Carl Moltke Explained

Count Carl Moltke
Primeminister:Thorvald Stauning
Term Start:23 April 1924
Term End:14 December 1926
Predecessor:Christian Cold
Successor:Laust Jevsen Moltesen
Office2:Danish Ambassador to Germany
Term Start2:1912
Term End2:1924
Office3:Danish Ambassador to the United States
Term Start3:1908
Term End3:1912
Birth Name:Carl Poul Oscar Moltke
Birth Date:2 January 1869
Death Place:Copenhagen, Denmark
Party:Independent
Parents:Adam Henrik Carl Moltke
Emma Christine Capizucchi di Cassini
Children:Carl Adam Nathaniel Thayer Moltke
Relatives:Alexandra Moltke Isles (granddaughter)

Count Carl Poul Oscar Moltke (2 January 1869 – 5 September 1935) was the Danish minister to the United States in 1908 and the Foreign Minister of Denmark 1924–1926.[1]

Early life

Carl Poul Oscar Moltke was born on 2 January 1869 in Denmark. He was the son of Adam Henrik Carl Moltke (1828–1913) and Emma Christine, Countess Capizucchi di Cassini (1836–1870). His maternal grandparents were Poul Capizucchi di Cassini and Elisabeth Loy af Triest.[2]

Family

His paternal grandfather, Carl Graf von Moltke (1798–1866), was a cousin of Adam Wilhelm Moltke (1785–1864), the first Danish Prime Minister in the Danish constitutional monarchy, and the great-grandson of Adam Gottlob Moltke (1710–1792), a Danish courtier, statesman and diplomat, and favourite of Frederick V of Denmark.[3] His family was very involved in both Danish and German history.[4]

Career

From 1908 to 1912, Moltke was the Danish Ambassador to the United States. He later represented his country as the Ambassador to Germany in Berlin. In 1920, the secretary of the Danish legation in Berlin during World War I, Count Bent Holstein, brought serious charges against Moltke, saying:[5]

The radical Government tried every way to strangle the Slesvig question. The Danish Ambassador in Berlin thus went to the German Foreign Department during the war proposing that Germany give very many iron crosses to men from North Slesvig in order to make them forget Denmark. Not a German, but the Danish Ambassador under the Zahles Government tried Danish souls with German iron crosses.

In 1924, he was chosen by Thorvald Stauning, the first social democratic Prime Minister of Denmark, to be the Foreign Minister of Denmark, serving from 23 April 1924 to 14 December 1926,[6] until Thomas Madsen-Mygdal became Prime Minister. This happened even though Moltke was not a social democrat, as Stauning believed at the time that a diplomat should hold the post.[7]

In February and March 1930, he served as the chairman of the "Conference for Concerted Economic Action" in Geneva as part of the League of Nations. As chairman, he urged European economic unity to better conditions throughout the world with the aid of the Belgian Foreign Minister, Paul Hymans (who later served as the 2nd President of the League of Nations).[8] He envisioned a broad conception of European economic organization and proposed a tariff truce, which he described as "the consolidation of duties."[8] [9]

Personal life

On 29 June 1907,[10] he married Cornelia Van Rensselaer Thayer (1881–1960),[11] an American who was the daughter of Nathaniel Thayer III. She was born in Boston and was the granddaughter of Nathaniel Thayer Jr. (1808–1883), who married Cornelia Paterson, the daughter of Stephen Van Rensselaer IV. She was also descended from Thomas Cornell as well as the Bayard, Livingston, and Schuyler families. At the wedding, Baron Rosencrantz was his best man.[10] Together, they had a son:[12]

Moltke died on 5 September 1935, aged 66, in Copenhagen.[18]

Descendants

He was the paternal grandfather of Countess Victoria Ann Moltke and Countess Cornelia Alexandra Moltke Isles (b. 1947), an actress and documentary filmmaker.[19] [20]

