Graf Ottokar Theobald Otto Maria Czernin von und zu Chudenitz

Born on September 26, 1872, in Dymokury in Bohemia, he came from an old noble family and studied law at the German University in Prague. He entered the diplomatic service, with postings including The Hague and Paris, before moving into politics in Bohemia and later the Austrian upper chamber.

During World War I, he became one of the most important figures in Austro-Hungarian foreign policy. As foreign minister from 1916 to 1918, he pushed for an end to the war, even while trying to preserve the monarchy in a time of deep crisis.

After leaving office, he wrote about diplomacy, war, and the collapse of the empire. Today he is remembered both as a major political actor in the final Habsburg years and as a witness to the pressures that helped bring Austria-Hungary to an end.