August Heinrich Hermann von Dönhoff
Encyclopedia
August Heinrich Hermann von Dönhoff (10 October 1797 in Potsdam
- 1 April 1874 at Schloss Friedrichstein (East Prussia
)) was a Prussia
n diplomat.
Dönhoff participated as a volunteer in the campaign of 1815, studied in Königsberg
, Göttingen
and Heidelberg
in 1816-1819 and then travelled to Italy
. He began his diplomatic career in 1821 at the Prussian Foreign Ministry in Berlin
, was then employed in the embassies in Paris
in 1823, in Madrid
in 1825, and in London
in 1828, where he played a significant role in the conference on Belgium
. In 1833 he was made an envoy in Munich
, and in 1842 became the envoy to the Bundestag in Frankfurt am Main.
In May 1848 he resigned, but was made Foreign Minister of Prussia
in early September 1848 in the government of Ernst von Pfuel
, a position he only held for a short time however. Then in February 1849 he was elected by the second electoral district of Gumbinnen to the first chamber of the Prussian Parliament, which sent him in 1850 to Erfurt, into the Staatenhaus (the chamber of the Erfurt Union
parliament that represented the individual states). He was once again elected a member of the Prussian first chamber in the summer of 1850, and joined the moderate right-wing Partei Jordan. In 1851 he became a member of the Landtag of the Province of Prussia, and participated in its session from 1851 to 1852 in Berlin. When the Prussian first chamber became the Prussian House of Lords
, the King made him a hereditary member. In 1861 he became the grand-master of the wardrobe at court. He died in April 1874.
His aunt Sophie von Dönhoff was the wife of Freredick William II
.
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
- 1 April 1874 at Schloss Friedrichstein (East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
)) was a Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n diplomat.
Dönhoff participated as a volunteer in the campaign of 1815, studied in Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
, Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
and Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
in 1816-1819 and then travelled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He began his diplomatic career in 1821 at the Prussian Foreign Ministry in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, was then employed in the embassies in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1823, in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1825, and in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1828, where he played a significant role in the conference on Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. In 1833 he was made an envoy in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, and in 1842 became the envoy to the Bundestag in Frankfurt am Main.
In May 1848 he resigned, but was made Foreign Minister of Prussia
Foreign Minister of Prussia
This page lists Foreign Ministers of Prussia. See also Foreign Minister of Germany and Prime Minister of Prussia. After the creation of the German Empire in 1871, the Imperial Chancellor was normally also Foreign Minister of Prussia...
in early September 1848 in the government of Ernst von Pfuel
Ernst von Pfuel
Ernst Heinrich Adolf von Pfuel was a Prussian general.Pfuel was born in Jahnsfelde , Brandenburg. He served as commander of the Prussian sector of Paris from 1814-1815 during the Napoleonic Wars...
, a position he only held for a short time however. Then in February 1849 he was elected by the second electoral district of Gumbinnen to the first chamber of the Prussian Parliament, which sent him in 1850 to Erfurt, into the Staatenhaus (the chamber of the Erfurt Union
Erfurt Union
The Erfurt Union was a short-lived union of German states under a federation, proposed by the Kingdom of Prussia at Erfurt, for which the Erfurt Union Parliament , lasting from March 20 to April 29, 1850, was opened...
parliament that represented the individual states). He was once again elected a member of the Prussian first chamber in the summer of 1850, and joined the moderate right-wing Partei Jordan. In 1851 he became a member of the Landtag of the Province of Prussia, and participated in its session from 1851 to 1852 in Berlin. When the Prussian first chamber became the Prussian House of Lords
Prussian House of Lords
The Prussian House of Lords was the first chamber of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1850-1918. The second chamber was the Prussian House of Representatives . The House of Lords was created on January 31, 1850 with the adoption of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia...
, the King made him a hereditary member. In 1861 he became the grand-master of the wardrobe at court. He died in April 1874.
His aunt Sophie von Dönhoff was the wife of Freredick William II
Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II was the King of Prussia, reigning from 1786 until his death. He was in personal union the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg and the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel.-Early life:...
.