© Felix G. Game
| Robert Franz Schenk, Oberleutnant |
30 Dec 1882 - 13 Aug 1914
My Grandfather's sister's grandson
Grandson of Eulalia Zwierzina
Robert was the son of Moriz Schenk1851 and Wilhelmine Kollmann, and he was also the grandson of that other Moriz Schenk who married Eulalia Zwierzina, my grandfather's sister. Robert's uncle, General Alfred Schenk, was the son of the elder Moriz and Eulalia. Robert was born 30 December 1882 at Prague in Bohemia (now Praha, Czech Republic), but had domicile entitlement in Vienna. He was a Roman Catholic. After attending four years at the Gymnasium in Prague, he transferred to the Infantry Cadet School in Vienna and he achieved "very good" results at both schools.
1903 August 18, after completing 2 years at the Infantry Cadet School in Vienna, he joined the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment No.4 as officer aspirant. (This happens to be the same Regiment where his uncle Alfred Schenk, then a captain, had been commander of the second company back in 1897). Robert's father was a Regierungsrath with the Ministry of Finance (a bureaucratic rank, which translates into something like counsel to the Government). All on the same date Robert was assigned, and nominated, received his 6 Kronen "Handgeld" (something like the "King's Shilling"), and his 30 Kronen "Bekleidungspauschale" (a clothing allowance) plus another 24 Kronen equipment allowance.fggdoc218-1
In his very first appraisal, Robert is described as being tall, slim and of strong build, healthy and fit for any kind of duty. He only spoke German, but "was otherwise a very good officer with all the right mannerisms". Having already scrutinized his uncle's military records, I found it very interesting how similar the appraisals sounded. Perhaps the two men were very much alike, or the military had adopted certain buzz words to be used in appraisals. There was one significant difference though, Robert's uncle Alfred appears to have been more precise and responsible - and not surprisingly Alfred achieved exceptionally high military ranks before and during the First World War.
1905 May 1 - Robert was promoted to Lieutenant.
1907 Nov 1 Assigned to the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Infantry Regiment #1 only seven months after his uncle Alfred, by then a colonel, had been named commandant of that very regiment. Robert obtained good marks in the first part of the Infanterieequitation (2) course that he took in Vienna. He was also 1200 crowns in debt which caused his commanding officer to hasten with the comment that "existing personal debts in no way diminish his usefulness". At least one of his debts did not get paid. A Mr. M. Hofstädter of Triest was obviously unaware that Robert had been killed during the sinking of the Baron Gautsch 13 August 1914, and was still trying to contact him with the help of the Army as late as October 1915.fggdoc217
1908 Dec 2 Received the Military Jubilee Cross. Robert was a gymnast, a fencer and a very good horseman. He had taken two communication (field telephone) courses for a total of nine weeks in 1908. His "Reinpare" (the clean, or final copy of the report) for 1908 shows among others the signature of Alfred Schenk, Commander of the Regiment. Alfred was Robert's uncle.fggdoc219-11
1909 Was was put in command of the improvised regimental field telephone unit during the 1909 maneuvers, an assignment he carried out in an excellent manner. Uncle Alfred Schenk's signature appears again as Regimental Commander.
1910 Shows Lieutenant Robert Schenk performing regular company duty. Although this report contains no changes, it is interesting in that another Schenk signature appears at the bottom: A Major Ferdinand Schenk, and uncle Alfred is also signed twice. (3)fggdoc219-14
1911 May 1 promoted to Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) with the 3rd Battalion.
1912 Jul 1 transferred to the Kriegshafenkommando (Command of the Navy Port) of Pola.
1913 Mar 1 transferred to the Infantry Cadet School in Vienna as a teacher.
1913 Dec 7 transferred from the Infantry Cadet School Vienna to the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment #4.
Through a review of the Vienna Heimatschein und Passprotokoll for 1914(4) I have established that Oberleutnant Robert Franz Schenk did obtain a passport on 19 May 1914. The record gives his date of birth as 30 December 1882, and the place of birth, although difficult to read, looks like "Prag 74 G.Niklas". He was Catholic and single, and gave his residence as Triest.
In the column which deals with the destination of the traveler (Angabe der Länder auf welche die Paßanweisung lautet) the response was a scribbled, illegible word. The space asking for the duration of the trip was left blank.
1914 Aug 1 He went into Pension status as he was found unfit for troop service. The word for his "domicile" appears to be Dresden (with a Hachek above the r). Could someone have misunderstood and misspelled Triest which he wrote on his passport application just three months earlier? A notation indicates that his place of residence was somehow connected with "Evid. beh. 9 KorpsKmdo." His total service to date was 10 years, 11 months, 13 days. He was given an annual pension of 800 Kronen plus a housing allowance of 134 Kronen 40 Heller annually.
1914 Aug 13 Cousin Robert Schenk drowned during the sinking of the Lloyd steamer Baron Gautsch.
 |
The
Austrian Lloyd Steamer Baron Gautsch |
What a year 1914 had been for Robert Schenk. In May he applied for a passport in preparation for his honeymoon cruise, he retired from the Army effective 1 August and 12 days later he lost his life in a marine disaster. He never had a chance to enjoy his retirement, or his young wife. With a deep feeling of sorrow for this cousin whom I had never known, I set out to try and prove the details of this family legend. It took almost 7 years before I found the proof, and in the interim amassed the following references to confirm that the Baron Gautsch sank. Here is the entry from page 71 of Volume 1 of the "Dictionary of Disasters at Sea During the Age of Steam 1824-1962" by Charles Hocking:fggdoc95
BARON GAUTSCH. Lloyd Austriaco; 1908; Gourlay Bros.; 2,069 tons; 270x39.1x17.1; 565 n.h.p.; 16 knots; triple-expansion engines.The Baron Gautsch left Lussinpiccolo, S. of the Gulf of Quarnero, for Trieste on Thursday, August 11th, 1914. The ship was carrying a little over 300 persons and on the 13th struck a mine which exploded and killed 20 men and damaged the ship to such an extent that she sank soon after. About 150 were drowned.
The New York Times on 15 August 1914 carried the following brief notice on page 3, column 5 under the Headline:
150 Die on Austrian Liner:
Killed or drowned when Vessel Hits Mine in the Adriatic. London, Aug 14 - About 150 of the passengers and crew of the Austrian Lloyd Steamer Baron Gautsch were killed or drowned when the vessel was blown up today by a mine off the Island of Lussin, on the Dalmatian coast, according to a Reuter dispatch from Triest. She carried about 300 passengers and crew, of whom about 150 were rescued.
All of the Viennese newspapers carried bulletins starting 14 August 1914. Below is a report taken form the Neue Freie Presse of 14 August, but datelined 13 August 1914:
Sinking of the Lloyd Steamer Baron Gautsch. On the way between Lussin and Triest.
