Johan de Fin
Chamberlain to Franz Josef
About Johan de Fin
Lived 1800 – 1887 (aged 86).
Rt. Hon. Field Marshal Baron Johan de Fin (1800–1887), was Chamberlain to Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria, an officer in the British German Legion, and Conservator of Forests in the Eastern Cape.
Biography Johan de Fin, also known as Jean de Fin, was born 15 September 1800 in Prague.
De Fin married Marie Eleonore d'Auersperg on 15 August 1827.
De Fin came to Kaffraria in 1857 with the British German Legion, and founded the German Legion town of Hamburg at the mouth of the Keiskamma River. Soon after the re-incorporation of British Kaffraria in 1865 he was appointed as Forest Ranger and continued serving in this post until about 1880. He lived at Rabula and in Keiskammahoek, where he acted as conservator and magistrate's clerk.
De Fin died on 15 April 1887 in Keiskammahoek. An oak tree at Stutterheim which was planted in 1838 was named after de Fin in 1934.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Johan de Fin's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Johan de Fin?
chamberlain to Franz Josef
When was Johan de Fin born?
Johan de Fin was born on 15 September 1800 in Prague.
When did Johan de Fin die?
Johan de Fin died on 15 April 1887 in Keiskammahoek.
What nationality was Johan de Fin?
Johan de Fin's recorded nationality: Southern Africa.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johan de Fin. https://biography.guide/johan-de-fin/
MLA: "Johan de Fin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johan-de-fin/.
Chicago: "Johan de Fin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johan-de-fin/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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