Hotel du grand chef: background story

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Together with his brother, a friend of mine, Jean Bosseler, ran the hotel 'Le Grand Chef' in the city of Mondorf-les-Bains in Luxembourg. I knew not much about the history of the Grand Chef, but felt that I had to plan a photo project inside this magnificent building to secure its memory and beauty. After studying the building's history, I found amazing stories since it opened its doors in 1852.

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The list of illustrious international hotel guests is quite impressive:

• In 1914 General von Pritzelwitz, Commander of the 4th German Army, organized an “Exzellenztafel” for his officers within the hotel premises

• Ironically in 1918, General Hunt, Commander of the 3rd US Division, established his HQ in the Grand Chef

• England's war hero Peter Townsend met his second wife Marie-Luce in the hotel

• Jean Monnet, father of the European Community, lived here for over 8 months

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Famous musicians were registered guests in the hotel such as:

• Arthur Rubinstein

• 'Boléro' composer Maurice Ravel

• Yehudi Menuhin was a regular guest as well

 

But it was the tragic faith of a young British lady that finally caught my attention:

In 1881 Nelly Morisson from Liverpool died within the hotel premises. Sent to Mondorf to recover from the birth of an illegitimate child she was 18 years old only when she succumbed to Typhus. After local doctors desperately fought for her life, she was buried along the walls of the close-by cemetery. This sad story inspired parts of my photographic project.

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Estelle, the model, should remind of young Miss Morrison with her youthful traits. The dummies in each frame shall honor the personnel of the hotel, now disappeared.