Hermann von Hatzfeldt

Hermann Anton Leo Karl, Prince of Hatzfeldt, Duke of Trachenberg was a German nobleman, member of the House of Hatzfeld, civil servant and politician. He represented the Deutsche Reichspartei in the Reichstag for a number of years.

Early life

Hermann von Hatzfeldt was born in Trachenberg Castle, Silesia on 4 February 1848. He was the son of Prince Hermann Anton von Hatzfeldt-Trachenberg, and his second wife, Marie von Nimptsch. From his parents' marriage, he had a sister, Countess Hermine von Hatzfeldt, who married Eduard Teleki von Szék and Emil von Hoenning O'Carroll. From his father's first marriage to Countess Mathilde von Reichenbach-Goschütz, he had three half-siblings, Stanislaus von Hatzfeldt, Franziska von Hatzfeldt, and Elisabeth von Hatzfeldt. From his mother's first marriage to Baron Ludwig August von Buch, Prussian ambassador to the Holy See, he had a half-sister, Marie von Buch.
His father was the eldest son of Franz Ludwig von Hatzfeldt and Countess Friederike Caroline von der Schulenburg-Kehnert. Among his extended family was uncle were Max von Hatzfeldt, a Prussian diplomat who married Pauline de Castellane, Sophie von Hatzfeldt, and Luise von Hatzfeldt.
After graduating from high school, he became active in the Corps Saxonia Göttingen in 1868 and studied law at the Schlesische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Breslau and the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Berlin. The University of Breslau awarded him an honorary doctorate in medicine and law.

Career

Hatzfeldt entered the Prussian judicial service before serving as a cavalry major in the Franco-Prussian War from 1870 to 1871. His elder half-brother died during the Battle of Amiens in November 1870.
Upon the death of his father, who was excommunicated in 1847, he succeeded as head of the Hatzfeldt-Trachenberg line in 1874. In 1878, he was appointed hereditary member of the Prussian House of Lords, the upper house of the Landtag of Prussia. He was chairman of the "New Faction" of landowners and was also a member of the Reichstag for the Free Conservative Party in [1878 German people|German federal election|1878]/1893 and 1907/1912. He voted against the Prussian expropriation laws directed against Poles in the Province of Posen, in both the Reichstag and the Herrenhaus.
On 1 January 1900, he was given the hereditary title "Duke of Trachenberg " in primogeniture. From 1894 to 1903, he was the Oberpräsident of the Province of Silesia.
During World War I, Hatzfeldt was a candidate for Governor-General of occupied Poland; however, Hans Hartwig von Beseler was chosen instead. In opposition to Paul von Hindenburg and General Erich Ludendorff, he campaigned for a negotiated peace with the Entente Powers. In the years 1919 to 1921, he was the representative of the Reich government for voting in Upper Silesia. He devoted the last years of his life to charitable work in the Order of Malta.

Awards and honours

On 18 January 1901, Kaiser Wilhelm II awarded him the Order of the Black Eagle on the 200th anniversary of its foundation. Hatzfeldt's numerous awards included the highest Saxon orders including the Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Order of Malta. In 1884, he became an honorary citizen of Bojanowo, and of Breslau and Königshütte in 1903.

Personal life

On 18 June 1872, Hatzfeldt married Countess Nathalie von Benckendorff in Berlin. She was a daughter of Russian general Konstantin Konstantinovič von Benckendorff and Princess Louise of Croÿ-Dülmen, and served as Chief Court Mistress of Empress Frederick. Nathalie's older brother was Count Alexander von Benckendorff, who served as Russian ambassador to the United Kingdom during World War I. She was also a second cousin of Archduchess Isabella of Teschen through her maternal family.
Hermann and Nathalie had two sons and seven grandchildren:

Prince Hermann Ludwig von Hatzfeldt, 2nd Duke of Trachenberg, who in 1912 married Elisabeth von Tschirschky-Bögendorff ; a daughter of Heinrich von Tschirschky, a German diplomat who served as Foreign Secretary and head of the Foreign Office before becoming Ambassador to Vienna.
* Hermann Krafft Prinz von Hatzfeldt ; he killed on the Eastern Front.
* Countess Huberta ; married Count Hermann von Saurma-Jeltsch
* Countess Nathalie ; she was adopted by Tschirschky family.
* Count Karl Heinrich ; married Heyka Zeglat
* Prince Edmund von Hatzfeldt, 3rd Duke of Trachenberg ; married Baroness Sophie Spies von Büllesheim
* Count Friedrich ; married Baroness Maria Helene von Münchhausen
Count Alexander von Hatzfeldt zu Trachenberg, who in 1904 married Viscountess Hanna Aoki-Rhade ; the only daughter of Elisabeth von Rhade and Aoki Shūzō, a Japanese diplomat who served as Foreign Minister during the Meiji era.
* Countess Hissa ; married Count Erwin von Neipperg

Prince von Hatzfeldt died at Trachenberg on 14 January 1933.

Fishing interest

From 1892 to 1919 he was the third President of the German Fishing Association. Prince Hatzfeldt was particularly interested in the development of Silesian pond farming and his property around Trachenberg was known for its exemplary fish farming.

Honours

He received the following orders and decorations: