Wilhelm von Waldow was a Prussian politician who headed the Imperial Ministry of Wartime Nutritional Affairs. He was born into the family of Elisabeth and Adolf Friedrich von Waldow, a senior official with the forestry service. Wilhelm studied law and political science at the Universities of Straßburg, Göttingen, and Berlin. He spent his pre-War years working in several government administrative postings and married Elisabeth von Werder in August of 1890. He later served as Senior President for the District of Königsberg and for the Province of Posen. 

The beginning of the First World War found him living in Stettin and functioning as the Senior President of the Province Pommerania. From 6 August 1917 until 9 November 1918, von Waldow served as State Secretary in charge of the Kriegsernährungsamt, the imperial office which oversaw state nutritional issues. He died on 27 July 1937 in Berlin.