Camille of Renesse-Breidbach
Encyclopedia
Camille Maximilien Frédéric, Count de Renesse-Breidbach (9 July 1836, Brussels
– 12 June 1904, Nice
) was a Belgian
nobleman, entrepreneur and author.
De Renesse was born in 1836 at Brussels to an aristocratical family of Dutch descent. His parents were Maximilien C.J.G.R van Renesse Breidbach and Berthe Walburge Francoise van Gruben. He was a grandson
of Clement Wenceslas van Renesse Breidbach (1774-1833), who had sold the ancestral Castle of Renesse
to Leonard du Bus de Gisignies
.
Camille married Countess Malvina de Kerchhove de Deterghem on 10 November 1868, daughter of Count Charles-Constant de Kerchhove de Deterghem
(1819-1882) and Eugénie de Limon (1824-1899). While dwelling in St. Moritz
for recreation Count de Renesse got his vision to establish a giant Monte Carlo-like hotel resort with a grand hotel
, baths and golf courses in the Engadin
valley for the European aristocracy. After being rejected in Celerina, Sils
and finally in St. Moritz due to the Badrutt family's huge power, Count de Renesse succeeded in purchasing some 140 hectares of land in Maloja
, at the Lake of Sils.
Between 1882 and 1884 he put his vision to reality by letting build the Hôtel Kursaal de la Maloja (nowadays Maloja Palace). But since just a few days after the grand opening a cholera
epidemic broke out in nearby Italy
, Count de Renesse had to file for bankruptcy
after six months. Furthermore Countess Marvina died of a so-called "fat heart" in Basel
in the same autumn. Nonetheless the hotel remained a lucrative location for Europe's rich people in the following decades. In 1891, Stanford University
completed Encina Hall, a dormitory inspired by the Hôtel Kursaal de la Maloja's architecture.
For a long time a rumour has got abroad that Count de Renesse, being drunk, fell of his residence, the Belvedere tower above the hotel, into the Bergell valley; in fact he moved to Nice where he wrote some Christian books; there he died in 1904.
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
– 12 June 1904, Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
) was a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
nobleman, entrepreneur and author.
De Renesse was born in 1836 at Brussels to an aristocratical family of Dutch descent. His parents were Maximilien C.J.G.R van Renesse Breidbach and Berthe Walburge Francoise van Gruben. He was a grandson
Grandson
Grandson has multiple meanings:*Grandson *Grandson, Switzerland, a municipality in Switzerland*Grandson , a district in Switzerland...
of Clement Wenceslas van Renesse Breidbach (1774-1833), who had sold the ancestral Castle of Renesse
Castle of Renesse
The Castle de Renesse is a castle located in the village of Oostmalle , in the Campine region of the province of Antwerp .-13th century:...
to Leonard du Bus de Gisignies
Leonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de Gisignies
Leonard Pierre Joseph, Viscount du Bus de Gisignies was a soldier and politician in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. He was born as Leonard Pierre Joseph Dubus, but on 14 June 1822, because of name multiplication, du Bus de Gisignies was added to his name...
.
Camille married Countess Malvina de Kerchhove de Deterghem on 10 November 1868, daughter of Count Charles-Constant de Kerchhove de Deterghem
Charles de Kerchove de Denterghem
Count Charles de Kerchove de Denterghem was a Belgian engineer and liberal politician. He was a son of the Ghent burgomaster Constant de Kerchove de Denterghem. His son Oswald would become Provincial Governor of Hainaut....
(1819-1882) and Eugénie de Limon (1824-1899). While dwelling in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
for recreation Count de Renesse got his vision to establish a giant Monte Carlo-like hotel resort with a grand hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, baths and golf courses in the Engadin
Engadin
The Engadin or Engadine is a long valley in the Swiss Alps located in the canton of Graubünden in southeast Switzerland. It follows the route of the Inn River from its headwaters at Maloja Pass running northeast until the Inn flows into Austria one hundred kilometers downstream...
valley for the European aristocracy. After being rejected in Celerina, Sils
Sils
-Places:*Sils, Girona, a municipality in the comarca of Selva in Catalonia, Spain**Lake Sils, Catalonia, an ancient lake near Sils*Sils im Engadin/Segl, consisting of Sils-Maria und Sils-Baselgia, in Graubünden, Switzerland...
and finally in St. Moritz due to the Badrutt family's huge power, Count de Renesse succeeded in purchasing some 140 hectares of land in Maloja
Maloja
Maloja may refer to:* Maloja , an administrative district in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.* Maloja Pass, an alpine pass in the Swiss canton of Graubünden....
, at the Lake of Sils.
Between 1882 and 1884 he put his vision to reality by letting build the Hôtel Kursaal de la Maloja (nowadays Maloja Palace). But since just a few days after the grand opening a cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic broke out in nearby Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Count de Renesse had to file for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
after six months. Furthermore Countess Marvina died of a so-called "fat heart" in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
in the same autumn. Nonetheless the hotel remained a lucrative location for Europe's rich people in the following decades. In 1891, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
completed Encina Hall, a dormitory inspired by the Hôtel Kursaal de la Maloja's architecture.
For a long time a rumour has got abroad that Count de Renesse, being drunk, fell of his residence, the Belvedere tower above the hotel, into the Bergell valley; in fact he moved to Nice where he wrote some Christian books; there he died in 1904.