Adam Tarnowski (senior)

Austro-Hungarian diplomat of Polish origin

Adam Graf Tarnowski von Tarnów

Austro-Hungarian Minister to Bulgaria
In office
30 April 1911 – 9 November 1916
Preceded by| Karl Freiherr von Giskra
Succeeded by| Ludwig Graf Széchényi von Sárvár und Felsövidék
Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to the United States
In office
9 November 1916 – 8 April 1917[1]
Preceded by| Konstantin Dumba
Succeeded by| None
Personal details
Born| (1866-03-04)4 March 1866
Kraków, Austria-Hungary (now Poland)
Died| 10 October 1946(1946-10-10) (aged 80)
Lausanne, Switzerland
Spouse(s)| Marie, née Prinzessin Światopełk-Czetwertyńska (1880–1965)

Adam Graf Tarnowski von Tarnów (4 March 1866 – 10 October 1946) was an Austro-Hungarian diplomat of Polish origin who served during World War I.

## Life

[edit]

Born in Kraków on 4 March 1866 into an old family of the Polish aristocracy, Adam Graf Tarnowski von Tarnów married Princess Marie Światopełk-Czetwertyńska (1880–1965) in Warsaw on 10 September 1901.

Count Tarnowski entered the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Service in 1897. He was appointed to the Austro-Hungarian Embassy in Washington D.C. in 1899 and remained there until 1901, when he was transferred to Paris. In 1907, he was promoted to Counselor and dispatched to Madrid. In 1909, he was transferred to London.[2]

On 30 April 1911, he was appointed Minister of the Dual Monarchy at Sofia. During the war, he was said to have exerted a major influence on King Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and played a prominent role in securing Bulgaria's entry into the war on the side of the Central Powers in October 1915.[3]

In late 1915, Dr. Konstantin Dumba, who served as the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to Washington D.C., was declared persona non grata and expelled from the country. On 9 November 1916, the Austro-Hungarian government decided to appoint Count Tarnowski as his replacement.[4] This was considered a fitting appointment, as he had a reputation for being one of the most accomplished and talented diplomats in the Dual Monarchy's service.[5]

Count Tarnowski arrived in the United States on 31 January 1917, as Britain initially refused to grant him safe conduct through the Entente naval blockade.[6] Furthermore, his arrival coincided with the delivery of the German note announcing the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, prompting President Woodrow Wilson to refuse to receive him.[7] After the U.S. declaration of war on Germany on 8 April, Austria-Hungary severed diplomatic relations, meaning Tarnowski was never able to present his credentials.[8] He sailed from the United States on 4 May, along with other diplomatic staff.[9] The United States formally declared war on Austria-Hungary in December 1917.

In 1917, Count Tarnowski was considered for the post of Minister to Stockholm, but as events in his native Poland unfolded, he never took up the position. In September 1917, he declined an offer to join the Regency Council of the newly founded Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918), but was later proposed to become the first Prime Minister. His nomination, however, was vetoed by Germany due to his alleged pro-Austrian sympathies.[10]

After the war, Tarnowski retired from public service. His son, Adam (1892–1956), also became a diplomat and served briefly as Foreign Minister in the Polish government-in-exile in London after World War II.

Count Tarnowski died in Lausanne on 10 October 1946.

## Notes

[edit]

Regarding personal names: Until 1919, Graf was a title, translated as 'Count', not a first or middle name. The female form is Gräfin. In Germany, it has formed part of family names since 1919.

## References

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1. ^ Count Tarnowski was never accredited, as President Wilson refused to receive him, leaving him without official status.
2. ^ 'New Austrian Ambassador', New York Times, 11 November 1916.
3. ^ 'New Austrian Ambassador is not a stranger', op. cit., 19 November 1916.
4. ^ 'Tarnowski still at Sofia', op. cit., 14 November 1916.
5. ^ William D. Godsey, Aristocratic Redoubt: The Austro-Hungarian Foreign Office on the Eve of the First World War, West Lafayette, Purdue University Press, 1999, p. 182, 202.
6. ^ 'Tarnowski here as Austria’s Envoy', op. cit., 2 February 1917.
7. ^ 'Tarnowski's case in doubt', op. cit., 30 March 1917.
8. ^ 'War by Austria may follow our seizure of ships', op. cit., 10 April 1917
9. ^ 'Tarnowski sails with safe conduct', op. cit., 5 May 1917.
10. ^ 'Polish constitution to bar absentee king', op. cit., 5 November 1917.

## External links

[edit]

* 'Adam Tarnowski von Tarnów', Solving Problems Through Force
* The Tarnowski Family Association Archived 2020-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
* Library of Congress in Washington has a series of photographs of Adam Tarnowski made on board, presumably in sea voyage to America or from America: photo of Adam Tarnowski, and photos of Adam Tarnowski and Mr. von Summaruga: [1], [2], [3].

Diplomatic posts

Preceded by

Karl Freiherr von Giskra

|  Austro-Hungarian Minister to Bulgaria
1911-1916  | Succeeded by

Ludwig Graf Széchényi von Sárvár und Felsövidék

Preceded by

Konstantin Dumba

|  Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to the United States
1916-1917  | Succeeded by

None

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* Poland

People|

* Deutsche Biographie

Other|

* IdRef