Karl Wilhelm Heinrich von Kleist

Karl Wilhelm Heinrich von Kleist (1 November 1836, Brandenburg - 2 January 1917, Berlin) was a Prussian officer of the Imperial German Army, most recently General of the Cavalry (Germany).

[1] He was the third son of the Prussian Major Ludwig Karl Kleist of Bornstedt ( 1772-1854), inheriting commissioner on Hohennauen, and his second wife Wilhelmine von Hanstein (1818-1869) [2] Because he would not inherit his father's entailed estate, Kleist chose the military profession.

He resigned on 6 March 1856 as an ensign in the 10th Hussars Regiment of the Prussian army, where he was appointed on 5 February 1857 Second Lieutenant.

After further uses in various positions on the General Staff, he returned in 1878 back to the military service and became final after a period of temporary assignment Commander of the Dragoon Regiment No.

In 1883 he was promoted to colonel and appointed commander of the 25th (Grand Ducal Hessian) Cavalry Brigade and 1888 Major General.