Konrad Karl Friedrich von Andlau-Birseck

Baron (Freiherr) · Bailiff of Birseck (appointed in 1792, never exercised)

Konrad Karl Friedrich von Andlau-Birseck (Arlesheim 1766 – Fribourg-en-Brisgau 1839) was a Catholic baron, son of the episcopal bailiff Franz Carl von Andlau and Balbina von Staal. A page to the Prince-Bishop of Basel at the college of Porrentruy, he became gentleman of the chamber in 1783. Appointed bailiff of Birseck in November 1792, he never held this office because of the French occupation, and he went into exile at Olten (1793) and then at Fribourg-en-Brisgau (1797). In 1808 he bought back the castle of Birseck, which he turned into a Romantic ruin integrated with the Ermitage of Arlesheim: the chapel was redecorated, and a ‘knights’ hall’ was fitted out around 1810–1812. From then on he took the name Andlau-Birseck. Installed at Arlesheim in June 1814 as governor general of the former Bishopric of Basel, he handed the territory over to federal commissioner Johann Conrad Escher in August 1815. His land purchases at Arlesheim, between 1802 and 1839, included the Andlauerhof and the Ermitage estate.