Who is The von Briests from Effi Briest and what is their importance?

The von Briests are Effi's parents. They have been married for eighteen years, and they live on an estate in Hohen-Cremmen. Effie's father is a Ritterschaftsrat, which is "a land-owning aristocrat with a seat in the Prussian provisional parliament". Herr von Briest is in his 50s, twelve years older than both his wife, Luise née Belling and her former beau, Geert von Innstetten, who early in the novel becomes their son-in-law.

Herr Briest is described as prosaic and sometimes frivolous. Frau von Briest is described as beautiful, poised, and refined. The couple argues constantly, but their married life said to be tolerable.