Prussian statesman associated with the Conservative Party in imperial Germany.

As Prussian minister of the interior (1878–81), Eulenburg formulated Chancellor Otto von Bismarck (Bismarck, Otto von)'s laws against the Social Democrats and presented them to the imperial Reichstag. In 1892 he became prime minister of Prussia, succeeding the imperial chancellor, Leo, Graf von Caprivi (Caprivi, Leo, Graf von), who from 1890 had held both offices. When Caprivi attempted to liberalize the Prussian franchise, Eulenburg demanded imperial legislation against the Social Democrats and tried to persuade the emperor William II (Kaiser Wilhelm II) to restrict universal suffrage for the imperial Reichstag. The conflict between Eulenburg and Caprivi typified the struggle between Prussian reactionaries and the supporters of moderate reform in Germany. William II “resolved” the problem by abruptly dismissing them both in 1894. In 1899 Eulenburg entered the Prussian Herrenhaus (House of Lords).