In 1842, along with 20 other representatives of the
German nobility, Prince Hermann founded the "
Adelsverein, Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas". The settlement of
New Wied, Texas, a few miles north of
New Braunfels on the
Guadalupe River located on the eastern side of
Comal County, was established after more than 300 German settlers in the New Braunfels region died in the epidemic of 1846. The society also established the village of
Wied, Texas in
Lavaca County. Hermann purchased a share in the society after he became engaged to the sister of
Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau, the protector of the society. He took no active part in the society until 1847, when it became apparent that, because of debts and dissension, a new, more businesslike approach had to be taken in order to save the reputations and investments of the noblemen. Starting in 1847, Hermann's director of business affairs,
August von Bibra became actively involved in the affairs of the Verein. When the prince was elected president of the society in 1851, following
Carl, 3rd Prince of Leiningen, Bibra took over complete management of the enterprise. Bibra struggled for more than ten years to repay the Verein debts and to revitalize the emigration program. ==Marriage==