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Bellingshausen, Fabian Gottlieb von

(Encyclopedia)Bellingshausen, Fabian Gottlieb von fäbˈēən gôtˈlēp fôn bĕlˈĭngzhouˌzən [key], 1778–1852, Russian explorer, b. Sarema, Estonia. A graduate of the naval academy at Kronstadt, he commande...

Walther von der Vogelweide

(Encyclopedia)Walther von der Vogelweide välˈtər fən dĕr fōˈgəlvīˌdə [key], c.1170–c.1230, German minnesinger of noble birth, probably the finest lyric poet of medieval Germany. He wandered from court ...

Spee, Maximilian, Graf von

(Encyclopedia)Spee, Maximilian, Graf von mäkˌsēmēˈlyän gräf fən shpā [key], 1861–1914, German admiral. At the start of World War I he commanded a squadron in East Asia. In Nov., 1914, he met and defeated...

Behring, Emil Adolph von

(Encyclopedia)Behring, Emil Adolph von āˈmēl äˈdōlf fən bârˈĭng [key], 1854–1917, German physician. He worked with Kitasato at Koch's laboratory in Berlin and from 1895 was professor of hygiene at Marbu...

Blücher, Gebhard Leberecht von

(Encyclopedia)Blücher, Gebhard Leberecht von gĕpˈhärt lāˈbərĕkht fən blüˈkhər [key], 1742–1819, Prussian field marshal, an outstanding military opponent of Napoleon I. An officer in the army of King F...

Berchtold, Leopold, Graf von

(Encyclopedia)Berchtold, Leopold, Graf von lāˈōpôlt gräf fən bĕrkhˈtôlt [key], 1863–1942, Austro-Hungarian foreign minister (1912–15). During the Balkan Wars he successfully worked for the creation of ...

Wrede, Karl Philipp von

(Encyclopedia)Wrede, Karl Philipp von kärl fēˈlĭp fən vrāˈdə [key], 1767–1838, Bavarian general. He helped reorganize the Bavarian army, commanded part of the Bavarian troops fighting with the French agai...

Pufendorf, Samuel, Baron von

(Encyclopedia)Pufendorf, Samuel, Baron von zäˈmo͞oĕl bärônˈ fən po͞oˈfəndôrf [key], 1632–94, German jurist and historian. He is especially noted as an early theorist of international law. Educated in ...

Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von

(Encyclopedia)Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von tāˈōbält fən bātˈmän-hôlˈvāk [key], 1856–1921, German chancellor. A career civil servant, he became minister of the interior (1905) and secretary of state (...

Zeppelin, Ferdinand, Graf von

(Encyclopedia)Zeppelin, Ferdinand, Graf von zĕpˈəlĭn, Ger. fĕrˈdēnänt gräf fən tsĕpˌəlēnˈ [key], 1838–1917, German army officer and airship inventor and builder. He entered the Prussian army in 185...