341:. This organization undertook supplying funds and medical necessities for the Sacre-Coeur Hospital in Ypres, Élisabeth Hospital and the Hospital of the Museum of Hazebrouck. It also provided funds and supplies for aid stations throughout the country, organized typhoid inoculations, distributed milk for children, helped with sanitary inspections and water purification programs, built two orphanages and established nurseries, as well as rescuing the cultural heritage and property of churches, convents and civic buildings. Through the Association, she organized schools in Poperinge in the garden of the castle, since most of the educational facilities had closed and teachers had fled the bombing. Over 300 children attended the daily classes, which were inspected by the Belgian authorities. Continued bombing forced removing the school to the Derycke Farm near
214:. Maria was the second child in the family and had an older brother, Alphonse and two younger siblings, brother Louis and sister Albertine, who were raised in the family castle on the estate. On May 17, 1892, she married her cousin Count LĂ©opold van de Steen de Jehay, who worked for the royal family as a liaison between the court and foreigners. The couple lived in
313:. She then went to the Hospital du Duc de Vendome to offer her services and ended up working in the linen room of the hospital for six weeks. When her family doctor, LĂ©opold MĂ©lis, who was also the Chief Inspector of the Health Service for the Belgian army, discovered she was working as a seamstress and not a nurse, he transferred her to
274:), a Catholic training facility, which educated nurses with a religious, rather than secular method. She believed that training was needed, but as a devout Catholic felt that science and religious training could co-exist. She undertook nursing classes herself, and upon hearing rumors of impending war, took steps to have the
379:
and a visit by Dr. MĂ©lis, revealed there was a lump in her neck. He performed an immediate surgery, saving de
Villegas de Saint-Pierre's life. After her recuperation, the Countess returned to her work at Élisabeth Hospital, until the war ended in 1918. She moved back to Brussels and retired from most
321:
nurses and some of her nurses from Saint-Camille. Much of her activity as director of the hospital was for fundraising and she used her wide contact with the nobility to garner money to both build and keep the hospital going. Initially, the focus was on the civilian population with a special focus on
282:
began, she went to the
Ministry of War to complete permits to have her castle at Chevetogne turned into a neutral hospital for troops on both sides of the conflict. The facility served as a temporary emergency station, called an "ambulance", and required modifications to be suitable, such as remaking
283:
the castle living room into an operating theater. At the end of August 1914, the
Germans began occupying the castle and though de Villegas de Saint-Pierre and her nurses continued to work, she made plans to work at the front. Closing the hospital, in November, she traveled through the Dutch port of
162:
where she served as hospital director for three and a half years. After establishing the
Belgian Civil Help Association, the Countess raised funds, organized and directed the association to support three hospitals, build two orphanages, run schools, provide inoculations and many other public health
31:
443:(A lady in the trenches) using the Countess' notes and papers was published, by her distant cousin, Florence de Moreau de Villegas de Saint-Pierre. In 2014, an exhibition at the Château de Chevetogne, provided artifacts and presentations on the life of the countess and ran for five months.
234:
Following in the family tradition, de
Villegas de Saint-Pierre became a writer and published works under the pseudonyms "Quevedo" or "Dame Peluche". In 1902, she began publishing works and in 1912 published a novel,
927:
683:
407:
After her husband's death, de
Villegas de Saint-Pierre returned to writing, but using her own name Maria Van den Steen de Jehay. She published several autobiographical works, including
154:
turned her family estate into a hospital. When the
Germans seized her castle, she went to the front to nurse soldiers at the Hospital du Duc de Vendome near
922:
807:
243:. She wrote a regular fashion column and covered galas and balls, but also wrote pieces of social commentary which were ahead of their time, including
832:
436:
691:
397:
176:
338:
917:
902:
771:
743:
720:
857:
317:
to help him establish a typhoid hospital there. The Élisabeth
Hospital was established in the Castle d'Hondt with twenty-five English
260:
211:
732:"A Different Training, a Different Practice: Infant Care in Belgium in the Interwar Years in the City and in the Countryside"
384:
and the Saint-Camille
Nursing School. Her war work was recognized by many honors including recognition as a Commander of the
782:
897:
329:
The
Countess' vast circle of contacts and organization skills were utilized to found the Belgian Civil Help Association (
385:
164:
393:
370:
172:
291:. She was also able to briefly see her brother, Louis, who having been injured in battle, was serving as a consul in
389:
168:
365:
401:
435:
De Villegas de Saint-Pierre died on 23 January 1941 in Brussels and her funeral was held to much fanfare at the
326:
was closed, de Villegas de Saint-Pierre gained authorization to treat military personnel at Élisabeth Hospital.
