Heinrich von Coudenhove-Kalergi

Johann Heinrich Maria Graf Coudenhove, since 1903 Graf Coudenhove -Kalergi ( born October 12, 1859 in Vienna, † May 14 1906 in Ronsperg ), was an Austrian diplomat and citizen of the world. He came from the father's side in Bohemia resident, but originating from the Brabant House Coudenhove and mother of the Byzantine- Cretan nobility Kalergi.

Life

After studying law and philosophy and doctorate his employments led the polyglot Coudenhove who spoke 16 languages, including Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, and Japanese, to Athens, Rio de Janeiro, Konstantin Opel and Buenos Aires, and later he was Deputy Chief of Mission Austria -Hungary in Japan. During this time, in which he extensively dealt with Buddhism, he met his future wife Mitsuko (1874-1941), whom he married in 1892. From the marriage seven children were born, including the founder of our movement, Richard Nikolaus Graf Coudenhove -Kalergi (1894-1972), and the writer Ida Friederike Gorres.

A return to Austria, he had categorically ruled out to his family, but after the death of his father he had to acknowledge the diplomatic service, to take over the management of the family living, as they had fallen by will to his still in infancy standing eldest son.

At Castle Ronsperg, the seat of the family (now in the Czech Republic located ), he set up an extensive library on the fields of philosophy, ethics, religion, mysticism, churches and religious history; also an extensive collection on Judaism and anti-Semitism he put on. The completion of a comprehensive study of thinking, religions and cultures of Europe and Asia failed due to his early death; with only 46 years, he died of a heart attack.

His library is preserved. It is administered by the National Museum in Prague.