Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Somers, John Somers, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Somers, John Somers or Sommers, Baron sŭmˈərz [key], 1651–1716, English jurist and statesman. In the Glorious Revolution he secured Parliament's acceptance of the official statement that James II...

Rezzori, Gregor von

(Encyclopedia)Rezzori, Gregor von, 1914–98, Austrian-Romanian writer, b. Gregor Arnulph Hilarius von Rezzori d'Arezzo in Czernowitz, Austria-Hungary (later in Romania and the USSR, now Chernivtsi, Ukraine). The a...

Falkenhayn, Erich von

(Encyclopedia)Falkenhayn, Erich von āˈrĭkh fən fälˈkənhīn [key], 1861–1922, German military officer. Minister of war from 1906 to 1915, he succeeded (1914) Moltke as chief of the German general staff. He ...

Heidenstam, Verner von

(Encyclopedia)Heidenstam, Verner von vĕrˈnər fən hāˈdənstäm [key], 1859–1940, Swedish lyric poet, novelist, and essayist. His first volume of poetry, Pilgrimage and Wanderyears (1888), challenged the cont...

Winkelried, Arnold von

(Encyclopedia)Winkelried, Arnold von ärˈnôlt fən vĭngˈkəlrēt [key], d. 1386, Swiss hero. His action at the battle of Sempach (July 9, 1386) is credited in legend with the Swiss defeat of the Austrians under...

Schuschnigg, Kurt von

(Encyclopedia)Schuschnigg, Kurt von ko͝ort fən sho͝oshˈnĭk [key], 1897–1977, Austrian chancellor. He served (1932–34) as minister of justice and education and helped Engelbert Dollfuss repress the Social D...

Von Neumann, John

(Encyclopedia)Von Neumann, John noiˈmän [key], 1903–57, American mathematician, b. Hungary, Ph.D. Univ. of Budapest, 1926. He came to the United States in 1930 and was naturalized in 1937. He taught (1930–33)...

von Sydow, Max

(Encyclopedia)von Sydow, Max, 1929–2020, Swedish actor, b. Carl Adolf von Sydow. He worked with director Ingmar Bergman at the Malmö Municipal Theatre (1955–60) before moving to Stockhom and joining the Royal ...

Berzelius, Jöns Jakob, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Berzelius, Jöns Jakob, Baron bərzēˈlēəs; Swed. yöns yäˈkôp bĕrsāˈlĭəs [key], 1779–1848, Swedish chemist, M.D. Univ. of Uppsala, 1802. He was noted for his work as teacher at the medic...

Browse by Subject