Götz Freiherr von Houwald (May 13, 1913 – August 16, 2001) was a German diplomat, historian and ethnographer. He was born in Posen and died in Bonn. His full name was Maximilian Otto Gustav Albrecht Hubert Wilhelm Götz-Dieter Freiherr von Houwald.Götz-Dieter von Houwald's parents were Albrecht Freiherr von Houwald und Helene Gräfin von Carmer.
He completed his secondary education in 1934 at the Paul-Gerhardt-Schule in Lübben. He went on to study law and journalism in Berlin. In 1940 he joined the German air force. In 1944 he was taken prisoner of war in north Africa. An unsuccessful escape attempt led to longer imprisonment. In 1948 he was released. After a short stint as a journalist, he entered the West German diplomatic service. In 1952 he was envoy to Peru and in 1961 to Ireland. Five years later he was appointed ambassador to the Central African Republic. In 1969 he was transferred to Managua as ambassador to Nicaragua.
His time in Nicaragua saw his interest in the Sumu Indians begin and develop. After his retirement in 1975, Houwald studied ethnology and Hispanic studies at the Universität Bonn, obtaining a doctorate in 1978.
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