912:
356:
In 1916, de Villegas de Saint-Pierre became ill with a severe throat infection. A blood test revealed she had
303:
240:
188:
58:
907:
308:
199:, Belgium to the Belgian Count LĂ©on de Villegas de Saint-Pierre and Countess Marie-Ferdinande de Maillin of
218:
within walking distance of the royal palace and spent the summer months at her husband's family castle in
840:
380:
of her hospital work, except serving on the boards of the Nursing Association, the Deux-Alice Clinic in
364:. She was invited by Clementine de Chaumont-Quitry, Baroness de La Grange, to convalesce at her castle
30:
892:
887:
266:
In 1907, de Villegas de Saint-Pierre became one of the founders of the Saint-Camille Nursing School (
789:(in French). Liège, Belgium: Médecins de la Grande Guerre (Doctors of the Great War). Archived from
861:
810:[A major exhibition at the Château de Louvignies in the context of the war from 1914-18]
196:
66:
219:
767:
757:
739:
716:
284:
275:
731:
223:
207:
738:. Vol. 7. New York, New York: Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 79–93.
330:
267:
187:
Maria-Charlotte Ghislaine de Villegas de Saint-Pierre was born on 14 December 1870 in the
753:
146:(1870-1941), was a Belgian writer who won the French literary prize for her 1912 novel,
860:[Castle Chevetogne, Hospital in 1914]. Jemelle, Belgium: MAtélé. Archived from
415:(Our rulers in De Panne), which was serialized in the March and April 1939 editions of
361:
299:
881:
808:"Une grande exposition au château de Louvignies dans le cadre de la guerre de 14-18"
251:(The National League for the protection of black children in the Belgian Congo) and
345:
and then moving an additional 75 children to northern France where they attended a
322:
refugee and orphaned children, but in April 1915, when the Sacre-Coeur Hospital in
790:
279:
151:
255:(The entrance age of working children), publishing from 1913 in magazines like
376:
350:
342:
292:
637:
635:
314:
210:. Her father had been a diplomat, but gave up his career to become mayor of
200:
159:
470:
468:
466:
464:
462:
460:
346:
215:
204:
192:
85:
62:
736:
Educational Research: The Importance and Effects of Institutional Spaces
249:
La ligue nationale pour la protection de l’enfance noire au Congo belge
35:
The Countess in the nursing uniform of the Saint-Camille Nursing School
357:
318:
288:
155:
839:(in Dutch). Poperinge, Belgium: Vereniging Lady-Kant. Archived from
287:, staying with family until she could book passage on the ferry to
381:
323:
163:
initiatives. She received many awards and honors, including the
756:; Jacques, Catherine; Puissant, Jean; Piette, Valérie (2006).
641:
474:
298:
Arriving in Calais, the Countess presented herself to Dr.
734:. In Smeyers, Paul; Depaepe, Marc; Keiner, Edwin (eds.).
226:. Within a year, she gave birth to their only son, Jean.
766:] (in French). Bruxelles, Belgium: Éditions Racine.
715:] (in French). Bruxelles, Belgium: Éditions Racine.
653:
684:"Marie-Charlotte-Ghislaine de Villegas de Saint-Pierre"
598:
596:
594:
592:
590:
928:
Honorary commanders of the Order of the British Empire
524:
522:
520:
158:
and soon was transferred to the Élisabeth Hospital in
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
495:
45:
Maria-Charlotte Ghislaine de Villegas de Saint-Pierre
764:
Dictionary of Belgian Woman: 19th and 20th Centuries
565:
563:
561:
759:
Dictionnaire des femmes belges: XIXe et XXe siècles
125:
117:
109:
101:
93:
74:
40:
21:
707:de Saint-Pierre Villegas, Florence Moreau (2009).
785:[The Countess van den Steen de Jehay].
858:"Le Château de Chevetogne, ambulance en 1914"
8:
150:. She became a nurse and at the outbreak of
690:(in Dutch). Ypres, Belgium. Archived from
29:
18:
665:
602:
302:, who refused her services for his famed
278:assist with training at the school. When
247:(The female influence and the colonies),
253:L’âge d’admission des enfants au travail
245:L’influence féminine et les colonies
626:
614:
581:
552:
528:
511:
486:
456:
437:Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
569:
540:
831:Roos, Herman; Dries, Chaerle (2016).
105:Countess Maria Van den Steen de Jehay
7:
783:"La comtesse van den Steen de Jehay"
923:20th-century Belgian women writers
856:SĂ©rusiaux, CĂ©line (17 June 2014).
781:Loodts, Patrick (17 August 2003).
419:; and wrote two unpublished works
14:
709:Une châtelaine dans les tranchées
441:Une châtelaine dans les tranchées
398:French Croix de Guerre with palms
272:École d’infirmières Saint-Camille
140:Maria de Villegas de Saint-Pierre
23:Maria de Villegas de Saint-Pierre
818:(in French). Louvignies, Belgium
806:Mallory, Patrick (8 June 2014).
682:Beerens, Paul (26 March 2015).
