Count Johann Bernhard von Rechberg und Rothenlöwen

Johann Bernhard Graf von Rechenberg and red lions ( born July 17, 1806 Regensburg, † February 26, 1899 in Kettenhof near Vienna ), a member of the old Swabian noble family of the Counts von Rechenberg, was an Austrian diplomat and foreign minister.

Life

The son of Count Aloys von Rechenberg occurred in 1828 in the Austrian diplomatic service and was employed at the embassies in Berlin, London and Brussels. In 1841 he was ambassador in Stockholm and 1843 in Rio de Janeiro. In 1848 he acted as representative Austrian interests in the Provisional Central Power in Frankfurt am Main. In 1851 von Rechenberg Internuncio in Constantinople Opel, from 1853 he was under Radetzky active in the civil administration of Lombardy and Veneto.

1859 to 1864 he was an Austrian Foreign Minister, from 1859 to 1861 and Prime Minister. In contrast to his predecessors tried by Rechenberg in the German question to find an amicable solution with Prussia and stood against the great German solution that has been advocated by Anton Schmerling. With Otto von Bismarck entertained by Rechenberg a good personal relationship. He was a staunch opponent of Austria convened by Prince Frankfurter day because he refused the intended isolation of Prussia. In the larger political context, he called for cooperation of Austria, Prussia and Russia.

In the Schleswig-Holstein question Rechenberg went along with Bismarck, as both powers had signed the London Protocol. Since the eider Danish Government in Copenhagen was not ready to take back the the London Protocol infringing November Constitution of 1853, Austria took part in the German -Danish War, which ended with the Peace of Vienna. Thus fell the two duchies of Austria and Prussia. From Rechenberg hoping to get a Prussian guarantee the Austrian possessions in Italy in the course of cooperation, which Bismarck refused, however, because Rechenberg had no offer in return. There were also problems in the US-led Prussia called the Customs Union negotiations on a customs union. This failure strengthened the already existing opposition to the Foreign Minister in Austria and the southern German middle states, so that he was forced to resign in October 1864. Johann Bernhard von Rechenberg died aged 93 at his home in Castle Altkettenhof Kettenhof, today Schwechat.

From 1826 he was a member of the Corps Isaria Munich. Beginning in 1864, he wore the Order of the Golden Fleece. 1911 Rechenberg alley in Vienna-Favoriten was named after him.

Marriage and issue

Johann Bernhard von Rechenberg married on July 26, 1834 in Donzdorf Castle Donzdorf Barbara Jones, who died in 1894. Their son, Alois was born in 1835. He later married Luise von Furstenberg and had with her four daughters before he died 42 years old in 1877.