[1] Gerhard von Tiesenhausen was born in Dorpat (Tartu) 26 March 1878.

His father was a Major General Carl Jacob Reinhold von Tiesenhausen, member of Baltic nobility.

In 1909 he returned to Riga and until 1910 was employed in the office of architect E. von Trompovsky.

Later he actively participated in development of Keiserwald (Mežaparks) neighbourghood of Riga.

After the start of First World war Gerhard von Tiesenhausen was drafted into Russian Imperial army.