Rudolf Stöger-Steiner von Steinstätten

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Rudolf Stöger-Steiner von Steinstatten
April 26, 1861(1861-04-26) – May 12, 1921 (aged 60)

Stöger-Steiner as War Supremo
Place of birth Pernegg an der Mur, Styria , Austrian Empire
Place of death Graz, Austria
Allegiance Flag of Austrian Empire Austrian Empire
Flag of Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary
Service/branch Army
Years of service 1914 – 1918
Rank Generaloberst
Unit 4th Infantry Division
Gruppe Stöger-Steiner
XV Corps
Commands held Galician Front
Isonzo Front
Battles/wars Galician Campaign
Battles of the Isonzo
World War One

Rudolf Freiherr Stöger-Steiner von Steinstätten (26 April 1861 – 12 May 1921) was a Colonel-General in the Austro-Hungarian army and served as the last Imperial Minister for War not only to the Austro-Hungarian Empire but to the ancient Habsburg monarchy which sat at its head.

Contents

[edit] Early life & career

Born as Rudolf Stöger in the village of Pernegg an der Mur, Styria, in the then Austrian Empire in 1861, Stöger-Steiner was adopted by his step-father and assumed the dual name Stöger-Steiner. Allegedly well connected in court, [1] Stöger-Steiner commanded the fourth Infantry Division in Galicia at the outset of war. Transfered from the Russian front in Spring 1915 he took command of the newly constituted Gruppe Stöger-Steiner at the Isonzo in May 1915 [2] only to be promoted to the command of XV Corps (also on the Isonzo) that same summer.

[edit] Minister of War

Stöger-Steiner remained as a Corps commander on the Isonzo front until April 27, 1917 when, suffering from health problems, he was recalled from frontline duties and promoted to become Imperial Minister for War. Thrust into a central and highly political role in steering the war effort, his selection was driven by divisions at court where Stoger-Steiner, theretofore in a relatively obscure role, emerged as compromise candidate.[3] Energetically, Stöger-Steiner reorganised the ministry and introduced new officers into the departments he created. Generally held to be competent and though he assured the Emperor that Austria Hungary would not suffer the same fate as that of Russia in the winter of 1917, Stöger-Steiner faced the same problems as von Krobatin of ensuring continued supplies of food and arms in the face of mounting war fatigue and the need to retain law and order among the populous. Having become convinced of the inevitability of defeat by the beginning of 1918, Stöger-Steiner was forced to withdraw some seven front-line divisions to maintain internal order in the early part of 1918.[4]

[edit] Retirement

As the situation deteriorated during 1918 his authority waned in the face of events, including revolution sweeping across the Habsburg lands, and the failure of an attempt to bring about an orderly demobilisation led him to resign his position on November 11, 1918[5] , eleven days after Hungary ended Austria-Hungary and same day as the Emperor gave up absolute authority over his realms. Stöger-Steiner retired into private life following the declaration of the Republic of Austria and continued to battle the illness which had haunted him since the early days of the war.[6] He died in Graz on May 12, 1921.

[edit] Notes

Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a title, translated as Baron, not a first or middle name. The female forms are Freifrau and Freiin.

[edit] Sources

  1. ^ Pope, S. & Wheal, E.A.(1995): The Macmillan Dictionary of the First World War Macmillan: London.
  2. ^ Rudolf Stöger-Steiner von Steinstätten. Austrian Commanders. Retrieved on 2008-06-02.
  3. ^ "General Rudolf Stoger-Steiner von Steinstatten ". Who's Who of the first world war. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  4. ^ Pope, S. & Wheal, E.A.(1995): The Macmillan Dictionary of the First World War Macmillan: London.
  5. ^ Rudolf Stöger-Steiner von Steinstätten. Austrian Commanders. Retrieved on 2008-06-02.
  6. ^ Rudolf Stöger-Steiner von Steinstätten. Austrian Commanders. Retrieved on 2008-06-02.

[edit] External Links

For an excellent, and much more comprehensive, online biography, please see:
http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/biog/stoeger.htm

Military offices
Preceded by
Alexander von Krobatin		 Imperial & Royal Minister for War
1917 – 1918		 Succeeded by
Position Abolished