Hermann Kling

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Hermann Kling (17 February 1880 – 20 January 1957) was a German politician who belonged to the CSVD and later the CDU. He was born in Owen, Württemberg, and trained as a teacher in Nürtingen, going on to teach in Mitteltal and Kirchheim. He studied at the University of Tübingen from 1910 to 1913, focusing on philosophy, pedagogy, psychology, history and law. In 1916 he became head of a junior school, taking the post in November 1918 after returning from World War I. He served in the Württemberg 122nd Fusilier Regiment during 1914–1918, reaching the rank of lieutenant and earning several decorations, including the Iron Cross.

After the war Kling joined the CSVD. He entered the Württemberg regional parliament in 1928 and remained a member until 1933, when the assembly was dissolved. Nationally, he was elected to the Reichstag in the 1930 election as a CSVD deputy, serving until January 1931 before returning to the Landtag; his Reichstag seat was later taken by Hermann Strathmann. With the Nazi rise to power, the CSVD dissolved in 1933. Kling finished his Landtag term as a guest member of the Nazi party, but the Landtag was dissolved in 1934. In 1937 he bought Gut Sonnenhof, a small farm in Beuren, and ran the farm until 1950.

After World War II Kling returned to politics. In 1946 he joined the CDU and helped establish Württemberg-Baden’s pre-parliament under the American occupation. He was elected to the new regional parliament of Württemberg-Baden in 1946 and served until 1950. He married Hulda Honegger in 1909, and they had two sons, Hermann (1911) and Gerhard Paul (1918).