Pavle Jurišić Šturm

Pavle Jurišić Šturm
Pavle Jurišić Šturm
Native name	Paulus Eugen Sturm
Nickname	Šturm
Born	(1848-08-08)August 8, 1848 Görlitz, Prussian Silesia
Died	January 14, 1922(1922-01-14) (aged 73) Belgrade, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Allegiance	Prussia  Kingdom of Serbia
Rank	General
Commands held	Serbian 3rd Army (World War I)
Battles	Franco-Prussian War Serbian-Ottoman War (1876–1877) Serbo-Bulgarian War Balkan Wars Battle of Cer Battle of Kolubara Salonika Front
Awards	Order of the Star of Karageorge with Swords Order of the White Eagle Order of the Crown of Italy Order of the Crown of Belgium Order of Iron Cross
Spouse(s)	Savka Jurišić

Pavle Jurišić Šturm KCMG (Serbian Cyrillic: Павле Јуришић Штурм) (August 8, 1848 – January 14, 1922) was a Serbian general of Sorbian origin who commanded the Serbian 3rd Army in World War I.

Šturm was one of the most important commanders in the Serbian army in the War, especially during its first two years, the time when his 3rd army was main support either for the 2nd army during the battle of Cer, or for the 1st army during the battle of Kolubara.^[1]

Life

Paulus Eugen Sturm was born and raised in Görlitz, Prussian Silesia, when the Görlitz region was still part of the homeland of the Lusatian Serbs, called by Germans "Wends" or "Sorbs". His parents were both ethnic Sorbs. He finished the royal Prussian military academy in Breslau (Wrocław) and went to Serbia before the Balkan wars to fight the Ottoman Turks, studying in the Serbian military academy and volunteering in the Serbian Army.

He fell in love with Serbia instantly, marrying a Serbian woman, and changed his name from Paulus to Serbian Pavle, and his last name Sturm to the typical Serbian last name that was modulated translation of his German last name - Sturm, meaning "Storm" in German was translated into Jurišić, with the root of the word "charge" ("juriš" in Serbian). He considered, like most of his countrymen^{[citation needed]}, that Lusatian Sorbs and Balkan Serbs are part of one same nation, divided into different regions and countries centuries ago.

Šturm kept his German last name as an alias. His son, whom he had with his Serbian wife, was a sergeant in the Serbian army who participated in all major battles in the Serbian theater in World War I from Cer and Kolubara, then retreated over frozen Albania, was part of the resurrection of the Serbian army on the island of Corfu and the advance of the Serbian army, breaking the Salonika front.

After years of peace that followed, Šturm stayed in Serbia and remained in its army with the rank of general. He died in 1922 at his home in Belgrade.

Decorations

Serbian military decorations
	Order of the Karađorđe's Star with Swords, Grand Officer
	Order of the Karađorđe's Star with Swords, Commander
	Order of the Karađorđe's Star with Swords, Officer
	Order of the Karađorđe's Star, Officer
	Order of the White Eagle, Grand Officer
	Order of the White Eagle, Commander
	Order of the White Eagle, Officer
	Order of the White Eagle, Knight
	Order of Miloš the Great, Officer
	Order of the Cross of Takovo, Grand Officer
	Order of the Cross of Takovo, Commander
	Order of the Cross of Takovo with swords, Officer;
Serbian Service Medals
	Medal for Bravery, Gold
	Medal for Bravery, Silver
	Medal military virtues
	Medal for Devoted Service
	Commemorative Medal of the First Balkan War
	Commemorative Medal of the Second Balkan War
	Commemorative Medal of the Albanian Campaign
International and Foreign Awards
	Order of Leopold, Knight (Austria-Hungary)
	Order of Franz Joseph, Knight's Cross (Austria-Hungary)
	Order of the Crown, Knight Grand Cross (Belgium)
	Legion of Honour, Grand Officer (France)
	Order of the Redeemer, Commander (Greece)
	Order of the Crown of Italy, Knight Grand Cross (Italy)
	Order of the Paulownia Flowers, Grand Cordon (Japan)
	Order of Osmanieh, 3rd class (Ottoman Empire)
	Order of the Medjidie, 1st class (Ottoman Empire)
	Order of Iron Cross, 2nd class (Prussia)
	Order of Saint Stanislaus with Swords, 3rd class (Russian Empire)
	Order of St. George, 1st class (Russian Empire)
	Order of St. Anna, 1st class (Russian Empire)
	Order of St Michael and St George, Knight Commander (United Kingdom)

References

Sources

• ODANA BRAĆA ŠTURM
• Vojna enciklopedija, Beograd, 1972., 4th edition, pages 151-152