References

Notes
Sources

Notes and References

  1. News: Friedrich. Otto. Blood and Iron From Bismark to Hitler the Von Moltke Family's Impact on German History. 23 March 2017. The Washington Post. 1995.
  2. News: Lehmann-haupt. Christopher. BOOKS OF THE TIMES;That Name Keeps Cropping Up in German History. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 21 December 1995.
  3. Web site: Library and Archive Catalogue. Royal Society. 2012-03-05.
  4. Book: Sybel. Heinrich von. The Founding of the German Empire by William I.: Based Chiefly Upon Prussian State Documents. 1800. Thomas Y. Crowell & Company. 23 March 2017. en.
  5. News: Times. Copyright, 1920, By The New York Times Company Special Cable To The New York. DANISH ENVOY ACCUSED.; Moltke Sought to Suppress Slesvig Question, Secretary Charges.. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 23 April 1920.
  6. Web site: Count Carl Moltke, 5/10/24. loc.gov. The Library of Congress. 21 March 2017. en.
  7. Encyclopedia: 7 May 2020 . Carl Moltke . . Bjørn . Claus . Claus Bjørn . 15 April 2023 . Danish.
  8. News: Times. Special Cable To The New York. TARIFF CONFERENCE BEGINS AT GENEVA; Count Moltke, Chairman, Urges European Economic Unity to Better World Conditions. SEES TRUCE MEANS TO END Stresses Necessity of Collective Agreements--Hymans Warns Against New Tariff War. Sees 'Truce Only as Means. Hainisch Speaks.. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 18 February 1930.
  9. News: Times. Wireless To The New York. TARIFF PARLEY ENDS IN LIMITED ACCORD; Eleven European Nations at Geneva Agree to Truce Until March of 1931. IT MAY BE EXTENDED THEN Meeting in November to Decide When and Whether It Takes Effect --Program of Negotiations Fixed. "Essentially European." Stresses Moral Restraints. Prescribes Time-Table.. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 25 March 1930.
  10. News: Times. Special To The New York. VON MOLTKE -- THAYER. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 30 June 1907.
  11. News: COUNTESS MOLTKE DIES; Widow of Former Danish Foreign Minister Was 79. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 16 June 1960.
  12. News: Miss Thayer is Countess. Weds Danish Noble at Lancaster. Ceremony at Country Home by Bishop Lawrence. Moltke, Diplomat, is the Bridegroom. https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053144/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/729409532.html?dids=729409532:729409532&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jun+30,+1907&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe&desc=MISS+THAYER+IS+COUNTESS&pqatl=google. dead. 6 November 2012. This noon, at ... beautiful country seat of Mr and ... National Thayer, their daughter, ... Cornelia Van Rennsealaer Thayer ... Count Carl Moltke of Copenhagen, ... were married.... The New York Times. 30 June 1907. 26 March 2011.
  13. Web site: The Power of Conscience-Director's Statement. www.powerofconscience.com. 21 March 2017.
  14. News: Mab Moltke Dies at 78; Ex-Publicity Executive. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 28 January 1988.
  15. News: Mrs. Mabel Wright Is Engaged To Count. Fiancee of Carl A. Moltke, Son of Late Danish Envoy to U.S.. Mrs. Arthur Comstock of 540 Park Avenue has announced the engagement of her daughter, Mrs. Mabel Wilson Wright, to Count Carl A. Moltke, son of Countess.... The New York Times. 17 May 1944. 24 December 2012.
  16. News: Edward Eccles. 23 March 2017. Newport Mercury. January 31, 1975. 2. en.
  17. News: COUNTESS MOLTKE. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 15 June 1965.
  18. News: Times. Special to The New York. COUNT CARL MOLTKE OF DENMARK IS DEAD; Former Minister to the United States Served in the First Socialist Cabinet.. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 6 September 1935.
  19. http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/1985/08/vonbulow198508 Vanity Fair: "Fatal Charm: The Social Web of Claus von Bülow" BY Dominick Dunne
  20. News: Brozan. Nadine. CHRONICLE. 21 March 2017. The New York Times. 22 April 1995.