Hans Christoph Friedrich Graf von Hacke (21 October 1699 in

Staßfurt Staßfurt (Stassfurt) () is a town in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on both sides of the river Bode, approximately northeast of Aschersleben, and south of Magdeburg. Pop. (2005) 23,538. It was one of th ...

- 17 August 1754 in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

) was a Prussian General and Commandant of Berlin. The Hackescher Markt in Berlin is named after him.

Early life

In 1715, at the age of sixteen, Hacke went to join the army of the ''Soldier King'',

Frederick William I of Prussia Frederick William I (german: Friedrich Wilhelm I.; 14 August 1688 – 31 May 1740), known as the "Soldier King" (german: Soldatenkönig), was King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death in 1740, as well as Prince of Neuch ...

, and at 6'3" tall was assigned the 6th Royal Regiment, the ''

Potsdam Giants The Potsdam Giants was the name given to Prussian infantry regiment No 6. The regiment was composed of taller-than-average soldiers, and was founded in 1675. It was eventually dissolved in 1806, after the Prussians were defeated by Napoleon. Throug ...

''. He attracted attention through his particular attentiveness and adherence to orders, which would earn him a great career. At eighteen, he was an

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

, at twenty a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

, twenty-six a

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

, twenty-nine a

staff captain Staff captain is the English translation of a number of military ranks: Historical use of the rank Czechoslovakia In the Czechoslovak Army, until 1953, Staff Captain ( cs, štábní kapitán, sk, štábny kapitán) was a senior captain ran ...

, and thirty-two a Hofjägermeister.

Career

His services were greatly appreciated by the King, who permitted him in 1722 to have an oil portrait painted with his hand on his sword. In 1740, he was appointed Royal

Adjutant General An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

, making him one of the most significant figures in the King's circle and one of the most influential officers. The royal courts of Berlin, Potsdam and Wusterhausen were under his control, and he also had wide-ranging control in personnel decisions. On 28 July 1740, he was raised to the hereditary title of

Graf (feminine: ) is a historical title of the German nobility, usually translated as "count". Considered to be intermediate among noble ranks, the title is often treated as equivalent to the British title of "earl" (whose female version is "coun ...

(equivalent to a continental

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

or British

earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

). After the King's death, Hacke was commander of the military police who protected the new King, Frederick II. He was also present in both

Silesian Wars The Silesian Wars (german: Schlesische Kriege, links=no) were three wars fought in the mid-18th century between Prussia (under King Frederick the Great) and Habsburg Austria (under Archduchess Maria Theresa) for control of the Central European ...

, the capture of Prague and the King's campaigns in Saxony and Bohemia. In 1742 he was appointed as regimental chef of the 1st Prussian Infantry Regiment, a post he held until his death in 1754. In 1745, he was responsible for the defence of Berlin against the threat of siege by Austrian and Saxon forces. In 1747, Hacke was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and given oversight of the royal buildings of Berlin. On 10 November 1749, Frederick II named Hacke the Stadtkommandant of Berlin, giving him the added responsibilities of personnel decisions, public policy, the timber trade and press censorship. Rosenberg Hackescher Markt 02 1780

Hackescher Markt

In 1750, to facilitate expansion of

, the King ordered the city's fortifications and the Spandau Gate to be torn down. Under Hacke's leadership, new houses and streets were built on what had previously been swamp land, and a spacious square was set out here. As a sign of his absolute satisfaction with the work, and in recognition of Hacke's services, the King commanded the square to be named the '' Hackescher Markt''.

Personal life

His marriage to Sophia Albertine von Creutz, daughter and heiress of Privy Councillor Ehrenreich Bogislaus von Creutz (1670–1733), produced one son, Prussian Major Friedrich Wilhelm von Hacke (died 1789). Hans Christoph Friedrich Graf von Hacke died on 17 August 1754 in Berlin.

References

A profile of Graf von Hacke at the Berlinischen Monatsschrift ''(German)''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hacke, Hans Christoph Friedrich Graf von 1699 births 1754 deaths 18th-century Prussian people Lieutenant generals of Prussia Prussian nobility People from Staßfurt 18th-century Prussian military personnel Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)