Paul von Krüdener

Paul von Krüdener (1784–1858) was the son of a Russian diplomat and the religious writer Barbara Juliane von Krüdener. He studied law and diplomatic history at Leipzig and entered the Russian legation in Berlin in 1802. Service in Paris followed. During the Napoleonic wars he was detained in France and confined at Auxonne in 1813, escaping later that year. ^{1, 2}

As Russia’s representative in Switzerland, Krüdener carried Alexander I’s invitation to join the Holy Alliance to Zürich in July 1816. When Swiss officials questioned the implications, he assured them that membership would not diminish their neutrality or authorize interference in their internal affairs. The Swiss accession, delivered in January 1817, expressly reserved independence and neutrality. ³

He arrived in Washington in 1827. One concrete issue was neutral shipping during Russia’s war with the Ottoman Empire. On 29 July 1828, President John Quincy Adams recorded receiving Krüdener’s communication of Russian instructions for its Mediterranean fleet. Adams questioned whether the Anglo-Russian agreements underlying those instructions still applied and wanted stronger protection for neutral commerce. Krüdener also requested a private presidential audience. ^{4, 1}

Krüdener’s American posting lasted until 1837, with extended absences in Europe. In St. Petersburg he acted as an intermediary in the commercial discussions with the United States. He then returned to Switzerland as minister and remained there until his death in Bern in 1858. His long connection with the country also included his marriage to Margarethe König and a household established during his earlier Swiss service. ¹