Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm, Baron von

(Encyclopedia)Leibniz or Leibnitz, Gottfried Wilhelm, Baron von both: gôtˈfrēt vĭlˈhĕlm bärônˈ fan līpˈnĭts [key], 1646–1716, German philosopher and mathematician, b. Leipzig. Although known primarily...

Kaunitz, Wenzel Anton, Fürst von

(Encyclopedia)Kaunitz, Wenzel Anton, Fürst von vĕnˈtsəl änˈtôn fürst fən kouˈnĭts [key], 1711–94, Austrian statesman. He distinguished himself as a negotiator of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) an...

Yorck von Wartenburg, Ludwig, Graf

(Encyclopedia)Yorck von Wartenburg or York von Wartenburg, Ludwig, Graf both: lo͝otˈvĭkh gräf yôrk fən värˈtənbo͝orkh [key], 1759–1830, Prussian army officer. He commanded the Prussian auxiliary corps t...

Wrangel, Baron Ferdinand Petrovich von

(Encyclopedia)Wrangel, Wrangell, or Vrangel, Baron Ferdinand Petrovich von all: răngˈgəl, Rus. fyĕrdyēnäntˈ pētrôˈvĭch vôn vränˈgĭl [key], 1796–1870, Russian naval officer, arctic explorer, and gov...

Weizsäcker, Richard Karl Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Weizsäcker, Richard Karl Freiherr von, 1920–2015, German political leader. After serving in World War II, Weizsäcker earned a law degree from the Univ. of Göttingen (1953), then worked in the pri...

Welsbach, Carl Auer, Baron von

(Encyclopedia)Welsbach, Carl Auer, Baron von kärl ouˈər bärōnˈ fən vĕlsˈbäkh [key], 1858–1929, Austrian chemist. He discovered the rare earth elements neodymium and praseodymium (1885) and lutetium (c.1...

Wallenstein, Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von

(Encyclopedia)Wallenstein or Waldstein, Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von wälˈənstīn, Ger. älˈbrĕkht vĕnˈtsəl oizāˈbēo͝os fən välˈənshtīn, vältˈshtīn [key], 1583–1634, imperial general in the Thi...

Aehrenthal, Alois Lexa, Graf von

(Encyclopedia)Aehrenthal, Alois Lexa, Graf von äˈlōēs lākˈsä gräf fən ârˈəntäl [key], 1854–1912, Austro-Hungarian foreign minister (1906–12). The chief event of his ministry was the Austrian annexa...

Buch, Christian Leopold, Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Buch, Christian Leopold, Freiherr von krĭsˈtyän lāˈōpôlt frīˈhĕr fən bo͞okh [key], 1774–1853, German geologist and paleontologist, graduate of the mining academy, Freiberg, Germany, and ...

Bülow, Hans Guido, Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Bülow, Hans Guido, Freiherr von frīˈhĕr fən büˈlō [key], 1830–94, German pianist and conductor. After hearing Wagner's Lohengrin in 1850 at Weimar under Liszt's direction, he studied piano ...