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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 ...

Ribbentrop, Joachim von

(Encyclopedia)Ribbentrop, Joachim von yōˈaäkhĭm fən rĭbˈəntrôp [key], 1893–1946, German foreign minister (1938–45). After World War I he became a wealthy champagne merchant. He joined the National Soci...

Luckner, Felix, Graf von

(Encyclopedia)Luckner, Felix, Graf von fāˈlĭks gräf fən lo͝okˈnər [key], 1886–1966, German naval officer. In World War I he commanded (1916–17) the commerce raider Seeadler. Luckner slipped through the ...

Bellingshausen, Fabian Gottlieb von

(Encyclopedia)Bellingshausen, Fabian Gottlieb von fäbˈēən gôtˈlēp fôn bĕlˈĭngzhouˌzən [key], 1778–1852, Russian explorer, b. Sarema, Estonia. A graduate of the naval academy at Kronstadt, he commande...

Dannecker, Johann Heinrich von

(Encyclopedia)Dannecker, Johann Heinrich von yōˈhän hīnˈrĭkh fən dänˈĕkər [key], 1758–1841, German sculptor. He studied with Pajou in Paris and with Canova in Rome. His art shows a revival of classical...

Dittersdorf, Karl Ditters von

(Encyclopedia)Dittersdorf, Karl Ditters von dĭtˈərs fən dĭtˈərsdôrf [key], 1739–99, Austrian composer and violinist. He was a successful opera and symphony composer in Vienna and an important precursor of...

Gagern, Heinrich, Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Gagern, Heinrich, Freiherr von hīnˈrĭkh frīˈhĕr fən gäˈgərn [key], 1799–1880, German statesman. A Hessian parliamentary leader and leading advocate of German unity, he became (1848) presid...

Schwenkfeld, Kaspar von

(Encyclopedia)Schwenkfeld, Kaspar von käsˈpär fən shvĕngkˈfĕlt [key], 1490–1561, German religious reformer. Schwenkfeld was in court service with the duke of Liegnitz from 1510 to c.1522. He visited Witten...

Behring, Emil Adolph von

(Encyclopedia)Behring, Emil Adolph von āˈmēl äˈdōlf fən bârˈĭng [key], 1854–1917, German physician. He worked with Kitasato at Koch's laboratory in Berlin and from 1895 was professor of hygiene at Marbu...

Webern, Anton von

(Encyclopedia)Webern, Anton von änˈtōn fən vāˈbərn [key], 1883–1945, Austrian composer and conductor; pupil of Arnold Schoenberg. He conducted theater orchestras in Prague and in various German cities unti...