Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg

Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg
Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg
Interior Minister of Prussia
In office
1862–1878
Member of the Abgeordnetenhaus (Prussia)
In office
1866–1877
Constituency Breslau 2 (Militsch-Trebnitz)[1]
Personal details
Born June 29, 1815
Königsberg, East Prussia
Died June 2, 1881 (aged 65)
Berlin, Imperial Germany
Occupation diplomat
Religion Lutheran

Count Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg (29 June 1815 – 2 June 1881) was a Prussian diplomat and politician. He led the Eulenburg Expedition and secured the Prusso-Japanese Treaty of 24 January 1861, which was similar to other unequal treaties that European powers held Eastern Countries to.[2]

Biography

Eulenburg was born in Königsberg. He was the oldest surviving child of Friedrich Leopold Graf zu Eulenburg (Prassen, 26 December 1787 - Königsberg, 30 July 1845) and Amalie Julie Eleonore née von Kleist (Perkuiken, 26 May 1792 - Königsberg, 16 November 1830).

Eulenburg studied law at the Universities of Königsberg and Bonn[1] and worked as a government official in Oppeln then in various ministries in Berlin. In 1852 he entered the diplomatic service as the Prussian Consul-General in Antwerp. The expansion of Prussian trade led to the search of commercial partners in South-East and Eastern Asia and he was chosen to lead an extensive trade mission. Departing in October 1859 he set out for Japan, China and Siam.

In January 1861, he concluded a commercial treaty with the Bakufu, which was based on Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce. In September the same year, he concluded a commercial treaty with the Qing Empire, which was similar to the Treaties of Tianjin that Britain and France had concluded with China three years earlier.

Wilhelm I of Prussia and Count Benedetti at Bad Ems. The meeting led to the Ems Dispatch

Following his return he was appointed the Interior Minister of Prussia on 8 December 1862. Following the growth in the administrative area of Prussian state in 1864 and 1866, Eulenburg instituted comprehensive administrative reform also in the old provinces. However he was met by opposition by the Catholics in the west and the liberals in the east. He accompanied King Wilhelm I of Prussia in the negotiations with the French ambassador Count Benedetti at Bad Ems prior to the Franco-Prussian War.[1]

His plan to reform the municipal administration in Prussia was opposed by Otto von Bismarck and Eulenburg resigned on 30 November 1878 to be succeeded by his first cousin once removed Botho zu Eulenburg.[1]

Family

Eulenburg's parents married at Königsberg on 23 October 1811. He was the brother of

Eulenburg was not married and had no children.

Awards

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Biography at Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (German)
  2. ↑ Japanese-German Relations, 1895-1945: war, diplomacy and public opinion By Christian W. Spang, Rolf-Harald. Wippich, p. 1
Political offices
Preceded by
Count Gustav Wilhelm von Jagow		 Interior Minister of Prussia
1862– 1878 		Succeeded by
Count Botho zu Eulenburg