Vienna 13 August. The Austrian merchant navy suffered a heavy loss. Because of a yet undetermined cause the Baron Gautsch, steamer of the Austrian Lloyd sank today. According to reports received so far, 130 of the passengers and crew on board were saved. The simultaneously released official number of those lost speaks of the recovery of 20 bodies. It cannot be determined at the moment how many lives were lost all together. The sunken steamer was equipped with a total of 127 cabins; it also took on passengers who did not book specific cabins. The crew would have numbered about 30. At the height of the season when the steamers of the Dalmatian Line are fully utilized, several hundred people would be on board at any one time, and it will be necessary to await the official numbers before an accurate assessment of the accident's magnitude can be made.
As further stated by the official report, the Baron Gautsch was on the way to Triest. The accident occurred at noon today on the way between Lussingrande and its port of destination.
News of the ship accident (Telegram of the Imperial, Royal Telegraph & Correspondence Bureau):
Triest, 13 August. The steamer Baron Gautsch which today left Lussingrande en route for Triest, sank on this voyage. So far 130 passengers and crew have been saved and twenty bodies were recovered.fggdoc206-1 translated by Felix G. Game
The Neue Freie Presse of Vienna ran in its 14 August 1914 edition (p.10) a description of the unfortunate ship:
It is described as a new, and modern member of the Lloyd Fleet, which along with her sister ships Prinz Hohenlohe and Baron Bruck had been assigned to the express lines of Trieste-Cattaro and Trieste-Corfu. She had 87 first class cabins, 40 second class cabins and based on size and speed was one of the best ships of the Dalmatian Line. Interior design satisfied even the most modern requirements. Each cabin had cushions which in an emergency could be used as life preservers. The steamer had two large dining rooms - one for first class passengers and one for second class passengers. There were also 150 third class accommodations. The walls of the first class dining room had been covered entirely in wood paneling, each panel richly decorated with pictures. Above the dining room was the music salon, entirely decorated in yellow brocaded silk. Attached to the music salon was a smoking and gents' room which included a small coffee bar. The 270 foot ship had been built in the Scottish boat works at Dundee.
The Neue Freie Presse in Vienna reported in its 15 August 1914 issue that official sources have stated there were 246 passengers and 64 crew aboard the Lloyd steamer Baron Gautsch. Of 310 people, 179 were saved, but the number saved could be higher because two additional people who had not been on Lloyd's list of survivors had reported in. Lloyd's management ordered the steamer Graf Wurmbrand, which was on a return trip from Dalmatia, to stop at the port of Pola, and authorized the captain to advance the funds required to replace the bare essentials lost by the survivors.fggdoc206-3
The same paper in its 18 August 1914 issue (p.9, c.2) ran an eye witness account of the incident: Regierungsrat Engelbert Neubauer, director of the classical, private girls' high school in the Rahlgasse was traveling in the company of his wife and his two daughters, one of whom had her 20 months old son and her nursemaid with her. Dr Neubauer tells how they felt a heavy jolt about 3 p.m. and almost immediately realized that the ship was sinking. There was big panic on board. He credits a chief railway inspector from Brno for keeping his wits about himself, breaking open the cabin door in which the life preservers were stored, and thus providing his fellow passengers the only means of saving themselves. Dr. Neubauer's party also managed to obtain life preservers and they jumped into the water. His daughter Bertha with the baby in her arms did find a place in one of the life boats, but after a few men jumped into it, the life boat capsized dumping in the water those already seated. The waves tore the child from the mother's arms and it was never found. Continuing to swim, Neubauer found his other daughter Luise (who was a teacher at her father's school), but never again did he see his wife, nor his daughter Berta's maid.
In the same issue an article dated 17 August was run about the drowning of Colonel Kutschera of Baden (no relation to our Kutschera), together with his wife and two sons aged four and five. This caught my attention because his name is spelled exactly as that of my grandmother. fggdoc206-4 There were many other references to the sinking in the Vienna pressfggdocs221-228, but what I was specifically looking for was, of course, the proof that Robert and his bride were in fact on that ship, and that they in fact had perished. I also hoped to discover in the process the identity of his young bride.
Since Lloyd's of London had a reputation for knowing everything to do with shipping, they seemed like a good place to start my investigations.
The Guildhall Library of London turned out to be the custodians of the Lloyd's archives, and they informed me that Lloyd's List had reported the loss of the ship, but that little additional detail was available:
The Baron Gautsch sailed from Lussin-Grande on the afternoon of the 13th August for Trieste, and sank during the voyage. The cause of the sinking was not given, but neither the lists published by the Admiralty after the war, nor the record kept by Lloyd's, includes the Baron Gautsch as a war loss. It is possible that the actual cause of the loss could not be definitely established. The ship had 310 persons on board (64 crew and 246 passengers), of whom 179 had been rescued on the 14th August. At that time there was still hope that more might be saved, but no further reports appeared in Lloyd's List. The steamer Wurmbrand had been sent to Pola to bring those rescued to Trieste.
The Guildhall librarian noted that Lloyd's Marine Collection includes no passenger lists, and thought it would be unlikely that such a list would exist in England. The letter closes with a suggestion to try the Österreichisches Staatsarchiv at 1030 Vienna , Nottendorfergasse 2, where a passenger list may have survived. When I wrote to Vienna my inquiry was passed to the Kriegsarchiv who informed me that the papers were missing and believed to have been destroyed during the famous burning of the Justice Building (thinking they had been loaned to the ministry of justice who had many civil suits to work on after the First World War)(5). It was suggested that original papers might still be available in Rovinj, which in 1914 belonged to Austria, and was the district court closest to the accident. My inquiry via Zagreb produced a reply from the chief archivist of Rovinj suggesting that any papers still in existence would be in the hands of the owners, that being Lloyd Triestino. Unfortunately, Lloyd Triestino did not reply to my query.
While I was still searching for a copy of that newspaper story which according to cousin Ida had mentioned Robert by name and detailed his exemplary behavior under panic conditions, the Neue Kronen Zeitung of Vienna in its Sunday issue of 7 August 1994 ran a story about the discovery of the Baron Gautsch in 40 meters of water roughly 15 kilometers out of Rovinj.(6) It seems a Croatian diver named Nadi Sinia discovered the wreck and told a group of eight Styrian scuba divers about it - without knowing exactly what he had found. The Austrians have been exploring it for the last two years, and have brought to the surface objects, such as dinner plates and silverware, which have positively identified the sunken ship to be the Baron Gautsch. One interesting detail this article provides is the fact that the Austrian navy ship Basilisk had just been laying mines in those inter-island shipping lanes.fggdoc194 It appears then that the first victim of Austrian anti-shipping mines was an Austrian luxury liner.
