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Knyphausen, Wilhelm, Baron von

(Encyclopedia)Knyphausen, Wilhelm, Baron von vĭlˈhĕlm bärônˈ fən kənüpˈhouzən [key], 1716–1800, German general in British service in the American Revolution. He served in the army of Frederick the Grea...

Patkul, Johann Reinhold von

(Encyclopedia)Patkul, Johann Reinhold von yōˈhän rīnˈhôlt fən pätˈko͝ol [key], 1660–1707, Livonian nobleman. He incurred the wrath of Charles XI of Sweden by championing the rights of the Livonian gentr...

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 ...

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...

Werner, Anton Alexander von

(Encyclopedia)Werner, Anton Alexander von änˈtôn älĕksänˈdər fən vĕrˈnər [key], 1843–1915, German historical painter, portraitist, and illustrator. He was director (1875–1915) of the Berlin Academy....

von der Leyen, Ursula

(Encyclopedia)von der Leyen, Ursula, 1958–, German politician, b. Brussels, Belgium, as Ursula Albrecht. She studied economics and medicine, worked (1988–92) at Hanover Medical School's (MHH) gynecological clin...

Biron, Ernst Johann von

(Encyclopedia)Biron or Biren, Ernst Johann von ĕrnst yōhänˈ fən bēˈrôn, bēˈrən [key], 1690–1772, duke of Courland (1737–43, 1763–69), favorite of Czarina Anna of Russia. A Baltic nobleman, he rose ...

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...

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 (...

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