259:. She was an associate of the
212:Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies
1:
688:Wereldoorlog I in de Westhoek
654:de Saint-Pierre Villegas 2009
360:and then she was overcome by
918:20th-century Belgian writers
903:Female nurses in World War I
411:(My Nursing Journal, 1923);
396:, as well as receipt of the
392:, and as a Commander of the
366:Château de la Motte-aux-Bois
239:which was recognized by the
144:Maria Van den Steen de Jehay
833:"Maria van den Steen Jehay"
394:Order of the British Empire
173:Order of the British Empire
944:
337:), under the patronage of
165:Order of the Belgian Crown
413:Nos souverains Ă La Panne
402:Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
261:Society of Men of Letters
28:
439:. In 2009, a biography,
409:Mon journal d’infirmière
730:Dhondt, Pieter (2013).
713:A lady in the trenches
334:
271:
177:French Croix de Guerre
603:Roos & Dries 2016
189:Château de Louvignies
59:Château de Louvignies
898:People from Soignies
694:on 27 September 2016
423:(The Other War) and
304:Ambulance de l'Océan
142:, also the Countess
335:l'Aide civile belge
816:Chateau Louvignies
388:, a Knight of the
386:Order of the Crown
837:Oorlogskantschool
787:1914-1918 Belgium
773:978-2-87386-434-7
745:978-94-007-6247-3
722:978-2-873-86577-1
642:Gubin et al. 2006
543:, pp. 82–83.
475:Gubin et al. 2006
276:Belgian Red Cross
237:Profils de gosses
148:Profils de gosses
137:
136:
132:Profils de gosses
118:Years active
935:
873:
871:
869:
852:
850:
848:
827:
825:
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813:
802:
800:
798:
777:
749:
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703:
701:
699:
669:
663:
657:
651:
645:
639:
630:
629:, p. 11-12.
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556:
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532:
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484:
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431:Death and legacy
390:Order of Leopold
374:
312:
197:Hainaut Province
169:Order of Leopold
128:
102:Other names
81:
67:Hainaut Province
55:14 December 1870
54:
52:
33:
19:
943:
942:
938:
937:
936:
934:
933:
932:
913:Military nurses
878:
877:
876:
867:
865:
855:
846:
844:
843:on 19 June 2016
830:
821:
819:
811:
805:
796:
794:
793:on 3 March 2016
780:
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746:
729:
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339:Queen Elisabeth
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78:23 January 1941
70:
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50:
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36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
941:
939:
931:
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925:
920:
915:
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908:Belgian nurses
905:
900:
895:
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864:on 1 July 2014
853:
828:
803:
778:
772:
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744:
727:
721:
704:
678:
676:
673:
671:
670:
666:SĂ©rusiaux 2014
658:
646:
644:, p. 198.
631:
619:
607:
586:
574:
557:
545:
533:
516:
491:
479:
477:, p. 197.
455:
453:
450:
448:
445:
432:
429:
421:L’Autre Guerre
300:Antoine Depage
257:La Femme belge
241:French Academy
231:
228:
224:Namur Province
208:Namur Province
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135:
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84:
82:(aged 70)
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44:
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26:
25:
22:
16:Belgian writer
15:
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2:
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754:Gubin, Eliane
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113:Writer, nurse
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110:Occupation(s)
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64:
60:
43:
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27:
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868:28 September
866:. Retrieved
862:the original
847:28 September
845:. Retrieved
841:the original
836:
822:27 September
820:. Retrieved
815:
797:29 September
795:. Retrieved
791:the original
786:
763:
758:
735:
712:
708:
698:27 September
696:. Retrieved
692:the original
687:
675:Bibliography
661:
649:
627:Mallory 2014
622:
617:, p. 9.
615:Mallory 2014
610:
584:, p. 8.
582:Mallory 2014
577:
555:, p. 5.
553:Mallory 2014
548:
536:
531:, p. 4.
529:Mallory 2014
512:Beerens 2015
489:, p. 3.
487:Mallory 2014
482:
440:
434:
425:British Area
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131:
127:Notable work
80:(1941-01-23)
893:1941 deaths
888:1870 births
570:Loodts 2003
541:Dhondt 2013
417:Revue belge
369: [
307: [
280:World War I
152:World War I
94:Nationality
882:Categories
447:References
377:Hazebrouck
349:school in
343:Zwijnaarde
293:Maastricht
220:Chevetogne
183:Early life
51:1870-12-14
452:Citations
315:Poperinge
205:Wallonian
203:, in the
201:Mohiville
160:Poperinge
121:1902-1940
88:, Belgium
69:, Belgium
216:Brussels
193:Soignies
175:and the
86:Brussels
63:Soignies
351:Caëstre
347:Flemish
285:Eijsden
191:, near
97:Belgian
61:, near
770:
742:
719:
358:sepsis
331:French
319:Quaker
289:Calais
268:French
230:Career
171:, the
167:, the
156:Calais
812:(PDF)
762:[
711:[
382:Uccle
375:near
373:]
324:Ypres
311:]
195:, in
65:, in
870:2016
849:2016
824:2016
799:2016
768:ISBN
740:ISBN
717:ISBN
700:2016
400:and
75:Died
41:Born
362:gas
222:in
884::
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