A further source of information may have been discovered by Erika Ulbing of Vienna who often assisted me in my research. She found a Dr. Jung at the Kriegsarchiv who appears to have taken more than just a passing interest in the Baron Gautsch. He provided a written report in the form of a letter to Mrs. Ulbing, who in turn kindly forwarded this letter dated 4 June 1996 to me. Below is a summary of its contents as he speaks Of the Baron Gautsch:
The vessel was used on the express route Triest-Cattaro-Triest. The Austrian Navy leased her on 27 Jul 1914 for transporting additional troops to that southern Navy port, and on her return trips, to bring back family members and other civilians from the area of imminent hostilities. The ship was returned to Lloyd's at the beginning of August, and it continued to run back and forth between Cattaro and Triest .
On 13 August 1914 the Baron Gautsch stumbled into a minefield which had just been laid by the Austrian Navy, 7 nautical miles north of the Brionian Isles. The ensuing explosion and quick sinking of the vessel claimed over 200 lives - among them many women and children returning from the vacation spots of Arbe and Lussin. Barely 150 people were saved by the quick arrival of the torpedo boats S.M.S. Csepel, S.M.S. Triglav, and S.M.S. Balaton.
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| The Lloyd Steamer Baron Gautsch (courtesy Roman Schneider) |
There was of course a judicial investigation into the tragedy, and it unfortunately dragged on for years while civil suits were also added. The files of the Austrian Navy, which had conducted its own investigation, were combined with the litigation files in 1923. The files were still open by 1927, at which time they were lost in the burning of the Justizpalast.
From the few remaining records the following can be reconstructed. An advisory meeting was held in the port of Cattaro before the steamer sailed. It was attended by the First Captain and the Second Captain (common designation at Lloyd's, where the latter carries out the duties of a First Officer) who were informed of the approximate extent of the minefield currently being laid. They were also warned to maintain a sharp lookout and to heed warnings that they may receive from Austrian Navy vessels. The subsequent voyage was uneventful as far as Lussin. In that port the vessel was under the command of the Second Captain, who would be relieved by the Second Officer from Rovigno on (the First Captain was at this point on his scheduled rest period). In Lussin the word was that no problems would be encountered if a distance of 10 nautical miles were maintained from the coast. Approximately abreast of Pola the commanding Second Captain had the Second Officer called, and told him that he was not feeling well, and asked him to relieve him 45 minutes earlier than scheduled. The Second Officer readily agreed to this without having any knowledge of the danger of the mines. He had been supervising the embarkation of passengers and the loading of goods in Cattaro and was for this reason not present at the pre-departure meeting. And strangely enough, none of the other people who knew thought of informing him about the dangers, allowing the Second Officer to sail blindly into the recently laid minefield. Nor did he acknowledge warning signals from the mining vessel S.M.S. Basilisk which was still in the area. Immediately after the catastrophe, there were of course suspicions of a bomb having been placed aboard - after all there was a Serb woman working in the kitchen.fggdoc220 - translated by Felix G. Game
Additional
information which Dr. Jung gave verbally to Mrs. Ulbing suggests that the victims
did not so much drown as suffocate from the fumes of the fuel which had escaped
as a result of the explosion. Also mentioned was that the recovered bodies were
quickly buried in a mass-grave in Pola (it should be noted that the Austrian
military records state that Robert's body had never been found). The German
web page of J. Krausser, whose source is not known, says that the Baron Gautsch
was fueled by Naphtha which after the explosion spread out on top of the water
resulting in turning the victims unidentifiably black. He quotes numbers of
150 rescued alive and 50 retrieved dead with 200 persons missing. I would like
to think that bodies have been recovered and are resting at the k.u.k.
Marinefriedhof in Pula.
One of the survivors, a Bosnian broom-maker, sued the State for compensation for the loss of his brooms and his tools. Several people joined this action, and a lawyer named Schapiro represented them all. In 1923 an assistant named Lorenz, acting for the Justice Department, fetched the files from the Naval archives. Schapiro's office was closed in 1938 by the Nazis because he was a Jew. He disappeared, and his files came into the hands of distant relatives (two elderly ladies were mentioned) where they remained until about 10-15 years ago. Since no one was interested in them any more, they were destroyed (perhaps after the relatives had died).
With the assistance of Erika Ulbing and Dr. Jung I obtained Robert Schenk's file containing his military documents from the Kriegsarchiv, and in it I finally found official proof that he in fact had lost his life during the sinking of the Baron Gautsch:
 |
This
inter-office advice from the military commander of Leitmeritz to the Ministry
of War was the first official proof found to confirm Robert's drowning
during the sinking of the Baron Gautsch. |
At this point it looked as if finding any more was totally unlikely, then that piece of luck that all researchers need came my way in the person of a stranger. Paolo Benoli, a high school teacher in Triest came across one of my earlier messages I had sent out in case someone knew of a way how to find out who Robert Schenk's bride had been. Paolo knew where to look and found the whole court file that not even the Austrian archivist seemed to know about. With his help I acquired a big stack of photocopies and finally solved the mystery of Robert's last minute heroism. There was a little newspaper ad in the file and with it I was able to obtain a proper copy of the original from Vienna. The text in that official government ad more than adequately confirms that he acted in the best tradition of the Austrian Officers' Corps and that he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class. There is, unfortunately not even a hint as to who his bride might have been, what her name was, where she came from, or what happened to her.
Robert's father got involved in the investigation and testified in court, but even he did not mention the name of his brand new daughter-in-law, only that Robert and his wife had been married but three days.
Moritz Schenk's testimony (the original is in his own handwriting, and in the German language) at Bezirksgericht Neubau, Abteilung VIII, 27 Jun 1917 - before k.k. LGR Höffner. C665/15 -/154:
Witness: Mr. Moritz Schenk, 66 years old, Roman Catholic, k.k. Hofrat retired, [residing at] Auhofstraße 40, Vienna 13. Has the following to contribute with both parties indicating that they do not insist on an oath being taken:
I have not been on the ship but my son First Lieutenant Robert Schenk has been - along with his wife of three days. Because of that I had reason to be interested in this matter, and tried to obtain details from the marine branch of the Ministry in Vienna. I spoke here in Vienna with the secretary of the Chief of the relevant department and he told me the following.
The captain of the ship, Paul Winter had been given firm instructions to not come closer to shore than 15 nautical miles because the area inside that line was mined. I asked why, in view of such danger, the captain would not have been assigned a pilot, and he told me that the captain refused a pilot with the remark that he was intimately familiar with that stretch.
I was further told that it was confirmed that the ship ran into an anchored, and not into a free drifting mine. Essentially the same information was also given me by the navy port command of the port captaincy of Pola as well as by the Head of the investigating court of L.G.H. Peraši of that port.
