Eduard von Dyhrn
Encyclopedia
Count
Eduard Carl Albert Gustav George von Dyhrn zu Schönau (12 June 1791 - 30 December 1871), also known as George, was a German
nobleman, entrepreneur
, landowner, high state
official
and a deputy
in the Silesian
Parliament
(Landtag
).
on 12 June 1791, three months premature and was therefore not even expected to survive.
He was descended from the most prestigious aristocratic houses of Silesia. His father was the Count Wilhelm Carl Adolph von Dyhrn, Baron zu Schönau (1749-1813), a Prussian diplomat
and a minister
, who was made a "Count
" in 1775 in Berlin
. Wilhelm was the former owner of the enormous estates Loslau and Dyhernfurth
. Eduard's mother was the Princess
Henriette zu Schönaich-Carolath (1765-1798), Wilhelm's third wife. Eduard was born as an illegitimate son of his parents, who married after he was already born. His illegitimate background produced through his descendants an "illegitimate", but still a noble family branch.
His grandmother was the well-known Silesian entrepreneur Countess Sophie Caroline von Dyhrn (1712-1793), who in the 1770s was considered to be the richest woman in Prussia
and had a very big influence in the Prussian cabinet
, as well as on the King
Frederick himself.
Only one year after his mother's death in 1798 Eduard got a stepmother, Baroness Albertine von Köller, who moved to Schloss Gimmel
, the Dyhrn family residence. In 1800 his half-brother Alex was born (he later married Emilie Scholz, who in her second marriage became the wife of the famous German author
Gustav Freytag
).
Eduard's cousin was Antoinette von Maltzan-Wartenberg-Penzlin, the mother of Count Mortimer von Maltzan
and the granddaughter of Joachim Carl von Maltzan, Prussian ambassador
in London
. The Prussian industrialist and the owner of Schloss Neudeck
, Count Carl Lazarus Henckel von Donnersmarck, was also a first cousin of Eduard.
His second cousins were Prince Heinrich of Carolath-Beuthen (1783-1864) and Princess Dorothea of Reuss-Schleiz-Köstritz (1799-1848). Eduard was also a grandnephew of the Princess Johanna Wilhelmine of Anhalt
(1728-1786), heiress
of Pleß.
Eduard's father, Count Wilhelm, was a close friend of Charlotte von Schiller and her mother Luise; in Weimar
he frequently visited Goethe and Charlotte von Stein
as well. He was exchanging correspondence with them through many years and stayed connected with them till he died in 1813. Count Eduard continued to nurture his father's relationships to all of them, being especially close to Charlotte von Stein's son Fritz, who was raised by Goethe and who was later living in the capital of Silesia
, Breslau. Dyhrn often attended gatherings at the famous literary salon
of Amalia von Helvig
in Berlin
.
Countess Feodora Alexeevna Weletzka (1790-1856), by whom he had issue:
Feodora was a cousin of the Count Andrey Ivanovich Tolstoy, who married her sister Olga Weletzka, and Countess Feodora herself was therefore also a distant relative of Leo Tolstoy
(1828-1910).
Eduard divorced Feodora in 1819 and married next year, secondly, Elisabeth of Hochberg
from Schloss Fürstenstein
(1800-1866), who was also an illegitimate daughter of a Countess Hochberg, like Eduard himself, but with a far more "unpleasant" past.
With Elisabeth he had the following children:
Countess Elisabeth von Dyhrn was an art collector and an amateur painter, who was also a member of the Silesian Art Society. She was a friend and a benefactor of the German painter Julius Schrader
.
After his marriage to Elisabeth, Eduard became the owner of her inheritance in Ober-Waldenburg and began to call himself "Herr auf Waldenburg" (Lord of Waldenburg), adding the name of the property to his surname in order to separate his family and branch in Waldenburg
from the Dyhrn family in Gimmel and from all other branches of the Dyhrn family. His family left Ober-Waldenburg already in the second half of the 19th century
.
