Early Life, Family and Training Born in Kassel, Germany, on 18 April 1828, August von Wille entered a world of established social standing. His family had been raised to the nobility in 1780, and his upbringing was shaped by the responsibilities of his lineage. His father held a position of influence as a member of the Governing Council of the Electorate of Hesse, providing a stable foundation for the young man who would eventually de…