There was a report in the Wiener Zeitung of 3 Mar 1916 which said that: "The Emperor awarded 1½ years after his death the Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class to First Lieutenant Robert Schenk of the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment #4 who lost his life on 13 August 1914 during the sinking of the Lloyd Steamer Baron Gautsch while engaged in the saving of numerous humans lives in a heroic, and extremely selfless manner, but whose deeds have only now been clarified through witnesses.
I am further more receiving numerous letters of thanks from the people who were saved by my son.
Signed: Moriz Schenk, k.k. Hofrat retired. Translated by Felix G. Game
What made this disaster so awful, is that the Austrian steamer was the first victim of a new weapon - a nautical mine, and it was a mine that had just been laid by the Austrian navy. Testimony indicated that the captain and the first officer had been to a meeting with Austrian Naval officers prior to their departure. They had been warned to stay 15 Kilometers from shore because of the mines. The captain was not scheduled to be on duty and the first officer who was, did not feel well and passed his duties on to the second officer who had not been at the meeting nor had he been told about the 15 Km requirement. Once the ship hit the mine, there were other problems of an incredible nature. There was confusion and panic, the life preservers were locked up, the crew was looking out for themselves, etc. Robert Schenk apparently became instrumental in busting open the locked containers to get at the life preservers which he then distributed, and he helped to control the panic as best he could.
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| Award bearing the signature of Emperor Franz Josef I. |
1916
Feb 24 the Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class
was conferred upon him ("with the tax having
been forgiven"),
PV Blat. No.42M 1916. The text of the notice placed in the Vienna newspaper
Wiener Zeitung of 3 March
1916 is as follows:
den Orden der Eisernen Krone dritter Klasse mit Nachsicht der Taxe:
The Order of the Iron Crown 3rd class [awarded] without tax to: First Lieutenant Robert Schenk of the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment number 4, who after saving many lives died on 13 August 1914 during of the sinking of the Lloyd steamer Baron Gautsch, but whose admirable actions have only now been clarified by witnesses. fggdoc218-4 Translation by Felix G, Game
dem Oberleutnant Robert Schenk des bosnisch-hercegovinischen Infantrieregiments Nr. 4, der am 13. August 1914 beim Untergang des Lloyddampfers "Baron Gautsch" nach heldenmütiger Rettung zahlreicher Menschenleben den Tod fand, dessen bewunderungswürdiges Handeln aber erst jetzt durch Zeugen klargestellt wurde.
 |
Government
notification placed in the Wiener Zeitung's official page of 3 March 1916:
"[Awarded] the Order of the Iron Crown Third Class to First Lieutenant
Robert Schenk of the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment #4, who lost
his life during the sinking of the Lloyd steamer Baron Gautsch
as a result of heroically and selflessly saving numerous lives, and whose
admirable deeds have only now been clarified through witnesses". |
For more information about the Baron Gautsch
and its wreck, now a destination for SCUBA divers,
visit the Web site of Herwig Strauss at http://www.adventuredives.com/barong.htm.
| Alfred Franz Schenk, Field Marshall Lieutenant |
5 July 1863 - 12 Oct 1952
My Father's First Cousin
Younger son of Moritz Schenk and Eulalia Zwierzina
I first learned of these close relatives from cousin Ida Birman in 1989. At 93, with a mind like a steel trap, she summed it up for me like this:
This younger son of my grandfather's sister Eulalia had a fantastic military career. While still a young officer, he was sent to Russia to spy for the Austrian Army, and seems to have done a good job of it because he later became a General.(7) Between spying assignments, he found time to meet and marry a girl who fell in love with this dashing young officer. That girl became our Tante Vita (aunt Vita - a nickname derivative of Victoria) who brought enormous wealth with her into the marriage.
Alfred had been born into a middle class family which already had, for almost a hundred years before him, a military tradition on his mother's side. Eulalia Zwierzina had been the daughter of a retired Lieutenant, and her brother Johann Nepomuk was only five years away from retiring as a captain. Luckily for Alfred, this glorious but materially meager tradition was balanced out in his family by his father's steady and adequate income of a senior employee of the State. It would have been quite enough, in the early stages, to help out a son who had become the family's pride and joy, and who with his slim build and erect carriage seemed taller than he was, and looked very handsome in his uniform.
He was first enrolled in a Gymnasium, which is a misleading Austrian name for a classical high school. Students enter at the age of ten years, after four years of primary school, and if they continue for eight years and if they are successful, they graduate with a senior matriculation known as the Matura. The Matura was considered an above average level of education, and mandatory for admission to university. It appears that Alfred completed the first three years of the possible eight, and then switched over to a school for cadets. The fact that both these schools were located in Prague is a valuable hint that his parents may have lived there; a hint which may be the only indication of a residence when trying to locate, and further research his mother Eulalia, my grandfather's sister. Since both his parents were of ethnic German background it is safe to assume that German was spoken at home, while living in the capital of Bohemia the opportunity to grow up fully conversant in the Czech language was available. Alfred's military record strongly indicates that he was bilingual from the start, and that he had a better than average aptitude for learning additional languages.
Alfred and Vita Schenk had a daughter Olga and a son Georg (Jurko). Little is known of the daughter except that in 1927 her address was given as "London" (presumably England). Olga is mentioned in the 1952 probate of Alfred's will as Mrs. Schmidt indicating that she had married someone named Schmidt. Son Georg was married to a Hungarian girl, who was either Jewish, or half-Jewish. As Ida tells it, Jurko had become an ardent Nazi, and divorced his wife during the Hitler Regime to avoid any unfavorable consequences for himself that could arise out of his wife's non-Arian background. This sort of thinking, and some patronizing utterances about Jews, made him a persona non grata in the Birman household (cousin Ida Birman was married to a Slovak Jew, and had spirited her daughter out of the country for her safety). Consequerntly, what she had to say about Jurko (Georg) Schenk is bound to be somewhat biased.
As with everything else that cousin Ida had told me, I was able to verify most of these statements. The personnel records of Alfred Schenk are on LDS film #1230755 (Qualifikationslisten, filmed at the Vienna Kriegsarchiv), all 91 pages. In addition to these the Vienna archives also yielded a copy of his request for permission to marry, which finally provided the name of his wife, and also several pages of his post-World War I retirement record. Another Branch of the Vienna archives provided some 27 pages documenting the process of how he obtained his nobility title of "Edler von", something which even cousin Ida had not mentioned.
