared them with him—in spite of the cholera then raging there. On the 12th of September—Prince Louis’ birthday—the little Princess was christened at Darmstadt by the military chaplain; she received the names Irène (Peace) Louise Marie Anna. The same day peace was ratified at Berlin—that peace for which the brave mother of the child had so ardently longed.
The Cavalry Brigade which the Prince had commanded stood sponsor to the child.
It was only on the 20th of September that the Prince and Princess with the Hessian division made their public entry into Darmstadt.
January 2d.
I am at the head of a committee of ladies out of the different classes of society to make a large bazaar, in which all the country is to take part, for the Idiot Asylum. It is very difficult—all the more as I have never had any thing to do with such things in my life. * * * I wanted for the first public thing I undertake, to take in all principles, and my mother-in-law has given her name to it. I have chosen the committee out of different sets—half adelig [people of rank] half bürgerlich [of the citizen class], and all these ladies, half of whom I did not know before, come and sit in my small room and discuss—and, as yet, do not disagree.