Josef Maria von Radowitz
Encyclopedia
Joseph Maria Friedrich von Radowitz (19 May 1839 – 15 January 1912) was a German diplomat who served as acting Foreign Secretary
and head of the Foreign Office
from 6 November 1879 until 17 April 1880.
Radowitz was born in Frankfurt am Main, the son of Prussia
n statesman Joseph von Radowitz
. He joined the diplomatic service of Prussia in 1860, and was stationed in Constantinople
, China
and Japan
until 1865. Upon his return to Europe, he was stationed in Paris
. During the Austro-Prussian War
, he served as aide-de-camp
to Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia
, and was subsequently attached to the Prussian diplomatic mission
in Munich
(Kingdom of Bavaria
). He became Consul General of the North German Confederation
to Bucharest
in 1870 and a member of the European Donau Commission. In 1872, he was appointed as chargé d'affaires
to Constantinople, before he became Director for Oriental Affairs at the Foreign Office. He was appointed as Envoy to Athens
in 1874, but remained in Berlin. In 1875 he became acting Ambassador to St. Petersburg, where he offered Russia German support for Russian interests in the Balkans
in exchange for Russian support for German interests in Western Europe. In 1878 he took part at the Congress of Berlin
.
After the death of Bernhard Ernst von Bülow
, Radowitz was appointed as acting Foreign Secretary, until he was succeeded by Chlodwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst.
He became Ambassador to Constantinople in October 1882 and Ambassador to Madrid
in 1892. He died in Berlin
.
Foreign Minister of Germany
The Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs is the head of the Federal Foreign Office and a member of the Cabinet of Germany. The current office holder is Guido Westerwelle...
and head of the Foreign Office
Foreign Office (Germany)
The Foreign Office is the foreign ministry of Germany, a federal agency responsible for both the country's foreign politics and its relationship with the European Union. From 1871 to 1919, it was led by a Foreign Secretary, and since 1919, it has been led by the Foreign Minister of Germany...
from 6 November 1879 until 17 April 1880.
Radowitz was born in Frankfurt am Main, the son of 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 statesman Joseph von Radowitz
Joseph von Radowitz
Joseph Maria Ernst Christian Wilhelm von Radowitz was a conservative Prussian statesman and general famous for his proposal to unify Germany under Prussian leadership by means of a negotiated agreement among the reigning German princes.-Early years:Radowitz was born to Roman Catholic nobility on ...
. He joined the diplomatic service of Prussia in 1860, and was stationed in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
until 1865. Upon his return to Europe, he was stationed 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...
. During the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
, he served as aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia
Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia
Prince Friedrich Carl Nicolaus of Prussia was the son of Prince Charles of Prussia and his wife Princess Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach . Prince Frederick Charles was a grandson of King Frederick William III of Prussia and a nephew of Frederick William IV and William I...
, and was subsequently attached to the Prussian diplomatic mission
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
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...
(Kingdom of Bavaria
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
). He became Consul General of the North German Confederation
North German Confederation
The North German Confederation 1866–71, was a federation of 22 independent states of northern Germany. It was formed by a constitution accepted by the member states in 1867 and controlled military and foreign policy. It included the new Reichstag, a parliament elected by universal manhood...
to Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
in 1870 and a member of the European Donau Commission. In 1872, he was appointed as chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
to Constantinople, before he became Director for Oriental Affairs at the Foreign Office. He was appointed as Envoy to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in 1874, but remained in Berlin. In 1875 he became acting Ambassador to St. Petersburg, where he offered Russia German support for Russian interests in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
in exchange for Russian support for German interests in Western Europe. In 1878 he took part at the Congress of Berlin
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans...
.
After the death of Bernhard Ernst von Bülow
Bernhard Ernst von Bülow
Bernhard Ernst von Bülow was a Danish and German statesman.He was the son of Adolf von Bülow, a Danish official, and was born at Cismar in Holstein. His own son Bernhard von Bülow was also a German statesman and chancellor...
, Radowitz was appointed as acting Foreign Secretary, until he was succeeded by Chlodwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst.
He became Ambassador to Constantinople in October 1882 and Ambassador to 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 1892. He died 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...
.
Literature
- Hajo Holborn (ed.): Aufzeichnungen und Erinnerungen aus dem Leben des Botschafters Joseph Maria von Radowitz. Deutsche Verlagsanstalt, Stuttgart/Berlin/Leipzig 1925.