It may appear somewhat arrogant to think that an accurate picture can be painted of a stranger from about 100 pages of military records alone. I do not intend to be arrogant. Those papers are not quite everything that I have to go on in the case of cousin Alfred Schenk, I also have about 200 letters written by him to his parents during the first two years of his military career as an officer. Additional material is held at the Kriegsarchiv in Vienna in the form of Alfred's war diaries and photo album, things his son donated to the archives. Because of his high military rank and significant involvement in the fortunes of the Austrian army many references exist buried in numerous books relating to events of the war 1914-1918. I am confident that I will be able to draw reasonable conclusions about my father's first cousin.
The Military Record of Alfred Schenk
Extracted from photocopies of the originals are over 110 pages of records pertaining to his military career and to his acquiring the title of nobility Edler von. The original documents are in German; all translations are mine.
1863 Alfred Schenk, born
5 July 1863 at Laibach in Krain. Entitled to domicile status at Prague, Bohemia.
Roman Catholic.
Son of a
k.k. (Imperial, royal) retired senior civil servant.
Completed three years of the Gymnasium in Prague, as well
as the k.u.k.
Cadet School in Prague from 1877 to 1881 and obtained very good overall results.
Joined the (Austrian)
army on 11
July 1880 as a volunteer for 3 years line duty, 7 years reserve duty, 2 years
militia duty with 4 years of
Präsenzdienst
extension, and was assigned to the Infantry Regiment Freiherr von Mondel Nr.
21 as Infanterist (foot
soldier).fggdoc136-01
| Historical Events of the Period | |
| 1878 | Austria annexed Bosnia-Hercegovina
(as per Congress of Berlin). |
1880 Sep 18 nominated to, and functioned as acting sergeant.fggdoc136-22
1881 Aug 18 Cadet-Offiziers Stellvertreter in the Feldjäger Battalion No.24. Doing company duty as of September.fggdoc136-22
The 1881 Evaluation of Alfred mentions under various headings:
Geographic areas familiar with: Krumau and Budweis through garrisoning; parts of Salzburg from passing through.
Knowledge of languages: German completely spoken and written; speaks Czech completely.
Abilities: Has many abilities and a very good grasp. Has all the knowledge and skills required to carry out his duties. Well-rounded for troop service. Good marksman.
Motivation: Very industrious and ambitious, and shows good results. Very duty-minded and service-oriented. Eager to develop himself further.Conduct: Calm and relaxed, very ambitious. Open, frank, and obedient towards superiors. Strict, yet benevolently caring towards subordinates. Has a positive effect upon the morale. Off duty: Very decent, unassuming and accommodating; seeks the company of fellow officers. The officers corps considers him worthy of promotion to lieutenant.fggdoc136-28
Health: Healthy, suited to all field conditions.fggdoc136-28
Suitability for promotion: Within the normal career path.Summary endorsement by the Brigadier, Colonel Paul Hastiness: "Will become a very good officer in the normal career path.fggdoc136-28
| Historical Events of the Period | |
| 1882 | Insurrection in the Krisvosije region of Southern Dalmatia, and Bosnia-Hercegovina. |
1882 Zusatz zur Qualifikations-Liste is similar:
It shows him assigned to the 91st Infantry Regiment as a Cadet Back-up Officer with a total service of 2 years, 5 months, and 21 days. Doing company duty at the moment, but had taken part in operations in South Dalmatia in 1882. Wearer of the War Medal.
Geographic areas familiar with: South Dalmatia through garrisoning and war events.
Knowledge of languages: German, spoken and written, completely; Czech (language of the Regiment), completely.
Abilities: Has many abilities and a very good grasp. Very well suited to the demands of his present position. Has good capabilities for training and leading his detachment. Is a good marksman.
Industry: Motivated and industrious self-starter.
Conduct: Decisive before the enemy. Calm and relaxed, honorable, already a fully developed, solid character. Open, frank, obedient, and approachable towards superiors. Strict, yet benevolent towards subordinates. Knows how to introduce and maintain discipline. Has a positive effect upon morale. Off duty: Very respectful and unassuming dealing with superiors; else very decent, likes the company of fellow officers. The officer corps considers him worthy of promotion to lieutenant.fggdoc136-22
Health: Tall, slight build but healthy, and suited to all field conditions.fggdoc136-30 (author's note: describing him as "tall" may require that this be seen in the context of the fact that most Austrians were not very tall, and also in the context of being thin with a good posture which may have caused him to appear taller than he really was. In Kmenový List fggdoc191 his height is stated as 169cm which works out to 5'6½". That is not tall; as can be seen in fggdoc136-31, "tall" had been changed to "mittelgroß" meaning "medium height").
Suitability for promotion: Within the normal career path.
Summary endorsement by Major General Johann Edler von Németh:"Agree with the description; in the normal career path".fggdoc136-29,30,32
Campaigns and achievements in the field 1882:
25 Feb: Skirmish at Bunovic south of Ubli.
8 Mar: Battles and occupation of the line Wratto - Ubli.
9 Mar: Battles and occupation of the line Gekovar - Velivoh - Napoda - Akvire.
11 Mar: Battle at Vel Zagvozdak.fggdoc136-26
May: He was commander of Fort St.Croce in the Boccha di Cattaro (Cattaro Bay).fggdoc136-03
1883 Jan 1: transferred to Infantry Regiment No.91. Company duty in Krumau and Budweis.fggdoc136-22
Comments: Honorable, solid character; gentle nature, quiet, calm disposition. Has pretty good knowledge of shooting and the skills to apply that knowledge in practical situations. Quite a good marksman. In dealing with superiors obedient and dutifully frank. Friendly towards peers. Good comrade and a good influence. Prefers to be among fellow officers but tends to be reserved. Is shortsighted and wears glasses.
Summary by commandant of 38th Infantry Brigade: "A cadet who is in every way well disposed to become a good officer".fggdoc136-31 1883/84 Infantry Equitation2 (Horse Training) in Budweis; passed with adequate results.
1884 May 1 Named Lieutenant with the Infantry Regiment Ritter von Fröhlich No.91.fggdoc136-22
Additional comments: Meets the requirements of his position in every way. Quite good instructor; average horseman. A solid, skillful, and very useful officer with good prospects.fggdoc136-33
1885 Doing company duty in Budweis and Krumau.fggdoc136-22,
Additional comments: Medium height, slim build. Had been given 12 weeks of leave due to illness. Otherwise healthy and fit for any kind of peace or war service.fggdoc136-33
1886 Doing company duty in Wittingau.fggdoc136-22
Additional comments: Honorable, solid character, very ambitious, somewhat sensitive. Is preparing himself for admittance to the Kriegsschule (General Staff School created in 1852). A very good, dutiful and excellent officer.fggdoc136-34
It is significant that while still a mere Lieutenant, he had already been earmarked for an out-of-the-ordinary career path and the grooming started with being sent to the General Staff School.
