She was married at the age of 17 to the swordsmith Adalbrecht of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland), an ill-tempered man in his 40s.

Through her humility and gentleness, she converted him and both made pilgrimages to Cologne, Aachen, and Einsiedeln Abbey in present-day Switzerland.

[1] In the summer of 1391 Dorothea moved to Marienwerder (now Kwidzyn, Poland), and on 2 May 1393, with the permission of the chapter and of the Teutonic Order, established an anchoress's cell against the wall of the cathedral.

[2] According to scholar Michelle Sauer, Dorothea's life "bore surprising resemblance" to Saint Jutta of Kulmsee, another Prussian anchoress who lived during the late 13th century.

[3] Dorothea was venerated popularly from the moment of her death as the guardian of the country of the Teutonic Knights (East Prussia) and patron saint of Prussia/Pomerania.