vA Piarist and teacher, he was born in Jarosław in 1791 and ordained in 1815. He first worked in Vienna and then from 3 February 1830 in Cieszyn as the headmaster of the Gymnasium and for many years as the director of Baron Cselesta’s boarding school. The gymnasium was reorganised in 1849, after which Kraus held the position of provisional headmaster until 1850. His main role was that of raising funds for extending the school and equipping it with a science laboratory. He died in 1852.
       On retiring he was honoured by the Emperor, on the strength of a resolution of 16 August 1851, with the Gold Cross of Service with a Crown, which was finalised by a decision of the County Council on 13 September of the same year. His awarded of the cross by Starosta Martin Woitech was due to take place in the Council Chamber in Cieszyn’s Town Hall on 19 September. For that reason the Executive Board of Cieszyn awarded him with the title of honorary citizen of Cieszyn during their meeting of 16 September 1851. His long-term work in the field of education, his contribution to the building of a second storey onto the Cieszyn gymnasium and the setting up of a physics laboratory, but above all for opening an 8-class gymnasium in Cieszyn were emphasised as grounds for the award. The diploma was decorated with elements from the decoration of the Gold Cross of Service and awarded to Kraus on 19 September 1851.