Prince Adolf of Auersperg

After studying law, he served as an imperial cavalry officer from 1841 to 1860 and attained the rank of major in Prince Eugene's Dragoons regiment. In 1867 he entered political life as a member of the Bohemian Landtag (provincial assembly), being elected by the Liberal land proprietors. Ten months later, on the resignation of Count Hartig, he was appointed Supreme Marshal of the Kingdom of Bohemia, continuing in that office until 1870.[1] In January 1869 he was nominated life member of the Upper Chamber of the Austrian Reichsrat, in which he took a conspicuous part.

He was governor of Salzburg from 1870 to 1871, and proved in that position, as well as in his subsequent political life, a staunch supporter of the constitution.

In 1871 he succeeded Karl von Hohenwart as prime minister for the western half of the empire (Minister-President of Cisleithania). Auersperg's ministry enacted a measure of electoral reform (1873), secured direct elections to the lower chamber of the Reichsrat, and strengthened the political entente with Hungary. Intraparty controversies over Austrian occupation of Bosnia finally forced him to resign in 1879. Auersperg's resignation marked the end of German liberalism in Austrian politics throughout the remaining years of the Empire.

He was the son of Prince Wilhelm II of Auersperg (1781–1827), Duke of Gottschee, and Friederike Luise Henriette (née von Lenthe; 1791–1860). His brother Prince Karl of Auersperg was also head of the Austrian ministry (1867–68). His other siblings were Aglaja (1812–1899), Wilhelmine (1813–1886), Alexander (1818–1866) and Leopoldine (1820–1821). Adolf was married twice:

• the first time (1845) with Baroness Johanna Aloysia Mladota von Solopisk (1820–1849);
• the second time (1857) with Countess Johanna Festétics de Tólna (1830–1884), daughter of Ernõ János Vilmos von Festetics. This second marriage produced a son:
  • Karl (1859–1927), who became the 9th Prince of Auersperg. Karl married in 1885 Countess Eleonore Breunner-Enkevoirth (1864–1920), daughter of Count August Breunner-Enkevoirth. They had five children:
    • Prince Adolf von Auersperg (1886–1923), married (1914) to Countess Gabrielle von Clam und Gallas (their son, Karl-Adolf, 10th Prince of Auersperg, married Countess Feodore of Solms-Baruth, daughter of Princess Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and her husband, and had issue)
    • Princess Agathe von Auersperg (1888–1973), married (1913) to Alexander, 5th Prince of Schönburg-Hartenstein
    • Princess Johanna von Auersperg (1890–1967), married (1917) to Count Rudolf of Meran, son of Count Franz of Meran
    • Princess Eleonore von Auersperg (1892–1967), married (1919) to Erwin Wallner
    • Prince Karl von Auersperg-Breunner (1895–1980), married (1927) to Countess Henriette of Meran

Wikisource has original works on the topic: Adolf Wilhelm Daniel von Auersperg

• Portrait at German Wikipedia

• Gilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "Auersperg, Adolf Wilhelm Daniel" . New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
•  Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Auersperg, Adolf Wilhelm Daniel" . Encyclopedia Americana.
• Marek, Miroslav. "Auersperg genealogy". Genealogy EU. at genealogy.euweb.cz

• Otto (in Czech)