Although Eduard's descendants possessed many properties in Germany until the start of World War II
, majority of them were already in 19th century mainly living outside of Germany, some of them moving also to their properties in South Africa
and in the USA.
and achieving the title Lieutenant Colonel
very soon, he studied economics
and law
; first in Paris
and later in London
.
From 1818 he was the President of the Prussian Royal Company for Public Lighting, which resided in Berlin
. After many inventions being made in England in this field, Count Dyhrn made the initiative to construct a new gas lighting
system in Berlin, the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1820 the city of Paris
adopted the new English public lighting and in 1825 also the city of Hannover, both of them making a good example for Berlin. The Count von Dyhrn, along with the approval of the King
Frederick William III of Prussia
and the Chief Minister
Count of Wylich-Lottum
, initiated the procedures to realize this big project. A contract was signed in 1826 between the Prussian Royal Company for Public Lighting, represented by Count von Dyhrn, and the Imperial Continental Gas Association
in London, who was very interested in realizing the deal in Berlin, as they did in Hannover. The first gas Camberwell-lantern
s in Berlin were placed the same year all around the city. The system was modernized through the following centuries, but still remains authentic. The public lighting in Berlin is the biggest public lighting in the world. After Dyhrn's resignation, the President of the company became the Baron von Frauendorf.
In 1820s Eduard became a Chamberlain
in the district of Oels
, where he inherited the estate Pontwitz in 1813. There he had a manufactury of steel
, which was only one of many companies he inherited from his wealthy father. In 1833 Eduard established a porcelain
factory (on the model of Krister's factory) in the Waldenburg district, named Graf von Dyhrn-Waldenburg Porzellanfabrik Altwasser, which was not successful. In 1841 he met the young Carl Tielsch
, who had very promising business ideas in this field. Four years later a porcelain factory, named Porzellanfabrik Carl Tielsch & Co., was established in Altwasser
, making Tielsch, Eduard von Dyhrn, Gideon Wallenberg and other investors, business partners and co-owners of the company, who later became one of the most important porcelain manufactures in Prussia. The company was exporting its products even to Australia
, USA, Africa
and South America
.
The Dyhrn family was very active in the Silesian mining industry, especially in Waldenburg district, owning mines and mine-factories of coke (fuel)
.
In 1840s Dyhrn worked in Breslau as a Secretary-General
at the directorate
of the Central Economic Union of the Province of Silesia (Zentrales wirtschaftliches Verein der Provinz Schlesien).
From 1825 to 1843 he was a deputy in the Silesian Parliament
Landtag
in Breslau. The Dyhrn family was being represented by four members of the family: Count Eduard von Dyhrn (George), Count Ernest Conrad von Dyhrn from Ulbersdorf
, Count Conrad Adolph von Dyhrn from Reesewitz
and Baron Julius von Dyhrn from Hermsdorf (the husband of Amalia von Dyhrn
).
There was a Commission in the Parliament, which was represented by two representatives of the middle class, one rural representative and three members of Silesian nobility
. Those were: Count Eduard von Dyhrn, who was the President of the Commission, Friedrich von Kessel (from the Raake estate) and Baron
Carl von Köckritz-Friedland (from Groß-Sürchen).
Dyhrn was also a member of the Prussian House of Lords
, being the last from his family branch to have this position.
He died as a widower in Danzig, being 80 years old.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Eduard Carl Albert Gustav George von Dyhrn zu Schönau (12 June 1791 - 30 December 1871), also known as George, was a German
German
German may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Germany, a country in west-central Europe* The German language* as a noun, Germans, people from Germany or of German ancestry**German citizens, see demographics of Germany...
nobleman, entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, landowner, high state
State
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
official
Official
An official is someone who holds an office in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority .A government official or functionary is an official who is involved in public...
and a deputy
Deputy
Deputy may refer to:* Steward * Deputy , a legislator in many countries, including:** A member of a Chamber of Deputies** A member of a National Assembly** A member of the Dáil Éireann...
in the Silesian
Silesian
Silesian or Upper Silesian is considered either a dialect of the Polish language , or a separate Slavic language of the Lechitic group spoken in the region of Silesia...
Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
(Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
).
Family
Count Eduard von Dyhrn or George, as he was commonly known from an early age, was born at Schloss SaaborZabór
Zabór is a village in Zielona Góra County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Zabór. It lies approximately east of Zielona Góra.The village has a population of 950.-References:...
on 12 June 1791, three months premature and was therefore not even expected to survive.
He was descended from the most prestigious aristocratic houses of Silesia. His father was the Count Wilhelm Carl Adolph von Dyhrn, Baron zu Schönau (1749-1813), a Prussian diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and a minister
Minister
Minister can mean several things:* Minister , a Christian who ministers in some way* Minister , the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador* Minister , a politician who heads a ministry...
, who was made a "Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
" in 1775 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Wilhelm was the former owner of the enormous estates Loslau and Dyhernfurth
Brzeg Dolny
Brzeg Dolny is a town in Wołów County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is located north-west of Wrocław on the Oder River, and is the site of a large chemical complex, PCC Rokita SA...
. Eduard's mother was the Princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
Henriette zu Schönaich-Carolath (1765-1798), Wilhelm's third wife. Eduard was born as an illegitimate son of his parents, who married after he was already born. His illegitimate background produced through his descendants an "illegitimate", but still a noble family branch.
His grandmother was the well-known Silesian entrepreneur Countess Sophie Caroline von Dyhrn (1712-1793), who in the 1770s was considered to be the richest woman in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
and had a very big influence in the Prussian cabinet
Cabinet
Cabinet may refer to* Cabinet , a private room serving as a retreat, furnished with books and works of art, usually adjacent to a bedchamber.* Cabinet * Cabinet , a council of high-ranking members of government...
, as well as on the King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
Frederick himself.
Only one year after his mother's death in 1798 Eduard got a stepmother, Baroness Albertine von Köller, who moved to Schloss Gimmel
Jemielna
Jemielna is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Bierutów, within Oleśnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany....
, the Dyhrn family residence. In 1800 his half-brother Alex was born (he later married Emilie Scholz, who in her second marriage became the wife of the famous German author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Gustav Freytag
Gustav Freytag
Gustav Freytag was a German novelist and playwright.-Life:Freytag was born in Kreuzburg in Silesia...
).
Eduard's cousin was Antoinette von Maltzan-Wartenberg-Penzlin, the mother of Count Mortimer von Maltzan
Mortimer von Maltzan
Joachim Karl Ludwig Mortimer Graf von Maltzan , Freiherr von Wartenberg und Penzlin was a Prussian diplomat and Foreign Minister from 1841 to 1842....
and the granddaughter of Joachim Carl von Maltzan, Prussian ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The Prussian industrialist and the owner of Schloss Neudeck
Swierklaniec
Świerklaniec is a village in Tarnowskie Góry County, in the Silesian Voivodeship of southwestern Poland.-Geography:Świerklaniec lies approximately east of Tarnowskie Góry and north of the regional capital Katowice in the Silesia region....
, Count Carl Lazarus Henckel von Donnersmarck, was also a first cousin of Eduard.
His second cousins were Prince Heinrich of Carolath-Beuthen (1783-1864) and Princess Dorothea of Reuss-Schleiz-Köstritz (1799-1848). Eduard was also a grandnephew of the Princess Johanna Wilhelmine of Anhalt
Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
(1728-1786), heiress
Heiress
Heiress may refer to:* A female beneficiary of an inheritance* Heiress , a line of perfumes* The Heiress , by John Burgoyne* The Heiress , a 1947 play by Ruth and Augustus Goetz...
of Pleß.
