Otto Friedrich von der Groeben

Otto Friedrich von der Groeben (16 April 1657 – 30 June 1728) was a Prussian explorer, officer and German Generalleutnant in Polish service.

After Philipp Pietersen Blonck, a sailor in Prussian service, had landed at the Cape Three Points (modern Ghana) and signed a treaty of friendship with the local Ahanta chiefs Pregate, Sophonie and Apany in 1680, the Brandenburgisch-Afrikanische Compagnie was founded in 1681 and a new expedition was organised.

They arrived near the village of Accada on 27 December 1682, hoisted the flag of Brandenburg on 1 January 1683 near the modern Princes Town and began to build a fortification, which they called Fort Groß Friedrichsburg.

In honour of the foundation of the first colony of Brandenburg, he was awarded the prospective entitlement of the Amtshauptmann of Marienwerder und Riesenburg in succession to that of his father.

In 1686 von der Groeben joined Venetian service and fought against Turkish troops at Morea.