Alfred de Claparède (French pronunciation: [də klapaʁɛːd]; 10 February 1842 - 27 September 1922) was a Swiss diplomat who most notably served as Minister to the Mission of Switzerland in the German Empire from 1881 to 1887, meanwhile also chargé d'affaires for Austria-Hungary in 1883. Most notably between 1888 and 1893 he served as Minister to the Mission of Switzerland to the United States succeeding Emil Frey.[1][2]

Alfred de Claparède
De Claparède in 1904
Minister of Mission of Switzerland to the United States
In office
18 April 1888 – 1 January 1893
PresidentWilhelm Hertenstein
Preceded byEmil Frey
Succeeded byGiovanni Battista Pioda
Minister of Mission of Switzerland to the German Empire
In office
1881 - 1887
PresidentWilhelm Matthias Naeff
Personal details
Born
Alfred de Claparède

(1842-02-10)10 February 1842
Geneva, Switzerland
Died22 September 1922(1922-09-22) (aged 80)
Berlin, Weimar Republic
(now Germany)
Spouse
Catherine Caroline Crola
(m. 1866)
Children2

Early life and education

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De Claparède was born 10 February 1842 in Geneva, Republic of Geneva, to Charles-Claude de Claparède, a member of the executive council of Geneva, and Anne-Louise de Claparède (née Brunner). His family was Protestant and originally of Languedoc, France, becoming citizens in Geneva in 1724.[3]

He studied Law at the University of Geneva, University of Bonn and the University of Berlin graduating in 1866 with a Juris Doctor. He entered diplomatic service in 1869 becoming the first professional diplomat of Switzerland.

Diplomatic career

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De Claparède served as minister of the Mission of Switzerland to the German Empire from 1881 to 1887. He served in Washington, D.C., from 18 April 1888 to 1 January 1893, becoming the second Swiss minister to the United States succeeding Emil Frey. Posts thereafter included Austria and Sweden.

Personal life

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In 1866, de Claparède married Catherine Caroline Crola, a daughter of Georges-Henri Crola and Elise Concorde (née Fraenkel), with whom he had two sons;

  • Huges de Claparède, colloquially Hugo, (1870–1947), a professor at the University of Geneva.[4]
  • Alfred René de Claparède (1888–1979), who was also a diplomat serving in a variety of posts across Europe.[5]

De Claparède died 27 September 1922 in Berlin, Weimar Republic (presently Germany), aged 80.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Alfred de Claparède, DODIS https://dodis.ch/P19419
  2. ^ Alfred de Claparède (1842-1922) - HLS/DSS https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/014837/2002-11-20/
  3. ^ De Claparède de Genève GE (HLS/DSS) https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/famn/index.php
  4. ^ "Base de données des élites suisses | Claparède, de-Goudet, Huges (dit Hugo) (1870 - 1947)". www2.unil.ch. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  5. ^ https://dodis.ch/P3044
  6. ^ Base de données des élites suisses - Claparède, de, Alfred https://www2.unil.ch/elitessuisses/personne.php?id=77519