Eduard's father, Count Wilhelm, was a close friend of Charlotte von Schiller and her mother Luise; in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
he frequently visited Goethe and Charlotte von Stein
Charlotte von Stein
Charlotta Ernestina Bernadina von Stein was a lady-in-waiting at the court in Weimar and a close friend to both Friedrich Schiller and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose work and life were strongly influenced by her.-Childhood:Charlotte′s parents were Hofmarschall Johann Wilhelm Christian von...
as well. He was exchanging correspondence with them through many years and stayed connected with them till he died in 1813. Count Eduard continued to nurture his father's relationships to all of them, being especially close to Charlotte von Stein's son Fritz, who was raised by Goethe and who was later living in the capital of Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, Breslau. Dyhrn often attended gatherings at the famous literary salon
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
of Amalia von Helvig
Amalia von Helvig
Anna Amalia von Helvig was a German and Swedish artist, writer, translator, socialite, Salonist and culture personality. She is known as an inspiration for many artists. She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts.- Biography :She was born to Baron Carl Christoph von Imhoff and Luise...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Marriages and issue
In 1817 he married, firstly, a RussianRussian
Russian refers to anything related to Russia, including:*Russians , an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries...
Countess Feodora Alexeevna Weletzka (1790-1856), by whom he had issue:
- Katharina (1818-1848), later Princess Sułkowska
- Rudolph (1819-1895), German Captain (OF-2)Captain (OF-2)The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
- Vladimir (illegitimate son, who bore his mother's surname), Russian diplomat
Feodora was a cousin of the Count Andrey Ivanovich Tolstoy, who married her sister Olga Weletzka, and Countess Feodora herself was therefore also a distant relative of Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
(1828-1910).
Eduard divorced Feodora in 1819 and married next year, secondly, Elisabeth of Hochberg
Hochberg
Hochberg may refer to* Princely families von Hochberg** Margraves of Baden-Hochberg ** Reichsgrafen of Hochberg-Fürstenstein at castle Fürstenstein near Wałbrzych in Silesia, since 1848 Duke of Pless...
from Schloss Fürstenstein
Ksiaz
Książ is a castle in Silesia, Poland near the town of Wałbrzych. It was built in 1288-1292 under Bolko I the Strict. It lies within a protected area called Książ Landscape Park.- History :...
(1800-1866), who was also an illegitimate daughter of a Countess Hochberg, like Eduard himself, but with a far more "unpleasant" past.
With Elisabeth he had the following children:
- Fanny (1820-1911), later Countess de La Bourdonnaye
- Carl Alphons (1821-1870), who secondly married LadyLadyThe word lady is a polite term for a woman, specifically the female equivalent to, or spouse of, a lord or gentleman, and in many contexts a term for any adult woman...
Eliza Jane CholmondeleyMarquess of CholmondeleyMarquess of Cholmondeley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1815 for George Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley. Each Marquess of Cholmondeley is a descendant of Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain.... - Giselle (1824-1896), later Princess Hatzfeld of TrachenbergHouse of HatzfeldThe House of Hatzfeld, also spelled Hatzfeldt, is a prominent German family of high nobility originally from Hesse. The family is first mentioned in 1138 and has its ancestral seat in Hatzfeld.- Members :...
- Victoria (1836-1938), later Countess Kossakowska
- Heinrich Wilhelm (1829-1892), the owner of the Schloss DolzigLubskoLubsko is a town in Żary County in the Lubusz Voivodeship in western Poland. It is the administrative seat of the Gmina Lubsko and has a population of 15,370 as of February 1, 2005.- History :...
, where Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, the last German Empress, was born.
Countess Elisabeth von Dyhrn was an art collector and an amateur painter, who was also a member of the Silesian Art Society. She was a friend and a benefactor of the German painter Julius Schrader
Julius Schrader
Julius Schrader was a German painter.-Biography:He studied at the Berlin Academy and at Düsseldorf under Schadow, 1837-1845. Subsequently he traveled in Italy, England, Holland and Belgium and in the last country fell under the influence of the colorists Gallait and Biefoe...
.
After his marriage to Elisabeth, Eduard became the owner of her inheritance in Ober-Waldenburg and began to call himself "Herr auf Waldenburg" (Lord of Waldenburg), adding the name of the property to his surname in order to separate his family and branch in Waldenburg
Walbrzych
Wałbrzych is a city in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland, with 120,197 inhabitants . From 1975–1998 it was the capital of Wałbrzych Voivodeship; it is now the seat of Wałbrzych County. Wałbrzych is by far the largest city in Poland that does not itself form a separate...
from the Dyhrn family in Gimmel and from all other branches of the Dyhrn family. His family left Ober-Waldenburg already in the second half of the 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
.
