The Richthofen family is an old and prominent German noble family, whose members held the title of

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

and

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

in the

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...

. The most famous member is the

air ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace varies, but is ...

Manfred von Richthofen Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of th ...

(1892–1918), also known as the "Red Baron", but a number of other members of his family are also notable for various reasons.

Walter von Richthofen

Baron Walter von Richthofen, an uncle of Manfred von Richthofen, immigrated to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in 1877 from

Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...

. He founded the

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

Chamber of Commerce and was co-founder of

Montclair, Denver Montclair is a neighborhood in the City and County of Denver, Colorado, United States. The Denver U.S. Post Office ( ZIP Code 80220) serves Montclair postal addresses. Neighborhood history Montclair was originally developed as a small suburba ...

, at that time a village east of Denver but now incorporated into the city. His Richthofen Castle was one of the most sumptuous mansions in the American West. Begun in 1883 and completed in 1887, it was modeled on the original Richthofen Castle in Germany. Located immediately around the castle are the baron's mistress's house and his sanitarium/dairy.

World War I flying aces

was the most successful fighter pilot of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, with 80 official victories before he was killed in action. His younger brother,

Lothar von Richthofen Lothar Siegfried Freiherr von Richthofen (27 September 1894 – 4 July 1922) was a German First World War fighter ace credited with 40 victories. He was a younger brother of top-scoring ace Manfred von Richthofen (the ''Red Baron'') and a di ...

(1894–1922), was also a flying ace, with 40 victories. He served alongside his brother in

Jasta 11 Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 11 ("No 11 Fighter Squadron"; commonly abbreviated to Jasta 11) was founded on 28 September 1916 from elements of 4 Armee's ''Kampfeinsitzerkommandos'' (or KEKs) 1, 2 and 3 and mobilized on 11 October as part o ...

. Lothar died in an air crash in 1922. The two aviators were fourth cousins of the German

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

field marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

Wolfram von Richthofen Wolfram Karl Ludwig Moritz Hermann Freiherr von Richthofen (10 October 1895 – 12 July 1945) was a German World War I flying ace who rose to the rank of ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (Field Marshal) in the Luftwaffe during World War II. In the ...

(1895–1945). Wolfram was a cavalry man and later a World War I flying ace who flew with Manfred and Lothar in Jagdgeschwader 1 during the last year of the war.

Frieda and Else von Richthofen

Frieda von Richthofen Frieda Lawrence (August 11, 1879 – August 11, 1956) was a German author and wife of the British novelist D. H. Lawrence. Life Emma Maria Frieda Johanna Freiin (Baroness) von Richthofen (also known under her married names as Frieda Weekley, Fr ...

(1879–1956), who married the English

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English novelist, short story writer, poet, playwright, literary critic, travel writer, essayist, and painter. His modernist works reflect on modernity, social alienation ...

(1885–1930) in July 1914, was a distant cousin. Though their last common ancestor was born in 1661, the Red Baron's fame nonetheless attached to Frieda's reputation in war time England. Frieda's sister

Else von Richthofen Else Freiin von Richthofen (October 8, 1874 – December 22, 1973) was among the early female social scientists in Germany. Life and career Elisabeth Helene Amalie Sophie Freiin (Baroness) von Richthofen (also known as Else Jaffé) was born into ...

was one of the earliest female social scientists in Germany.

Suzane Louise von Richthofen

Suzane Louise von Richthofen (born 3 November 1983) is a Brazilian woman who was convicted of murdering her parents on 31 October 2002 with the help of her boyfriend and his brother. She was put on trial in

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

in July 2006 and was sentenced to 39 years and 6 months in prison. In 2023 she was released from prison on parole.

Ambassadors

* Herbert von Richthofen was an ambassador to Bulgaria between 1938 and 1941. * Dr.

Hermann von Richthofen Hermann Manfred Georg Freiherr von Richthofen, GCVO (20 November 1933 in Breslau – 17 July 2021 in Berlin) was a German diplomat. He was a great nephew of Manfred von Richthofen, the "Red Baron".Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

from 1989–1993, where his name made him a media favorite.

Other

Other well-known family members include: *

Bolko von Richthofen Bolko von Richthofen (September 13, 1899 – March 18, 1983) was a German archaeologist and a distant relative of the family of Manfred von Richthofen, the "Red Baron". He is sometimes confused with his distant cousin and namesake, Karl Bolko von ...

(1899–1983), German archaeologist (not to be confused with Manfred's younger brother) *

Emil von Richthofen Emil may refer to: Literature *''Emil and the Detectives'' (1929), a children's novel *"Emil", nickname of the Kurt Maschler Award for integrated text and illustration (1982–1999) *''Emil i Lönneberga'', a series of children's novels by Astr ...

(1810–1895), Prussian diplomat and father of Oswald von Richthofen *

Ferdinand von Richthofen Ferdinand Freiherr von Richthofen (5 May 18336 October 1905), better known in English as was a German traveller, geographer, and scientist. He is noted for coining the terms "Seidenstraße" and "Seidenstraßen" = "Silk Road(s)" or "Silk Route(s ...

(1833–1905), German traveller, geographer and scientist, for whom Colorado's

Mount Richthofen Mount Richthofen is the highest summit of the Never Summer Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent peak is located northwest by west ( bearing 308°) of Milner Pass, Colorado, United States, on the Continent ...

was named * Manfred von Richthofen (general) (1855–1939), German General of the Cavalry during World War I * Manfred von Richthofen (sports official) (1934–2014), German hockey player and coach *

Oswald von Richthofen Oswald Samuel Konstantin Freiherr von Richthofen (13 October 1847 – 17 January 1906), 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 ...

(1847–1906), German diplomat and politician

References

{{Authority control German noble families Surnames !