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Oswald Samuel Konstantin Freiherr von Richthofen (13 October 1847, in Iași – 17 January 1906, in

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), a German diplomat and politician, served as Foreign Secretary and head of the Foreign Office from 23 October 1900 to 17 January 1906.

Background and career

The son of diplomat

Emil von Richthofen Emil Karl Heinrich von Richthofen (11 July 1810 – 20 June 1895, at Baden-Baden), was a Prussian baron (freiherr) and diplomat. He was the son of Ludwig Philipp Heinrich, Freiherr von Richthofen (1770–1850). In 1833, he married Marie Augustin ...

(1810–1895), he was born in Iaşi, where his father was

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. He joined the foreign service in 1875, and served in the Franco-Prussian War 1870–1871. From 1885 to 1896, he was stationed in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...

. He served as Director of Colonial Affairs at the Foreign Office from 15 October 1896 to 31 March 1898. During his term as Director, the railway from

Swakopmund Swakopmund (german: Mouth of the Swakop) is a city on the coast of western Namibia, west of the Namibian capital Windhoek via the B2 main road. It is the capital of the Erongo administrative district. The town has 44,725 inhabitants and covers ...

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was completed. A post office in the colony is named in his honour. He was appointed Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs in December 1897.

Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Richthofen became Secretary on 23 October 1900, when he succeeded Bernhard von Bülow, who at the same time became Chancellor of Germany. He served as Secretary until his death in

on 17 January 1906. He was also appointed Privy Councillor in 1901 and Minister of State of Prussia in 1905. On 24 January 1906, he was succeeded as Secretary by Heinrich Leonhard von Tschirschky und Bögendorff.

Distinctions

He received the following orders and decorations:''Handbuch über den Königlich Preußischen Hof und Staat fur das jahr 1906''
p. 65
/ref> ;German orders and decorations ;Foreign orders and decorations

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richthofen, Oswald Von 1847 births 1906 deaths Diplomats from Iași Foreign Secretaries of Germany Politicians from Iași Recipients of the Iron Cross (1870), 2nd class Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun Grand Crosses of the Order of Christ (Portugal) Recipients of the Order of the Medjidie, 1st class Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic Commanders Second Class of the Order of Vasa Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Politicians awarded knighthoods