Friedrich von Gerolt

Friedrich von Gerolt moved from Prussia’s consular service in Mexico to Washington in 1844. Apart from a brief interruption, he remained there until his retirement in 1871. His work included disputes over military obligations claimed by German states against emigrants who had become American citizens, as well as reports on American politics and economic development. ¹

During the Civil War, Gerolt met leading American officials, including Abraham Lincoln and William H. Seward. He criticized James Buchanan’s failure to confront secession and followed the United States’ growing international power. His correspondence also sustained a scientific and political exchange with Alexander von Humboldt: Gerolt sent news from North America, while Humboldt supported his career in Berlin. ^{1, 2}