1887
Company duty until 8 October in Wittingau, Pilsen, Budweis, Wien. Until
end of March also attended Infantry
Equitation2
in Pilsen; passed with adequate results. As of 1 November starting attendance
at Kriegsschule.
fggdoc136-25
Additional comments: In case of hostilities, he is slated for the general staff department in Brünn.fggdoc136-34
1887/89 Kriegsschule; passed with very good results.fggdoc136-34
1888 Nov 1 Promoted to Oberleutnant. Spent from 1 January to the end of December in the Kriegsschule.fggdoc136-25
Comment: "Well prepared for mapping". Everything else as in 1887. Qualifies for promotion within the path. (Signed at Vienna 20 December 1888 by two teachers, Lieutenant Colonels Carl Binder, and Alfred von Englisch, and the commander of the Kriegsschule Major General Emanuel Merta).fggdoc136-77
1889 Attends Kriegsschule
until October, then (Nov 1) assigned to general staff of the 9th Infantry Brigade
at Olmütz
until 24
Nov 1891. The 1889 appraisal was also completed by the
school.
Some of the more meaningful comments: mature nature, calm temperament, very capable. Quick grasp and decisiveness, good judgment, very precise in expressing himself. Works quickly, well and neatly. Pretty good horseman. Suited to service with the General Staff. Extremely industrious and ambitious, and obtains very good results. Exemplary behavior towards superiors and peers. Off duty he is reserved and undemanding. Has a very good way with people. Physically strong and enduring. Qualifies for promotion within the path. (Dated at Vienna 29 October 1889 and signed again by two teachers, Lieutenant Colonel Karl Binder, and Major Emil Wainovich, and the commander of the school, Major General Emanuel Merta).fggdoc136-25
1889 was the year when Alfred's first cousin Hans Zwierzina was born.
1890 11 Apr - 5 May General Staff Officer of the 9th Infantry Brigade in the area Olmütz, Märisch Ostrau.
Opinion of the Troop Divisionaire (Commandant of the 5th Infantry Troop Division): (To be promoted) outside of the regular path because of the reasons given in the attached reportfggdoc136-07.
Comments: (much the same as 1891 below). Very talented, industrious and in every way a superior officer. Extremely well suited for transfer to the General Staff Corps. Therefore according to point 46 of the promotion regulations: outside of the path.fggdoc136-42
The second indication, of having been selected for an accelerated career path, came the year after he had passed the General Staff School: His Division Commander stated in writing that Alfred was to be promoted outside of the regular career path, meaning faster than normal.
Report on the Qualifications of First Lieutenant Alfred Schenk, of the Infantry Regiment Ritter von Fröhlich Nr.91, General Staff Officer of the 9th Infantry Brigade, for the purpose of promotion outside of the regular career path: Talented, modest, excellent officer who is fully qualified for transfer to the General Staff Corps, and who is worthy of promotion outside of the regular career path (dated at Olmütz 24 January 1891, signed "I. Ritter von Samonigg, Field Marshal Lieutenant").fggdoc136-74
1891 General Staff Officer with the 2nd Mountain Brigade (Trebinje).
Comments: Thorough and broad, general and military knowledge.
Geographic areas familiar with: Parts of Istria, Krain, Corinthia, Styria, and south-western Hungary acquired through a travel of study to Turkey.fggdoc136-03
1891 was the year when Alfred's first cousin Emil Zwierzina (my father) was born.
Additional comments: Speaks and writes German perfectly correct, with a refined style. Speaks Czech perfectly. Can make himself understood in French, and writes it quite well. Very realistic and decisive character; calm temperament; very capable, quick grasp and decisive; good judgement; very precise way of expressing himself; works fast, well, and neatly. Extremely suited for general staff officer of the Brigade. Pretty good horseman. Respected comrade with good mannerisms and excellent influence on younger officers; unassuming and modest. (The above description is based for the best part on the addendum received from the Kriegsschule). This excellent officer is completely suitable for transfer to the General Staff Corps.fggdoc136-35
Report on the Qualifications of First Lieutenant Alfred Schenk of the Infantry Regiment Ritter von Fröhlich Nr.91, General Staff Officer of the 9th Infantry Brigade for the purpose of promotion outside of the regular career path: First Lieutenant Alfred Schenk satisfies all requirements of item 46 of the promotion Regulations, and because of his excellent characteristics and mental abilities, his untiring industriousness and superior achievements, he is fully deserving of accelerated advancement. We request therefore his promotion "outside of the regular career path". (dated at Olmütz 31 December 1891 and signed by the commander of the 9th Infantry Brigade, a Major General, and the Chief of Staff of the 5th Infantry Troops, a Major).fggdoc136-73
Opinion of the Troop Divisionaire: same as 1890 - outside the path.fggdoc136-07
1892 May 5 Promoted
to Captain 1st Class in the General Staff Corps.fggdoc136-02
Until Nov 1 with the general staff of the
2nd Mountain
Brigade in Trebinje. Nov 1 1892 until Apr 30 1895 with the general staff department
of the 12th corps
inHermannstadt.fggdoc136-03
Comments: A rather good, and dashing horseman. Still has to write the exams for staff officer in the General Staff Corps. Generally suited for (further) promotion.fggdoc136-43It is interesting that someone remembered about the exams still to be written when he had already been a General Staff Officer for three years.
1893
Comments: Honorable, genuine character; decisive, enduring.
Very capable with quick grasp. Well suited for his present
position, very
knowledgeable, works quickly and is very dependable. Did very well during this
year's weapons exercises.
Good horseman.
Has yet to write the exams for the position of major on the General Staff.fggdoc136-44
1894
Comments: Showed good aptitude for teaching while acting
as assignment preparer, and instructor to the provisioning
units during the
war games.fggdoc136-44
Has essentially perfected his knowledge of French and Russian through studies.fggdoc136-45
This is the confirmation for Ida's spy story. It would be expecting too much of Alfred's military records to actually say that he was sent to spy, but the fact that his next job after returning to Vienna was that of an "intelligence officer with the Evidence Bureau of the General Staff" does not leave much doubt in my mind.The story of the infamous Austrian spy Redl, extracted from one of my references, is so uncannily similar to parts of Alfred Schenk's career that I must include it here for comparison: The 23 year-old Redl was promoted to Lieutenant in 1887. From 1892 to 1894 he attended the General Staff School, and was seconded to the General Staff in 1899 as a full-fledged General Staff Officer.
Because he spoke Polish and Ukrainian fluently, Captain Redl was sent to Russia in the same year in an exchange of General Staff Officers. The ostensible purpose of this trip was to learn Russian, but in reality both sides used this friendly arrangement to train spies.Back in Vienna in 1900 Redl was posted to the Evidenzbüro for the Austro-Hungarian General Staff and put in charge of intelligence activities vis-à-vis Russia. What he did, however, he turned, and spied for Russia. Decorations and promotions were heaped on him. He was promoted to full Colonel in 1912, and General Staff Chief of the 8th Prague Army Corps.
