Ville Heise

Ville Heise was born in Kiel, a town that was part of Denmark until 1864, on 8 February 1838. She was the daughter of Peter Anton Alfred Hage, a merchant and politician, and his wife Frederikke Vilhelmine Faber. She grew up in a wealthy and influential family, and enjoyed a luxurious and cultured life. She married Peter Heise, a composer, in 1859, and supported his musical career. He died in 1879, leaving her a widow at the age of 41. She decided to use her fortune for charitable purposes, and dedicated her life to helping the less fortunate. ¹² In 1880, she bought Rydebäck Manor near Helsingborg in Sweden, where she renovated the buildings and created a sanatorium for children suffering from tuberculosis. She also provided care for elderly women who needed assistance. She was inspired by the social reforms of her brother, Johannes Hage, who was a cultural philanthropist. She also supported the Danish culture and language in the region that was annexed by Germany. ¹² In the 1890s, she bought land in Snekkersten near Helsingør in Denmark, where she built three institutions: Damehjemmet for single housemaids, Familielyst for orphaned children, and Officersenkehjemmet for the widows of army officers. She also hired the painter Frans Schwartz as her artistic advisor, and commissioned him to paint portraits of her family and friends. She was a friend of the Danish Women's Society, and advocated for women's rights and suffrage. ¹² She died in Copenhagen on 16 April 1912, and was buried at the Assistens Cemetery. She was awarded the Danish Medal of Merit in 1905 for her philanthropic work. She left a fund to support the maintenance and operation of her institutions, which still exist today. ¹²