Former Princess owner dies, age 95
largest - died on Thursday at the age of 95 in New York.
Mr. Daniel K. Ludwig, a cargo ship captain's son who became one of the world's richest men, was allowed to build the Southampton Princess some 20 years ago on condition he restore the Princess Hotel which he bought first.
He was remembered yesterday by Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan as having played a "major role'' in the Island's hospitality industry.
"Those two hotels provided many Bermudians with employment,'' he said. Sir John described the reclusive Mr. Ludwig as "a visionary who was always prepared to step out on the edge''.
"He built the Southampton Princess, which was our first hotel with convention facilities and remains our largest hotel,'' Sir John said. "He paved the way for us to have major business groups coming to Bermuda.'' "He made quite a contribution to Bermuda,'' said Sir Henry Vesey, whom many consider to be the architect of modern tourism in Bermuda.
Sir Henry said Mr. Ludwig showed a lot of interest in the building of the Southampton Princess, frequently flying to Bermuda from Manhattan to oversee the project.
Retired hotelier Mr. Conrad Englehardt, who used to own the old Inverurie, recalled how he nearly worked for Mr. Ludwig at the Princess.
He said Mr. Ludwig had first come to Bermuda to set up an exempt company for his tanker fleet.
While here he became interested in acquiring the Princess and bought the parcel of land the Southampton Princess now stands on.
And after fixing up the Princess and completing the Southampton Princess, he started the Princess Hotels chain upon acquiring a hotel in Acapulco.
Mr. Ludwig later sold the chain to Lonrho, the London-based conglomerate which currently owns the chain.