Christian Günther von Bernstorff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christian Günther von Bernstorff
Privy Councillor of Denmark
Predecessor	Andreas Peter Bernstorff
Successor	Frederik Moltke
Born	(1769-04-03)3 April 1769 Copenhagen, Denmark-Norway
Died	18 March 1835(1835-03-18) (aged 65)
Father	Andreas Peter von Bernstorff
Occupation	Diplomat

Count Christian Günther von Bernstorff (German: Christian Günther Graf von Bernstorff) was an important politician and diplomat. He worked for both Denmark and Prussia. He was born on April 3, 1769, in Copenhagen and died on March 18, 1835.

Becoming a Diplomat

Christian Günther von Bernstorff was born in Copenhagen. His father, Andreas Peter von Bernstorff, was also a famous diplomat. Christian learned about diplomacy from his father.

He started his career in 1787. His first job was helping the Danish representative in Sweden. In 1789, he moved to Berlin to work as a secretary. His uncle, Count Leopold Friedrich zu Stolberg, was the Danish ambassador there.

Because of his uncle's help and his own skills, he quickly moved up. Soon, he was in charge of the Danish office in Berlin. By 1791, he became a minister.

In 1794, he became the ambassador in Stockholm. He stayed there until 1797. Then, he went back to Copenhagen. He helped his father, who was sick. When his father passed away, Christian took over his job. He became the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Leading Denmark's Foreign Policy

In 1800, Christian Bernstorff became the head of Denmark's foreign ministry. He was in charge of Denmark's relationships with other countries until 1810. This was a very difficult time for Denmark.

During this period, Denmark faced big challenges. There was the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. Later, in 1807, Copenhagen was attacked again. The Danish fleet was also captured.

After leaving this role, he did not have a job for a while. But in 1811, he became the Danish ambassador in Vienna. He stayed there even when Denmark and Austria were at war.

In 1814, Denmark joined forces against Napoleon. Bernstorff then officially returned to his ambassador duties. He traveled with Emperor Francis to Paris. He was there when the first peace treaty was signed.

Representing Denmark and Prussia

Christian Bernstorff and his brother, Joachim, represented Denmark. They attended the important Congress of Vienna. This meeting helped reshape Europe after Napoleon's wars.

He also worked on matters for the German confederation. This work sometimes mixed Danish and German interests. This led to problems later, like the Schleswig-Holstein question. In 1815, he went to Paris again with the allied leaders. He then returned to Copenhagen.

In 1817, he became the Danish ambassador in Berlin. His brother Joachim became the ambassador in Vienna.

Working for Prussia

In 1818, Prince Hardenberg asked Bernstorff to work for Prussia. With permission from the Danish king, he agreed.

So, as a Prussian diplomat, Bernstorff went to the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. After this meeting, he returned to Berlin. He became the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Prussia.

Bernstorff's time as a Prussian minister is seen in different ways. He was against big changes and revolutions. He worked closely with Metternich of Austria. Some people say he put Austria's interests ahead of Prussia's.

However, Bernstorff also helped create the customs union (called the Zollverein). This union helped Prussia become very strong in Germany. He also supported Russia's actions against Turkey in 1828. This showed he didn't always follow Metternich's ideas.

In 1830, there were troubles in Belgium and Poland. Bernstorff helped prevent these problems from causing a bigger war in Europe. He kept things calm when others wanted to fight.

Later Life

From 1824, Bernstorff suffered from a painful illness called gout. This was made worse by working too much. In 1832, his health made him step down from his job. He gave the foreign affairs ministry to Ancillon. Christian Günther von Bernstorff passed away in 1835.

Sources

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