Prince Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen

Kraft Prinz zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen (2 January 1827 – 16 January 1892) was a Prussian general and military writer during the time of the German Empire.

Early life

Kraft Karl August zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen was born at the palace in Koschentin in Upper Silesia. He was the son of Prince Adolf zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen (1797–1873), and a grandson of Frederick Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen (1746–1818), who commanded the Prussians at Jena.

Educated with great rigour, owing to the impoverishment of the family estates during the Napoleonic Wars, Kraft was sent into the Prussian Army. There, he was commissioned to the artillery as the least expensive arm of the service. He joined the Prussian Guard artillery in 1845, and it was soon discovered that he had unusual aptitudes as an artillery officer. For a time his fellow officers resented the presence of a prince, until it was found that he made no attempt to use his social position to secure advancement. Knight of Honour of the Johanniter Order, 12 October 1846 Knight of the Royal Crown Order, 3rd Class, 18 January 1864 Grand Commander of the Military Merit Order Grand Cross of the Merit Order of Philip the Magnanimous, with Swords, 1 May 1870 Military Merit Cross, 1st Class Commander of the Albert Order, 1st Class with War Decoration, 1870 Military Merit Medal Knight of the Iron Crown, 2nd Class with War Decoration, 1864 French Empire: Commander of the Legion of Honour Knight of St. Anna, 1st Class Knight of St. George, 4th Class

Literature Kurt von Priesdorff: Soldatisches Führertum. Band 8, Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, ohne Jahr, pp. 76–79. Bernhard von Poten: Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen, Kraft Prinz zu. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 50, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1905, pp. 444–446.