Max von Brandt

At first he became a Prussian officer before taking part in the Eulenburg Expedition of 1860/61 to East Asia leading to the signage of a Japanese-Prussian trade-treaty on January, 24th.

From 1875 to 1893 he then was imperial envoy in China and, in 1882/1883, concluded a trade- and amicability-treaty with Korea, where he intensely studied the culture and history of East Asia.

Due to his detailed knowledge of Asia, his impressive personality as well as his pleasantness, von Brandt was highly esteemed in Beijing, where he became doyen of the diplomatic corps for many years.

Brandt, therefore, acquired a tendency to assert himself in order to coordinate the German policy with the other representatives of treaty powers in East Asia.

[5] However, due to the consolidation of Japan under the Meiji emperor, Brandt promoted the expansion of German commercial and cultural presence in the country.