Heinrich von Offenberg

Baron Heinrich von Offenberg (1821–1888) came to Washington after prolonged service around the lower Danube. Born in Courland, he represented Russia on the international Danube commission and held consular appointments at Galați and in Romania. In 1868 he became Russia’s diplomatic agent there. His work involved both navigation and the political contests along the Ottoman frontier. ¹

Offenberg’s correspondence also reveals involvement in plans to assist Balkan insurgents. In 1867 he proposed to Chancellor Alexander Gorchakov that arms be held at Russian Black Sea ports for Bulgarian and Greek vessels to carry toward the Balkans. The Russian biographical account records Serbian objections to that route. ¹

Sent to the United States on a special mission in 1872, he became minister the following year. He inherited the breach caused by Konstantin Catacazy’s conflict with the Grant administration. In March 1873 American minister James L. Orr told Gorchakov and Alexander II that Offenberg had received a cordial welcome and had won confidence through his conduct. Orr reported that the earlier dispute no longer appeared to burden relations. ^{2, 1}

Offenberg remained in Washington until 1875. The Russian account credits him with assisting a confidential naval mission by Captain Alexei Novosilsky during his American service. He died in Dresden in 1888. ¹