He went to
Adelskonvikt in
Lviv. Between 1848 and 1851, he went to school in
Głogów and
Namur. He studied at
Berg Academy in
Liège. Ballestrem was in the
Prussian Army in 1855. In 1857, he became a Prussian Army Officer in
1st (Silesian) Life Cuirassiers "Great Elector". He was a soldier in the
Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the
Franco-Prussian War of 1870/1871. From 1867, he was
Rittmeister. After the death of his father, he owned
majorat in Plawniowitz in Silesia. From 1872 to 1893 and from 1898 to 1907, Ballestrem was a member of the
Reichstag of the
German Empire. From 1898 to 1907, Ballestrem was president of the Reichstag. From 1891, Ballestrem was also a member of the
Prussian House of Representatives, serving as such until in 1903 he was granted a hereditary seat in the
Prussian House of Lords by the Emperor. In 1872, he was vice president of
Katholikentag in
Breslau. In 1890, he was the founder and president of
People's Association for Catholic Germany in Silesia. In 1873, Ballestrem was
Papal gentleman (Camerieri Segreti di Spada e Cappa). He was a member of
Order of the Holy Sepulchre and of
Sovereign Military Order of Malta. == Marriage and issue ==