Although Eduard's descendants possessed many properties in Germany until the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, majority of them were already in 19th century mainly living outside of Germany, some of them moving also to their properties in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and in the USA.
Career
After being sent to the Prussian armyArmy
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and achieving the title Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
very soon, he studied economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
; first in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and later in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
From 1818 he was the President of the Prussian Royal Company for Public Lighting, which resided in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. After many inventions being made in England in this field, Count Dyhrn made the initiative to construct a new gas lighting
Gas lighting
Gas lighting is production of artificial light from combustion of a gaseous fuel, including hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, or natural gas. Before electricity became sufficiently widespread and economical to allow for general public use, gas was the most...
system in Berlin, the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1820 the city of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
adopted the new English public lighting and in 1825 also the city of Hannover, both of them making a good example for Berlin. The Count von Dyhrn, along with the approval of the King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William
The name Frederick William usually refers to several monarchs and princes of the Hohenzollern dynasty:*Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg *Frederick William I , King of Prussia*Frederick William II , King of Prussia...
and the Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
Count of Wylich-Lottum
Carl Friedrich Heinrich Graf von Wylich und Lottum
Carl Friedrich Heinrich Graf von Wylich und Lottum , also called Graf Lottum , was a Prussian infantry general and minister of the State...
, initiated the procedures to realize this big project. A contract was signed in 1826 between the Prussian Royal Company for Public Lighting, represented by Count von Dyhrn, and the Imperial Continental Gas Association
Imperial Continental Gas Association
Imperial Continental Gas Association plc was a leading British gas utility operating in various cities in Continental Europe . It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
in London, who was very interested in realizing the deal in Berlin, as they did in Hannover. The first gas Camberwell-lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
s in Berlin were placed the same year all around the city. The system was modernized through the following centuries, but still remains authentic. The public lighting in Berlin is the biggest public lighting in the world. After Dyhrn's resignation, the President of the company became the Baron von Frauendorf.
In 1820s Eduard became a Chamberlain
Chamberlain
- People :* Chamberlain , the officer in charge of managing the household of a sovereign or other noble figure* Neville Chamberlain , British Prime Minister at the outbreak of World War II...
in the district of Oels
Olesnica
Oleśnica is a town in the Trzebnickie Hills in southwestern Poland with 36,951 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
, where he inherited the estate Pontwitz in 1813. There he had a manufactury of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, which was only one of many companies he inherited from his wealthy father. In 1833 Eduard established a porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
factory (on the model of Krister's factory) in the Waldenburg district, named Graf von Dyhrn-Waldenburg Porzellanfabrik Altwasser, which was not successful. In 1841 he met the young Carl Tielsch
Carl Tielsch
Carl Robert Tielsch was a German merchant who founded the Carl Tielsch & Co. Porcelain Manufactury.-Carl Tielsch & Co.:In 1845, encouraged by Carl Krister's results as a porcelain entrepreneur, Tielsch founded in 1845 in the locality of Altwasser founded, together with his partner Gideon von...
, who had very promising business ideas in this field. Four years later a porcelain factory, named Porzellanfabrik Carl Tielsch & Co., was established in Altwasser
Stary Zdrój
Stary Zdrój was a town of Poland, now part of a town Wałbrzych, 43 m. by rail S.W. from Wrocław, and 3 m. N. from centre of Wałbrzych. It has factories for glass, porcelain , machinery, cotton-spinning, iron-foundries and used to have coal-mines. Population 12,144....
, making Tielsch, Eduard von Dyhrn, Gideon Wallenberg and other investors, business partners and co-owners of the company, who later became one of the most important porcelain manufactures in Prussia. The company was exporting its products even to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, USA, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
The Dyhrn family was very active in the Silesian mining industry, especially in Waldenburg district, owning mines and mine-factories of coke (fuel)
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
.
