Béatrice von Boch-Galhau (née Béatrice Dodd; born 1 August 1914 in Wentorf bei Hamburg; died 13 March 2011 in
Mettlach
Mettlach (; Moselle Franconian: Mettlich) is a municipality in the district Merzig-Wadern, in Saarland, Germany, situated on the river Saar, approximately northwest of Merzig, and south of Trier. The headquarters of Villeroy & Boch are in Mett ...
) was a German entrepreneur and patron, especially for the
SOS Children's Villages
SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-governmental, nonprofit international development organization headquartered in Innsbruck, Austria. The organization provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to families facing difficultie ...
(''SOS Villages d'Enfants'').
Early life and education
Béatrice Dodd, the daughter of British merchant Arthur Edgar Dodd and his wife Emilia (née Tiefenbacher), was born in Wentorf bei Hamburg, near Hamburg.
In September 1935, she married Luitwin von Boch-Galhau (1906-1988), director-general of
Villeroy & Boch
Villeroy & Boch (, ) is a French-German manufacturer of ceramics, with the company headquarters located in Mettlach, Saarland.
History
The company began in the tiny Lorraine village of Audun le Tiche, where the iron master François Boch set ...
since 1932, and minority shareholder.
They had five children between 1936 and 1949 including Luitwin Gisbert von Boch-Galhau and Milicent Princess zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lich.
Career
Luitwin von Boch-Galhau lead
Villeroy & Boch
Villeroy & Boch (, ) is a French-German manufacturer of ceramics, with the company headquarters located in Mettlach, Saarland.
History
The company began in the tiny Lorraine village of Audun le Tiche, where the iron master François Boch set ...
through an unprecedented rise to become one of the 100 largest German companies. The company turned over DM 579 million in 1970. Luitwin von Boch Galhau became the largest shareholder of V & B over the years.
Béatrice von Boch-Galhau was involved in life for orphaned children. She was the initiator in 1957 and in 1959 the founder of the
SOS Children's Village
SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-governmental, nonprofit international development organization headquartered in Innsbruck, Austria. The organization provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to families facing difficultie ...
Saar in
Merzig
Merzig (, , Moselle Franconian language, ''Moselle Franconian:'' ''Meerzisch''/''Miërzësch'') is a town in Saarland, Germany. It is the capital of the district Merzig-Wadern, with about 30,000 inhabitants in 17 municipalities on 108 km². I ...
.„Beatrice von Boch gestorben“ , 16. März 2011
Distinctions
* : First Class of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...
(16 September 1969)Datenbank der Träger des Bundesverdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bundespräsidialamt
* :
Grand Officer
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
of the
Order of the Holy Sepulchre Order of the Holy Sepulchre or Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre may refer to:
* Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Catholic), chivalric order belonging to the Holy See (the Roman Catholic Church)
* Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Orthodox), chivalric ...
**
Grand Prior
Prior (or prioress) is an ecclesiastical title for a superior in some religious orders. The word is derived from the Latin for "earlier" or "first". Its earlier generic usage referred to any monastic superior. In abbeys, a prior would be lowe ...
of the German Lieutenancy by Lorenz Cardinal Jaeger in the
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral (, , officially , English: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter) is a cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia belonging to the Catholic Church. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archd ...
(5 December 1970)
** Previously
Dame
''Dame'' is a traditionally British honorific title given to women who have been admitted to certain orders of chivalry. It is the female equivalent of ''Sir'', the title used by knights. Baronet, Baronetesses Suo jure, in their own right also u ...