Bernhard von Bülow

Prince Bernhard Heinrich Karl Martin von Bülow (May 3, 1849–October 28, 1929) was a German statesman who served as Chancellor of the German Empire from 1900 to 1909.

Diplomatic Career

Bernhard von Bülow, after serving in the Franco-Prussian War, entered first the Prussian Civil Service, and then the diplomatic service. In 1876 he was appointed attaché to the German embassy in Paris, and became second secretary to the embassy in 1880. In 1884 he became first secretary to the embassy at St Petersburg, and acted as charge d'affaires; in 1888 he was appointed envoy at Bucharest, and in 1893 to the post of German ambassador at Rome. In 1897, on the retirement of Baron Marshall von Bieberstein, he was appointed state secretary for foreign affairs (the same office which his father had held) under Prince Hohenlohe, with a seat in the Prussian ministry. As foreign secretary Bülow was chiefly responsible for carrying out the policy of colonial expansion (or Weltpolitik) with which the emperor had identified himself, and in 1899, on bringing to a successful conclusion the negotiations by which the Caroline Islands were acquired by Germany, he was raised to the rank of Count. On the resignation of Hohenlohe in 1900 he was chosen to succeed him as chancellor of the empire and Prime Minister of Prussia.

Related Topics:
Franco-Prussian War - Prussian Civil Service - 1876 - Paris - 1880 - St Petersburg - 1888 - Bucharest - 1893 - Rome - 1897 - Baron Marshall von Bieberstein - Prince Hohenlohe - Caroline Islands - Count - Hohenlohe - 1900 - Chancellor - Prime Minister of Prussia

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