Philipp, 1. Fürst zu Eulenburg und Hertefeld

Early life

Eulenburg was born at Königsberg, Province of Prussia, the eldest son of Philipp Graf zu Eulenburg (Königsberg, 24 April 1820 - Berlin, 5 March 1889) and of his wife, Alexandrine Freiin von Rothkirch und Panthen (Glogau, 20 June 1824 - Meran (Merano), 11 April 1902). The Eulenburgs were a Junker family which belonged to the Uradel (ancient nobility). For generations the family had served the House of Hohenzollern; his uncle, Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg served as Interior Minister of Prussia as did his cousin Botho zu Eulenburg.

Eulenburg attended the Vitzhumsches Gymnasium in Dresden, Saxony. In 1866 the Austro-Prussian War forced him to leave Saxony which was now enemy territory. He joined the Garde du Corps as an officer cadet. He then attended the War Academy at Kassel from which he graduated in 1868. In 1869 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 and 1871 he served under the German military governor of Strasbourg and received the Iron Cross.

After the Franco-Prussian War Eulenburg travelled in the Orient for a year. From 1872 to 1875 he attended the University of Leipzig and the University of Strasbourg. In 1875 he received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Giessen.

Civil service and diplomatic career

Eulenburg joined the Prussian civil service. He served first as a judge at a lower court in Lindow, Brandenburg, before being promoted to a higher court at Neuruppin. After only two years as a judge he transferred to the German Foreign Office.

In January 1881 Eulenburg was appointed third Secretary at the German Embassy in Paris, serving under Bernhard von Bülow. After only six months he was transferred to the Prussian embassy in Munich where he served seven years. In November 1888 Eulenburg was appointed Prussian ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. In March 1890 he was sent to Stuttgart as Prussian ambassador to the Kingdom of Württemberg. In April 1891 he returned to Munich, this time as Prussian ambassador to the Kingdom of Bavaria. In 1893 Eulenburg was appointed Germany's ambassador to Austria-Hungary, a position he held until 1902.

In 1900, Eulenburg was created 1st Prince of Eulenburg and Hertefeld and Count of Sandels (Fürst zu Eulenburg und Hertefeld, Graf von Sandels). The second title was in honour of the family of his wife, whose father was the last Swedish Count of Sandels.

Friendship with Wilhelm II

Eulenburg became a close friend of the German Emperor, Wilhelm II, who was twelve years his junior, prior to Wilhem?s accession to the imperial throne. Upon the accession of Wilhelm to the thrones of Prussia and Germany, Eulenburg assumed an unofficial position of immense influence, and among other things, was instrumental in the appointment of Bernhard von Bülow as head of the foreign office in 1897. Wilhelm II had long desired the appointment of "his own Bismarck" - a powerful chancellor who would enact the Kaiser's will - and Eulenburg was the first to suggest Bülow for this role.

Marriage and family

On 20 November 1875, at Stockholm, Eulenburg married Augusta Sandels ((Stockholm, 12 May 1853 - Liebenberg, 14 December 1941), daughter of Samuel August, the last Count Sandels, and of his wife, Hedvig Henrietta Emilie Augusta Tersmeden. They had eight children:

• Philipp Graf zu Eulenburg (Wulkow, 16 November 1876 - Berlin, 28 June 1878)
• Astrid Gräfin zu Eulenburg (Berlin, 25 March 1879 - Paris, 23 March 1881)
• Alexandrine (Adine) Elise Klara Antonia Gräfin zu Eulenburg (Liebenberg, 1 July 1880 - Friedelhausen, 3 February 1957), married at Liebenberg, 15 June 1910 Eberhard Graf von Schwerin (Weilburg, 11 July 1882 - Giessen, 4 April 1954)
• Friedrich Wend 2. Fürst zu Eulenburg und Hertefeld Graf von Sandels (Starnberg, 19 September 1881 - Weeze, 1 August 1963), married at Liebenberg, 21 May 1904 Marie Freiin Mayr von Melnhof (Vienna, 8 April 1884 - Weeze, 3 February 1960)
• Augusta Alexandrine Gräfin zu Eulenburg (Starnberg, 1 September 1882 - Starnberg, 28 January 1974), married in London, 4 February 1907 (div 1931) Edmund Jaroljmek
• Sigwart Botho Philipp August Graf zu Eulenburg (Munich, 10 January 1884 - k.a. Jas?o, Galicia, 2 June 1915), married in Leipzig, 21 September 1909 Helene Staegemann (Hannover, 18 April 1877 - Partenkirchen, 20 August 1923)
• Karl Kuno Eberhard Wend Graf zu Eulenburg (Starnberg, 16 June 1885 - Weeze, 4 December 1975), married firstly Saint Helier, Jersey, 27 May 1908 (div 1923) Sophie Moshammer (Munich, 9 April 1891 - Munich, 8 May 1944), married secondly in Munich, 5 November 1923 Geertruida Verwey (Utrecht, 6 May 1901 - Weeze, 28 October 1987)
• Viktoria Ada Astrid Agnes Gräfin zu Eulenburg (Starnberg, 13 July 1886 - Starnberg, 23 September 1967), married at Liebenberg, 12 May 1909 (div 1921) Otto Ludwig Haas-Heye (Heidelberg, 16 December 1879 - Mannheim, 9 June 1959)

Scandal

Although he was married, Eulenburg was connected in homosexual liaisons with members of the Kaiser?s inner circle, including Count Kuno von Moltke, the military commander of Berlin. Sources say that he continued to have homosexual relationships even after the marriage.The public exposure of these liaisons in 1907 led to the Harden-Eulenburg Affair. In 1908, Eulenburg was placed on trial for perjury due to his denial of his homosexuality; the trial was repeatedly postponed due to Eulenburg?s claim of poor health. Eulenburg died in 1921.^[1]

References

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