Richthofen

Richthofen

Richthofen is the surname of a prominent German aristocratic family. The most famous member is the air ace Manfred von Richthofen (1892-1918), also known as the "Red Baron". Some members of the family have a royal ancestry as descendants of the older of two illegitimate sons of Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by Sophie Eleonore Sölden.Fact|date=February 2007

Baron Walter von Richthofen, an uncle of Manfred von Richthofen, emigrated from Silesia to the United States in 1877. He founded the Denver Chamber of Commerce, and was celebrated locally as the founder of Montclair, Colorado.Fact|date=August 2007 His "Richthofen Castle" was one of the most sumptuous mansions in the American West. Begun in 1883 and completed in 1887, it was modeled on the original Richthofen Castle in Germany. Located immediately around the Castle are the Baron's mistress's house and his sanitarium/dairy.

Manfred von Richthofen was the most successful fighter pilot of World War I, with 80 official victories before he was killed in action. His younger brother, Lothar von Richthofen (1894–1922), was also a flying ace, with 40 victories. He served alongside his brother in Jasta 11. Lothar died in an air crash in 1922.

The two aviators were fourth cousins of the German World War II Field Marshal Wolfram von Richthofen (1895-1945), himself a World War I flying ace. Frieda von Richthofen (1879-1956), who married the English novelist D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930) in July 1914, was a fifth cousin once removed. Though their last common ancestor was born in 1661, the Red Baron's fame nonetheless attached to Frieda's reputation in war time England. Frieda's sister Else von Richthofen was the first female social scientist in Germany. Their grand-nephew, Baron Dr. Hermann von Richthofen, was German Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1989-1993, and his name made him a media favorite.

Another alleged grand-nephew (the German Richthofens deny any link), Manfred Alberto von Richthofen, was murdered with his wife Marisia, in their home in São Paulo, Brazil, on 31 October 2002. On 5 June 2006, his daughter, Suzane von Richthofen, along with her boyfriend and his brother, were put on trial for the murder. The case generated significant media attention in Brazil due to the brutality of the crime and the stark contrast between the crime and the daughter's affluent upbringing. On 22 July 2006 Suzane was sentenced to 39½ years in prison for the crime. Her boyfriend got the same sentence and his brother was sentenced to 38½ years for conspiracy.

Other well-known family members include:
*Ferdinand von Richthofen (1833-1905), German traveller, geographer and scientist.
*Else von Richthofen (1874-1973), German social scientist and feminist
*Bolko von Richthofen (1899-1983), German archaeologist
*Hermann von Richthofen (born 1933), German diplomat


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  • Richthofen — Richt|ho|fen, Baron von (1892 1918) a German aircraft pilot known as the Red Baron, who commanded a group of fighter planes in World War I known as Richthofen s Flying Circus. He shot down 80 aircraft during the war, which was more than any other …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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