Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau
German diplomat (1869-1928)
Ulrich Karl Christian Graf von Brockdorff-Rantzau (29 May 1869 – 8 September 1928) was a German diplomat who became the first Foreign Minister of the Weimar Republic. In that capacity, he led the German delegation at the Paris Peace Conference but resigned over the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. He was also the German ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1928.
Early life and career in the German Empire
Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau was born in Schleswig on 29 May 1869. He was the son of
Graf Hermann zu Rantzau (1840–72), a Prussian civil servant (Regierungsassessor) of the Rantzau family and his wife, Gräfin Juliane zu Rantzau, née von Brockdorff from Rastorf. Ulrich had a twin brother, Ernst Graf zu Rantzau (1869–1930) who later became a Geheimer Regierungsrat.
In 1891, a great-uncle left him the manor Annettenhöh near Schleswig, and he took the name "Brockdorff-Rantzau".
In 1888–91, he studied law at Neuchâtel, Freiburg im Breisgau, Berlin (Referendarsexamen in 1891) and Leipzig. He was awarded a Dr. jur.
The public source identifies “Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau” as german diplomat (1869-1928). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Ulrich, Brockdorff-Rantzau and German.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau”, the useful work is to connect “german diplomat (1869-1928)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 4, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q213622. VIAF identifies the subject as 77109804. The Library of Congress control number is n85058831. 3 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1869, 1928, 1922 and 1840.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau primary sources, Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau archive and Ulrich research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.