The real Snow White

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Although the story of Snow White has been passed down through oral tradition and has undergone some modifications over time, the historical figure on which the tale was based is believed to be Margaretha von Waldeck, a 16th century German princess.

Born in 1729 in Lohr, Germany, she was partially blind due to smallpox, a disease she suffered when she was just a child.

When she was only 12 years old in 1741, her mother died and two years after this loss, her father, Prince Philipp Christoph von Erthal, remarried Claudia Elisabeth Maria von Venningen, Imperial Countess of Reichenstein, who became her "cruel" stepmother.

The Countess owned a magnificently finished mirror, a "talking mirror", so called because it produced an echoing effect when spoken in front of, which is still preserved today in the castle owned by the family.

It is said that he spent hours in front of the mirror enjoying his figure and even spoke to it, enjoying the echo that returned. This is probably the basis of the famous mirror

Margaretha is said to have been a royal princess who lived in Waldeck Castle. As in the fairy tale, it is said that Margaretha was beautiful and that her stepmother, Countess Katharina of Hatzfeld, viewed her with envy.

In addition, Waldeck is known for its forests, which may have inspired the idea of the seven dwarfs' hut in the fairy tale.

Although there is no concrete evidence to prove that the story of Snow White is based exclusively on Margaretha von Waldeck, it is believed that her life may have been part of the influence behind the famous fairy tale.



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