arthurzimmermann

This photo is one of the most-viewed Flickr Commons images on Wikimedia Commons with 346,275 views in October 2023. 🎉 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zimmermann_Telegram.jpeg

"Arthur Zimmermann (October 5, 1864 – June 6, 1940) was State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the German Empire from November 22, 1916, until his resignation on August 6, 1917." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Zimmermann

This picture is labeled Alf. Zimmerman. Apparently, there was an Alfred or Albert Zimmerman in the German State Department in this era, though I think this photo is probably Arthur and mislabeled.

Oddly, all American newspapers of that time called the German Minister of Foreign Affairs "Alfred Zimmermann" (or "Alfred Zimmerman"), see e.g. - Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, March 02, 1917, Image 2 oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1917-03-02/ed-1/se... (with this photo) - The sun., December 31, 1916, SECTION 4 PICTORIAL MAGAZINE, Image 33 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030431/1916-12-31/ed-... (with photo) - New-York tribune., March 02, 1917, Page 3 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1917-03-02/ed-... (with photo) - NYT November 26, 1916 query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F07E5DA1F3FE233A... - East Oregonian : E.O., February 24, 1917, DAILY EVENING EDITION, Page PAGE SEVEN chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88086023/1917-02-24/ed-... (with photo) etc. I didn't find a newspaper that has "Arthur Zimmermann", but his name was certainly Arthur Zimmermann, see e.g. - wwws.phil.uni-passau.de/histhw/TutKrypto/tutorien/zimmerm... - www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/657233/Arthur-Zimmermann - www.firstworldwar.com/source/zimmermann_speech.htm - spartacus-educational.com/FWWzimmermann.htm - www.users.miamioh.edu/hadidotj/zimmermann/the-telegram.html ... In fact, I couldn't find a single German source that refers to him as "Alfred Zimmermann", and I couldn't find an explanation either why Arthur Zimmermann was "Alfred Zimmermann" in the American newspapers, though it is certainly the same person.

Thanks for the information B-59 & Art Siegel. It is Arthur Zimmermann. I'm not sure why his name is listed as Alfred. Maybe there was a mix-up in an early press release or article and everyone copied the mistake. I checked several German sources including the Bundesarchiv and they all list his name as Arthur.