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The duel was between Viennese royal Princess Pauline von Metternich and the Russian-born Countess Anastasia Kielmansegg.

They agreed to a duel in the summer of 1892 after a dispute over how the upcoming event -the Vienna Musical Theatrical Exhibition- would be decorated, on which they vehemently disagreed on flower arrangements.

It’s been dubbed the first ‘emancipated duel’ as there were no men present. Two women played mediators to the duelists, the third was standing medic Baroness Lubinska.

It was Baroness Lubinska, a female medic from Warsaw, who suggested they remove their top garments as a safety precaution! She explained that when stabbed by a sword, small bits of clothing could enter the wound, making it more difficult to clean and putting one at higher risk of sepsis/infection even with minor injuries. Thus, the topless duel was born.

The conclusion? The Paul Mall Gazette (August 23, 1892) wrote:

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