He was unmasked 24 May 1913 by German General Staff and Austrian State Police. He killed himself the same night.
1896 May 15 to 1 May 1897
Intelligence Officer with the General Staff's Information Bureau (Kundschaftsoffizier
im Evidenzbureau
des Generalstabes) in Vienna.
Comments: Russian spoken and written excellently. French very good. Performs very well in his present assignment as intelligence officer with the Evidence Bureau. Works independently and with much initiative. In 1896 he also took part in exercises involving observation balloons.fggdoc136-03
In October he was ready to marry at the age of 33, and this is where we find out, from a document in Alfred's own handwriting, the identity of the girl who later became the Tante Vita referred to by cousin Ida. The document is Alfred's "Request for Permission to Marry"fggdoc190. That this was an official document is signified by the 50 Kreuzer Stempelmarke attached to its upper left corner.The document is written in the style of a letter, it is addressed to the Imperial and Royal Ministry of War in Vienna, and is dated 12 Oct 1896. Alfred is asking for permission to marry Miss Viktoria von Grahe, daughter of the Imperial Russian State-Council (Staatsrath) Gustav Ferdinand Ritter von Grahe and his wife Viktoria née von Bloßfeldt, of Kasan.
It may be an indication of how popular Alfred was, or how well he knew to pull strings, but his letter goes on to indicate that he had arranged to get around the numerical restrictions existing in his unit. He says that Captain Adolf Brunswik de Korompa of the General Staff Corps had deposited a statement giving up his permission to marry in Alfred's favor, and he names the next six in line as having no objections to this switch. Alfred came from behind and found a way to move to the front of the line. He ends his petition with the statement that the bride has secured an annual income supplement of 1200 Gulden.
The endorsement (with a signature which appears to be Kolozsváry) points out that the bride's family is known to "our officers who are in Kasan to learn the Russian language", and the intended marriage is without doubt entirely compatible in terms of social standing. Captain Schenk is in an immaculate financial situation, and the intended marriage would further improve his material position.fggdoc190
1896 Dec 14 Alfred
Schenk Married Viktoria von Grahe upon securing
an independent annual income of 1200 Gulden
(property of the
wife). He personally without wealth. Financially solvent.fggdoc136-37
 |
Viktoria
von Grahe (wife of Alfred Edler von Schenk) |
Picture
courtesy Johanna Rainer (née Zwierzina) |
Some comments about Viktoria's family: The author obtained many years later additional information from cousin Johanna Rainer indicating that Viktoria was referred to by some of our relatives as "die Baltin", suggesting that her family originated in the Baltikum, the group of small countries germanized by the Teutonic Order. Germans formed the educated segment of the population. Later when Russia took posession of the region, the educated Germans were encouraged to work for the Russian government. An old picture of a Grahe burial place provides some indication and confirmation that the Grahe family lived at Hohenberg, Kurland/Russia, where some of the family's graves can be found. It is perhaps significant that the gave stones do not show the honorific "von". As to their nobility titles, the Deutsch-Baltische Archives were kind enough to check for me, and did find the name Bloßfeldt in their records, but not Grahe. Focusing on the construct of the title as "Ritter von" the archives felt it would have to be an Austrian title, since that country was the only one that conferred the word "Ritter".
1897 Organizationally
assigned to the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment No.4 for troop service,
but actually remained
with the General
Staff Corps.fggdoc136-02
1 May 1897 to 1 Nov 1898 Commander of the 2nd Company of the Bosnian-
Hercegovinian Infantry
Regiment No.4.fggdoc136-03
Comments: He instructs and leads a company very skillfully under all conditions. He grasps a situation in all detail and positions himself with ease. Outside the path.fggdoc136-46
Opinion of the Divisionaire: Captain Schenk is a dutiful, competent officer. He had, however, only recently joined us and I did not have much opportunity to get to know him. While acknowledging his past achievements, I am not yet in a position to agree to the application for promotion outside the path. Therefore "in the path".fggdoc136-16
A Report on the qualifications of Captain 1st Class in the General Staff Corps, assigned for troop duty with the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment Nr.4 for the purpose of promotion outside the regular career path: Captain Schenk has devoted himself with an iron will, and in a most goal-oriented way to the theoretical and practical duties with the Regiment, and obtained very good results. Despite the short time that he had spent in training and in leading his Company, and in the leading of the Battalion, he had developed considerable confidence which points out his unquestionable suitability for Battalion Commander. In view of this, and in full recognition of his excellent character traits, his sound judgment, and his good influence upon the esprit of the officers corps, the Rating Commission is moved to qualify Captain Alfred Schenk for promotion outside the regular career path. (dated at Vienna 4 December 1897, and signed by two Majors, and two Colonels, one being the Commander of the Regiment Miklo Stojsavljevi.fggdoc136-71
Opinion of the Brigadier: Captain Alfred Schenk has performed exceptionally well in both theory and practice. He has acquired great confidence in leading the company and the battalion. As far as his exceptional qualities, his positive influence upon the troops and the officer corps, he fully qualifies for promotion outside of the tour.fggdoc136-17
This must have been somewhat embarrassing for the Division Commander who went against the precedent set by Alfred's previous superiors, and did not recommend his promotion "outside" the normal career path. He was upstaged by the "Rating Commission" consisting of two colonels, and two majors, and by the Brigadier who agreed with the "Rating Commission". Or was the Divisionaire the only one right? See the rating of the following year.
1898 In March he passed the examination required for promotion to Major with "appropriate overall results".
Nov 1 Promoted to Major in the General Staff Corps, and transferred for duty as Chief of the General Staff of the 16th Infantry Troop Division.fggdoc136-02
11.3.1898 Alfred's son Georg Ferdinand is born.fggdoc191 There is some doubt about the day of birth since the Wiener Genealogisches Taschenbuch for 1927/28 show the date as 4 Mar 1898.fggdoc237 Added note of 2006: The newly connected cousin, Johanna Rainer (née Zwierzina) is said to have been in contact by correspondence with "Jiri" (Georg, or "Yura", or "Jurko") during WW1. A picture of him meeting with father Alfred Schenk somewhere on the Doberdo Plateau during WW1 had also become available. Son Georg seems to be wearing a marine uniform. Another picture of him is also available where he is quite old already. Georg is quoted as saying in one of his letters that he unfortunately never had any children from any of his three marriages. Johanna is said to have met a "Helga" supposedly the last of George's wives, and she seems to be the one who donated several keepsakes from George's estate to Johanna who passed on, among other things, Alfred Schenk's saber to Johanna's son Wolfgang Rainer. Somehow, there seems to have been also a contact with Luise Weber in this meeting.
