Richard von Kühlmann | |
|---|---|
 Kühlmann in 1932 | |
| State Secretary for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 6 August 1917 – 9 July 1918 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelm II |
| Chancellor | Georg Michaelis Georg von Hertling |
| Preceded by | Arthur Zimmermann |
| Succeeded by | Paul von Hintze |
| German Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire | |
| In office September 1916 – August 1917 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelm II |
| Preceded by | Paul Wolff Metternich |
| Succeeded by | Johann Heinrich von Bernstorff |
| German Ambassador to the Netherlands | |
| In office April 1915 – October 1916 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelm II |
| Preceded by | Felix von Müller |
| Succeeded by | Friedrich Rosen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1873-05-03)3 May 1873 Constantinople,Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 16 February 1948(1948-02-16) (aged 74) Ohlstadt,Upper Bavaria,Allied-occupied Germany |
| Spouse | Baroness Margarete von Stumm |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Diplomat,industrialist |
Richard von Kühlmann (3 May 1873 – 16 February 1948) was a Germandiplomat andindustrialist. From 6 August 1917 to 9 July 1918, he served as Germany'sState Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and led the delegation that negotiated theTreaty of Brest-Litovsk, which removed theRussian Empire fromWorld War I in March 1918.
Kühlmann was born inConstantinople (present-dayIstanbul). From 1908 to 1914, he was councillor of the German embassy inLondon, and was very active in the study of all phases of contemporary political and social life inGreat Britain. He negotiated treaties on future division of African colonies and an agreement on the Bagdad Railway project with the British government which could have led to longterm improvement of German-British relationship. He therefore warned his government that the naval arms race promoted by German Admiral Tirpitz would endanger any improvement of German-British relationship. During the crisis of Juli 1914 he was on holiday in Germany and not involved in any diplomatic activities.
At the outbreak ofWar, Kühlmann was councillor of the embassy at Constantinople. In October 1914 he founded theNews Bureau which became a vehicle for German propaganda in theOttoman Empire. This included postcards of ruined Belgian churches, which were used to appeal to theJihadist sentiments held by those who had participated inmassacres of Christians in Constantinople in 1896[1]
During theArmenian genocide, Kühlmann was initially reluctant to expose the massacres against the Armenian population.[2] Kühlmann, who held sympathetic beliefs toward Turkish nationalism, repeatedly used the term "alleged" and excused the Turkish government for the massacres. Kühlmann, in defense of the Turkish government and the German-Turkish World War alliance, stated that the policies against the Armenians was a matter of "internal politics".[2] However, Kühlmann eventually stated that, "The destruction of the Armenians was undertaken on a massive scale. This policy of extermination will for a long time stain the name of Turkey."[2]
He was subsequently minister atThe Hague, and from September 1916 until August 1917, ambassador at Constantinople.
Appointedforeign secretary in August 1917, he led the delegation that negotiated theTreaty of Brest-Litovsk, which removed theRussian Empire, now under Bolshevik control, fromWorld War I in March 1918.
In December 1917 von Kühlmann explained the main goals of his diplomacy was to subvert and undermine the political unity of the enemy states:
He also negotiated thePeace of Bucharest of 7 May 1918, withRomania. In the treaty negotiations, Kühlmann encountered opposition from the higher command of the army, and, in particular, ofErich Ludendorff, who desired fuller territorial guarantees on Germany's eastern frontier, the establishment of a German protectorate over the Baltic States and stronger precautions against the spread ofBolshevism.
In June 1918, he delivered in theReichstag a speech on the general situation, in the course of which he declared that the war could not be ended by arms alone, implying that it would require diplomacy to secure peace. This utterance was misinterpreted in Germany, the High Command was drawn into the controversy which arose over it, and Kühlmann's position became untenable. He was essentially dismissed from office by the Chancellor,Georg von Hertling, in a speech notionally intended to explain away his statement and, after an interview with EmperorWilhelm II at the front, he tendered his resignation in July 1918.
On 25 January 1906 he married Margarete Freiin von Stumm (17 March 1884 – 25 June 1917), eldest daughter of BaronHugo Rudolf von Stumm. His son was German politician and industrialistKnut von Kühlmann-Stumm (1916–1977).[4]
Media related toRichard von Kühlmann at Wikimedia Commons German Empire (1871–1918) | |
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 Weimar Republic (1918–33) | |
 Nazi Germany (1933–45) | |
 German Democratic Republic1 (1949–90) | |
 Federal Republic of Germany (1949–present) |
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1 East Germany | |
