The New International Encyclopædia/Friesen, Richard, Freiherr von

FRIESEN, Richard, Freiherr von (1808-84). A statesman of Saxony. He was born at Thürmsdorf, Saxony, was educated at Göttingen and Leipzig, entered the civil service of Saxony, and rose to be Minister of the Interior from 1849 to 1852. In 1858 he became Minister of Finance, and in 1867 of Foreign Affairs also. He was appointed in 1870 a commissioner to arrange in Versailles with the South German States treaties looking to the unification of Germany. From 1871 until his retirement in 1876 he was president of the Ministry. Consult his Erinnerungen aus meinem Leben (Dresden, 1880).