Complex sentence: After a brief assignment to St. Petersburg (1895--97), von Bernstorff became counselor of the embassy in London (1902--06), then served as consul general in Cairo (1906--08).
Split into simpler sentences: After a brief assignment to St. Petersburg (1895--97), von Bernstorff became counselor of the embassy in London (1902--06). Before he took his assignment in the United States, he served as consul general in Cairo (1906--08).