Klemens von Ketteler
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Klemens August Freiherr von Ketteler 22 November 1853-20 June 1900) was a German career diplomat.
Born at Potsdam, Ketteler was educated for the army. However, he resigned his commission and entered the Imperial German diplomatic corps in 1882. He served in China, at Washington, D.C., and in Mexico. He married an American woman.
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[edit] Death in Beijing
Ketteler returned to China in 1899 as Plenipotentiary at Peking. On June 12th, 1900, when the Boxers moved to Beijing Inner City and burned down church buildings, Ketteler reacted viciously by ordering German Ambassay Guards to hunted down the Boxers. On June 13th German troops captured a Chinese civilians suspected as being Boxer in Beijing Inner City and was taken to the Embassy districts. Civilians gathered and demanded the release. Austrians gurads started shooting at the civilians and a number of civilians were wounded. On June 14th Ketteler ordered the shooting of Boxers walked pass through the Embassy district and killed 20 Boxers. On June 20, 8:00 AM, Ketteler, with the interpretor Cordes and other associates, went to the Chinese Foreign Affairs. When the escourts arrived just one block form the Ministry, in western end of Xi Zhong Bu Hutung (總布衚衕), they met Shen Ji Ying the Chinese Imperial Essence Guard (神機營, the Guard protecting the Imperial House and Ministries) and fired shot at the Chinese troop. In return the Chinese guards under the leader of Captain (章京) En Hai (恩海), a Manchu Banner noble, without knowing who the escourts were, returned fire and killed Ketteler instantly. En Hai was later gave himself up to the Allied occupied forces, tried by the Germans and executed on December 31st, 1900, in Beijing.
[edit] The Ketteler Denkmal in Peking
After the loss of the Eight-Nation Invasion in 1901, treaties were signed between China and elevan nations. Kaiser Wilhelm II demanded official apology from China and Chun King Dai Feng (1883-1951), father of the last Emperor Pu Yi, went to Germany. A Pai Fang (牌坊 memorial gate), called Ketteler Denkmal was erected at Ketteler death spot to commemmorate Ketteler. The work bagan on June 25th, 1901 and completed on January 8th, 1903. The Ketteler Denkmal was officially abolished, relocated to Zhong Shan Garden just outside of Tiananmen and renamed as 'The Victory of Virtue Gate' (公理戰勝碑) on November 13th, 1918, after Germany surrendered on November 11th, 1918. In October 1953, the gate was renamed as 'The Protection of Peace Gate' (保衛和平牌坊).
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- On the murder of Klemems von Ketteler (in German, with illustrations)