In 1840s Dyhrn worked in Breslau as a Secretary-General
Secretary-General
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
at the directorate
Directorate
A directorate is an agency usually headed by a director, often a subdivision of a major government department.* Immigration and Nationality Directorate* Dairat al-Mukhabarat al-Ammah * Veterinary Medicines Directorate...
of the Central Economic Union of the Province of Silesia (Zentrales wirtschaftliches Verein der Provinz Schlesien).
From 1825 to 1843 he was a deputy in the Silesian Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
in Breslau. The Dyhrn family was being represented by four members of the family: Count Eduard von Dyhrn (George), Count Ernest Conrad von Dyhrn from Ulbersdorf
Dziadów Most
Dziadów Most is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Dziadowa Kłoda, within Oleśnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany....
, Count Conrad Adolph von Dyhrn from Reesewitz
Radzowice
Radzowice is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Dziadowa Kłoda, within Oleśnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland...
and Baron Julius von Dyhrn from Hermsdorf (the husband of Amalia von Dyhrn
Amalia von Dyhrn
Baroness Amalia Frederica Wilhelmina von Dyhrn-Czettritz-Neuhaus née Baroness von Rabenau was a well-known German multi-millionaire heiress and a philanthropist.- Family :...
).
There was a Commission in the Parliament, which was represented by two representatives of the middle class, one rural representative and three members of Silesian nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
. Those were: Count Eduard von Dyhrn, who was the President of the Commission, Friedrich von Kessel (from the Raake estate) and Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Carl von Köckritz-Friedland (from Groß-Sürchen).
Dyhrn was also a member of the Prussian House of Lords
Prussian House of Lords
The Prussian House of Lords was the first chamber of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1850-1918. The second chamber was the Prussian House of Representatives . The House of Lords was created on January 31, 1850 with the adoption of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia...
, being the last from his family branch to have this position.
He died as a widower in Danzig, being 80 years old.
Ancestors
| Ancestry of Eduard von Dyhrn | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great-Grandparents | Baron Johann Georg von Dyhrn-Schönau (1651-1729) ∞ 1682 Baroness Magdalena Posadowsky von Postelwitz (1667-1721) |
Baron Johann Rudolph von Krausen (1673-1741) ∞ 1705 Baroness Charlotte Christine von Stein zum Altenstein (1683-1756) |
Prince Hans Carl zu Carolath-Beuthen (1688–1763) ∞ 1715 Countess Amalie zu Dohna-Schlodien (1692-1761) |
Count Heinrich Leopold von Reichenbach-Goschütz (1705-1775) ∞ 1742 Princess Amelia von Schoenaich-Carolath (1718–1790) |
||||
| Grandparents | Baron Anton Ulrich von Dyhrn und Schönau (1704-1768) ∞ 1737 Baroness Sophie Caroline von Krausen (1722-1793) |
Prince Emilius zu Schoenaich-Carolath ((1724-1781) ∞ 1764 Countess Charlotte Sophie von Reichenbach-Goschütz (1743-1794) |
||||||
| Parents | Count Wilhelm Carl von Dyhrn zu Schönau (1749-1813) ∞ 1791 Princess Henriette zu Schoenaich-Carolath (1765-1798) |
|||||||
Count Eduard von Dyhrn-Waldenburg zu Schönau (1791-1871) |
||||||||
Sources
- Leopold Zedlitz-Neukirch: Neues Preussisches Adels-Lexicon. Reichenbach Verlag, 1836.
- The Dyhrn family's genealogy online (http://dyhrn.angelfire.com)
- Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels
- Roland Gehrke: Landtag und Öffentlichkeit. Böhlau Verlag Köln, WeimarWeimarWeimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, 2009. - Berlin und seine Bauten. Verlag W. Ernest & Sohn, 1896.
- Heinrich Düntzer: Charlotte von Stein: bd. 1794-1827. Verlag J.G. Cotta, 1874.
- Charlotte & Friedrich SchillerFriedrich SchillerJohann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
: Charlotte von Schiller und ihre Freunde. Verlag J. G. Cotta, 1860.