After completing his
Abitur and one semester of law studies, Dankwort served as a soldier in the first World War from September 1914 until November 1918. He received a doctor of
jurisprudence degree in 1920 from the
University of Würzburg. After a brief time in civil law, he entered the German diplomatic service in 1920 and was assigned as consul to
Zurich, Switzerland and shortly afterward to
Stockholm,
Sweden, in 1927. There he received the Swedish Cross of the Commander of the
Order of Vasa. He returned to Bern in 1931. In 1932 and 1933, he participated in the
World Disarmament Conference and opposed attempts by the
National Socialist Party to infiltrate the Berne consulate in Switzerland. From 1919 on he was a member of the Corps Vandalia Berlin. His opposition resulted in his reassignment to
Trieste with no possibility for professional advancement. His previous knowledge of Sweden and his ability to speak the language led to him serving as first secretary for the German legation in Stockholm from 1938 to 1945. According to
Erik Boheman (Cabinet Secretary at the Swedish Foreign Ministry), during this time he "saw as his main priority to put legation reporting [to Berlin] in such a way that Sweden would avoid any extreme German measures", helping Sweden to stay out of the war. In 1945 he issued the German visa to Count
Folke Bernadotte which enabled the Count to receive the request from
Heinrich Himmler for an armistice. He agreed to serve as a witness for the allies at the
Nuremberg Trials, but was instead incarcerated by the British at
Bad Nenndorf interrogation centre and in
Mecklenburg for 18 months without charges ever being brought against him. During this time (October 1945February 1947) he also took up painting. From 1956 to 1958, he served as German ambassador to
Brazil, and finally as the West German Observer to the
United Nations from 1958 to 1960. He died on December 19, 1986, in
Hyannis, Massachusetts. ==Family==