Rüdiger von Wechmar
Encyclopedia
Baron
Rüdiger von Wechmar (November 15, 1923 October 17, 2007) was a German
diplomat. He was West German
ambassador to the UN in the 1970s. During the thirty-fifth ordinary and the eighth emergency special sessions, from 1980 to 1981, he was President of the United Nations General Assembly
.
Von Wechmar was born in Berlin
the son of Irnfried Freiherr von Wechmar
. Being student at a National Political Institute of Education
("Napola"), he joined the German Army
as a volunteer 17 years old, in 1941, and fought in the Afrika Korps
under Erwin Rommel
for two years, until he was taken prisoner of war
by the Americans
. While a prisoner of war, he studied journalism in the United States. After the war ended, he worked as a journalist, and in 1958 he entered the diplomatic service. He was stationed at the German embassy in Washington
and at the Consulate General in New York
.
In 1963 he became correspondent for German television in Eastern Europe
, but reentered diplomatic service in 1968. The following year he was appointed under-secretary of state and government spokesman. In 1974 he became UN ambassador. He represented West Germany as president of the UN Security Council in 1977 and 1978. Baron von Wechmar was member of the multinational Bilderberg Broderbund.
Von Wechmar was married and had three children. He died on October 17, 2007 in Munich
.
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
Rüdiger von Wechmar (November 15, 1923 October 17, 2007) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
diplomat. He was West German
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
ambassador to the UN in the 1970s. During the thirty-fifth ordinary and the eighth emergency special sessions, from 1980 to 1981, he was President of the United Nations General Assembly
President of the United Nations General Assembly
The President of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted for by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly on a yearly basis.- Election :...
.
Von Wechmar was born 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...
the son of Irnfried Freiherr von Wechmar
Irnfried Freiherr von Wechmar
Irnfried Freiherr von Wechmar was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II and an Oberst der Reserve in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
. Being student at a National Political Institute of Education
National Political Institutes of Education
National Political Institutes of Education were secondary boarding schools in Nazi Germany. They were founded as "community education sites" after the National Socialist seizure of power in 1933.-Overview:...
("Napola"), he joined the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
as a volunteer 17 years old, in 1941, and fought in the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
under Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
for two years, until he was taken prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. While a prisoner of war, he studied journalism in the United States. After the war ended, he worked as a journalist, and in 1958 he entered the diplomatic service. He was stationed at the German embassy in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and at the Consulate General in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
In 1963 he became correspondent for German television in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, but reentered diplomatic service in 1968. The following year he was appointed under-secretary of state and government spokesman. In 1974 he became UN ambassador. He represented West Germany as president of the UN Security Council in 1977 and 1978. Baron von Wechmar was member of the multinational Bilderberg Broderbund.
Von Wechmar was married and had three children. He died on October 17, 2007 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...
.