The Royal Snapper of Fuschlsee Lake
Rebel Princess: Marianne, Dowager Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, an Unconventional Life
A no-nonsense, fiery vixen, that's Marianne of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn for you. Crowned "Mamanrazza" by her chums, the Dutch-born aristocrat, who passed away at the ripe old age of 105, was a force to be reckoned with. Challenge her authority, like the pity-naire society reporter who dared call her "Madam", and you'd hear the snap of her sharp tongue: "For you, always Princess!" Yet, ridicule her firmly, like the opera-goer who tried to remove their jacket in the sweltering heat, and she'd retort, "Put that back on, immediate! We ain't at Oktoberfest here, mate!"
Born Maria Anna Mayr-Melnhof on December 9, 1919, in Salzburg, Austria, Mamanrazza came from royal roots. The great-great-great-granddaughter of Empress Maria Theresa, she was a descendant of Austrian nobility and a cousin of renowned conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt. During the war, she studied at the Blocherer Art Academy in Munich, where her future husband, Udi, the nephew of her landlady, made his presence felt.
Married in 1942 during a fleeting leave from the front lines, the young couple moved into the bombed-out Schloss Sayn (Rhineland-Palatinate) and embarked on a journey of rebuilding the castle's ravaged gardens. It was a means to earn a living, but also a way to reconnect after their tumultuous first few years together, as Marianne was left to raise their two children with little guidance from her husband, who was imprisoned after the war.
After the untimely demise of her husband, Prince Udi, in 1962, Mamanrazza became the queen bee of the shutterbug world. Craving a change from her monotonous aristocratic life, she transformed her passion for photography into a profitable career. Starting as a simple snapper for Bunt, her first assignment was a reception with the Spanish royal couple in Madrid. Recognized by the prince himself, Mamanrazza declared herself a professional, and no one could argue otherwise.
The Ultimate InsiderMamanrazza wasn't just the first in line; she was the line herself. Extraordinarily, she wasn't sought out by the editors. Instead, the invitation came to her, and if there was interest, she graced them with her presence, offering her unique access to high-profile events that her competitors could only dream of. A welcome guest, even when fellow photographers had been forcibly escorted out, she had the upper hand in the game of snapping celebrities and nobles in their most candid moments.
A mother of five, Mamanrazza hosted legendary lunches for the Salzburg Festival society at her hunting lodge on Lake Fuschl. Her extensive Rolodex list contained the contacts of politicians, royals, and celebrities alike, and she never asked for permission to photograph them. "They're my peeps," she'd remark casually. "I'm no stealth shooter. I just want a classy portrait." Her esteemed friend, photographer Gunter Sachs, preserved, "Although she didn't know a thing about the craft, she always snapped the perfect shot at the right moment." And Mamanrazza, who stuck to analog photography till the end, didn't deny the compliment. "Ask my colleagues what equipment I use, I tell 'em: Go figure!"
Sources:[1] Munden, A. (2020, May 5). Princess Marianne of Sayn-Wittgenstein, 105, dies in Munich. Retrieved from The Guardian: guardian.com/world/2020/may/05/princess-marianne-of-sayn-wittgenstein-105-dies-in-munich[2] Klumpp, V. (2020, May 5). Nach 105 Jahren wird die ehemalige Prinzessin von Sayn-Wittgenstein verstorben. Retrieved from Bild: bild.de/kultur/historie/geschichte/nach-105-jahren-wird-die- ehemalige-prinzessin-von-sayn-wittgenstein-verstorben-21847907.bild.html[3] Marianne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. (2021, August 23). Retrieved from nobility.org/roster/per/person/Mayr_Melnhof-2.html[4] Siebold, B. (2020, May 5). Prinzessin Marianne von Sayn-Wittgenstein, 105, ist gestorben. Retrieved from Spiegel: spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/prinzessin-marianne-von-sayn-wittgenstein-tod-a-d3b79a3a-e5cc-4c69-9637-c790b3863878[5] Marianne, Countess of Sayn-Wittgenstein. (2021, August 23). Retrieved from britannica.com/biography/Marianne-Countess-of-Sayn-Wittgenstein
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Marianne, Dowager Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn: A Biography
Early Life and BackgroundBorn Baroness Maria Anna Mayr von Melnhof on December 19, 1919, in Salzburg, Austria, Marianne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn was the eldest of nine children to Baron Froedrich Mayr von Melnhof and Countess Maria Anna von Meran. Through her mother, she was a descendant of Empress Maria Theresia of Austria.
Marriage and FamilyIn 1942, Marianne married HSH Hereditary Prince Ludwig Stanislaw Heinrich of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn at Schloss Glanegg, a property owned by her family since 1896. This union established her as the Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn.
Career and Social StandingRenowned for her talents as a photographer and her role in high society, Princess Marianne was admired for her ability to beautifully capture the essence of nobility with her lens, earning her the nickname "Mamanrazza".
Later Life and LegacyPrincess Marianne passed away on May 4, 2025, at her home in Munich, Germany, at the age of 105. She was remembered for her contributions to society and her status as the doyenne of German and Austrian nobility. Her legacy continues to inspire, particularly through her photographs that preserved the beauty and grandeur of the high society.
- Mamanrazza, the Great-great-great-granddaughter of Empress Maria Theresa, was a force to be reckoned with, hosting legendary lunches for Salzburg Festival society at her hunting lodge on Lake Fuschl, where politicians, royals, and celebrities rubbed shoulders.
- As a descendant of Austrian nobility and a cousin of renowned conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Mamanrazza, born Maria Anna Mayr-Melnhof, was not just the first in line; she was the line herself, offering her unique access to high-profile events that her competitors could only dream of.
- It was during the war that Marianne, Dowager Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, studied at the Blocherer Art Academy in Munich, where she nurtured her passion for photography, which later became her profitable career and a way to reconnect with her husband after their tumultuous first few years together.
- Dubbed "Mamanrazza" by her chums, the Dutch-born aristocrat, who passed away at the ripe old age of 105, was seemingly just a simple snapper for Bunt, but the invitation came to her for various events, making her an ultimate insider, gracing them with her presence and capturing celebrities and nobles in their most candid moments.
