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Wassermann, August von

(Encyclopedia)Wassermann, August von wŏsˈərmən, Ger. ouˈgo͝ost fən väsˈərmän [key], 1866–1925, German physician and bacteriologist. In Berlin he was director of the department of experimental therapy a...

Winkelried, Arnold von

(Encyclopedia)Winkelried, Arnold von ärˈnôlt fən vĭngˈkəlrēt [key], d. 1386, Swiss hero. His action at the battle of Sempach (July 9, 1386) is credited in legend with the Swiss defeat of the Austrians under...

Wissmann, Hermann von

(Encyclopedia)Wissmann, Hermann von hĕrˈmän fən vĭsˈmän [key], 1853–1905, German explorer in Africa. He crossed (1880–82) Africa from Luanda to Zanzibar and, on behalf of Leopold II of Belgium, explored ...

Wolff, Christian von

(Encyclopedia)Wolff or Wolf, Christian von krĭsˈtyän fən vôlf [key], 1679–1754, German philosopher. One of the first to use the German language instead of Latin, he systematized and popularized the doctrines...

Wolfram von Eschenbach

(Encyclopedia)Wolfram von Eschenbach vôlˈfräm fən ĕshˈənbäkh [key], c.1170–c.1220, German poet. Perhaps the greatest of the German minnesingers, and one of the finest poets of medieval Europe. He was a kn...

Boyen, Hermann von

(Encyclopedia)Boyen, Hermann von boiˈən [key], 1771–1848, Prussian field marshal. After the Prussian defeat by Emperor Napoleon I and the disastrous treaties of Tilsit in 1807 (see Sovetsk), he assisted Scharnh...

Sybel, Heinrich von

(Encyclopedia)Sybel, Heinrich von hīnˈrĭkh fən zēˈbəl [key], 1817–95, German historian. He studied under Ranke at the Univ. of Berlin, but later abandoned the Rankean striving for objective history; he beg...

Suppé, Franz von

(Encyclopedia)Suppé, Franz von fränts fən zo͝opˈā [key], 1819–95, Austrian composer, b. Spalato, Dalmatia. His operettas, including The Light Cavalry (1866), were among the best by Viennese composers and ri...

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