Comments: Moves mostly in the circle of his family. Had been given 12 weeks leave because of illness, but is fully recovered and fit for any peace, or war time assignment. Suited for promotion to Regiment Commandant.fggdoc136-46
Father of a dependent son. Financially solvent.fggdoc136-37
Opinion of the Brigadier: Agree with the description by the Regiment Commandant. As far as his suitability to become regiment commandant, he should be given an opportunity to prove himself. In the path.fggdoc136-17
Opinion of the Divisionaire: A very capable officer who has performed very well in every respect. In the path.fggdoc136-16
Opinion of the Chief of the General Staff: Capable general staff officer. Made a good showing as Company commandant, was however ill for an extended period of time. Has to be tested in the service of the general staff before I can judge. In the path.fggdoc136-09
Opinion of the Corps Commandant (dated 14 Nov 1898 at Vienna): Measured up very well as company commandant. I cannot yet comment on his suitability for commandant of a regiment. In the path.fggdoc136-08
This appears to be an important mile stone in that the next promotion will give him command of a Regiment. All at once he is unanimously squeezed back into the career path. Could they have resented his illness? What was his problem?
1899
Comments: Partook in the big voyage of the General Staff
Group VII. Entrusted with the direction of applications training
for Doctors and
Medics of the Group Hermannstadt; as well as with the general direction of the
field signals training. He was
also active as
language teacher of Russian to officers of two different troop units.fggdoc136-03
Familiarity with geographic areas (1892-1899): Montenegro, parts of Southern France, Switzerland, North and South Italy, Monaco, Rumania, Bulgaria, Route to Belgrade, Sofia, Constantinopel, north-western part of Asia Minor, the better part of south-European Russia including Finland, Crimea, Caucasus, West Siberia, Turkestan, Bochara, northern Persia.fggdoc136-05
Very capable, energetic, active and self-confident staff officer, who according to the previous appraisals, promises to become a battalion or regiment commander.fggdoc136-47
Opinion of the Chief of the General Staff: Performs well as Chief of the Division's General Staff. In the path.fggdoc136-09
Opinion of the Corps Commandant: A very good, productive general staff officer who does justice to his position. In the path.fggdoc136-08
1900 Took part as party leader in the small voyage of General Staff Group VII.fggdoc136-03
Additional Language skills: Serbo Croatian - adequate for duty use. Russian - speaks and writes excellently, French - speaks and writes very well.fggdoc136-06
Opinion of the Chief of the General Staff: Capable general staff officer who meets the requirements of his role well. (not changed for 1901, 1902).fggdoc136-12
Opinion of the Corps Commandant: Very good, productive staff officer who performs well in his position. In the path.fggdoc136-10
1901 Chief of Staff of the
general staff of the 16th Infantry Truz Division. Continued with responsibilities
for the training
of medical and
signal units. (Hermannstadt).fggdoc136-03
23.3.1901
Alfred's daughter Olga Viktoria is born.fggdoc191
1902 May 1
Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the General Staff Corps.fggdoc136-02
Chief of Staff of the general staff of the
16th Infantry Truz
Division, and carrying on with the responsibilities for the training of medical
and signal units of Group
Nagyszeben until
24 Oct 1903.fggdoc136-03
1903 Oct 24 Assigned for
Troop duty to the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment No.1.fggdoc136-02
11 Nov Commander
of the 2nd Field
Battalion (Vienna).fggdoc136-03
Opinion of the Chief of the General Staff: Performed well as Chief of the Divisional general staff. In the path.fggdoc136-12
Opinion of the Corps Commandant: Very good, productive staff officer who performs well in his position. In the path. (dated 3 Nov 1903 at Nagyszeben).fggdoc136-11
1904 1 Nov Teacher at the Corps' Officers School in Vienna.fggdoc136-03
Opinion of the Brigadier: From my personal observation, I am in full agreement with the description of this excellent officer. Because the Regiment was not involved in the larger exercises this year, I did not have the opportunity to judge him on the leading of a regiment. He does lead a battalion very skillfully. Considering the flexibility and usefulness of this well trained and knowledgeable staff officer who has a very good influence on the staff corps, I second the opinion of his Regimental commander and consider him exceptionally qualified for a regiment commander. In the path.fggdoc136-13
Opinion of the Troop Divisionaire: Performed well as battalion commandant. Lead the battalion skillfully and with understanding. Decisive, deploys well. Generally a very informed staff officer with a positive influence on the staff corps. Because the regiment was not involved in the big exercises this year, I was unable to judge in depth his suitability to be regiment commandant. I will state for now that he is qualified to be regiment commandant.fggdoc136-15
Opinion of the Chief of the General Staff: As before. Also performs in troop-related duties.fggdoc136-12
Opinion of the Corps Commandant: Leads a battalion very well. I am unable at this time to comment about his excellent suitability for regiment commandant. In the meantime - suited for Regiment Commandant. In the path.fggdoc136-10
1905 April 28: Transferred
to the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment No.1 from General Staff Corps
(but without
changing his organizational
assignment to the general staff).fggdoc136-02
Until 20 June full time teacher at the Staff College.
21 June Commandant
of the 2nd Field Battalion. 1 Nov teacher at the Staff College in Viennafggdoc136-03.
Nov 1 Promoted
to Colonel in the service of the Bosnian-Hercegovinian Infantry Regiment No.1.fggdoc136-02
Opinion of the Brigadier: Met the requirements during this year's exercises in the leading of the regiment and functioning as party commandant. As in the previous year: excellent suitability for regiment commandant.fggdoc136-13
Opinion of the Troop Divisionaire: He lead the regiment during this year's maneuvers very skillfully, and deployed it well. He has a good tactical sense. Is fully qualified to instruct and to lead the officers corps. Excellent qualifications for regiment commandant.
Opinion of the Corps Commandant: Not known to me. (then he proceeds to quote G.V.K. Gf Maküll(?) saying that) "he is extremely well suited to be regiment commander". (which is not what he said in 1904 - he said he could not comment). Signed "Fiedler FZM" (FZM=Feldzeugmeister(9).fggdoc136-15
1906 Until 1 July teacher
at the Staff College in Vienna, then staff officer for special duties.
Interim commandant
of the regiment from 8 October to 21 October.fggdoc136-03
Opinion of the Brigadier: Brig. quotes the previous Brig. and repeats previous year's comments.fggdoc136-13Opinion of the Troop Divisionaire: Almost verbatim from previous year.fggdoc136-15 Opinion of the Corps Commandant: Leads with real grasp and understanding. Exceptionally suited to be regiment commandant. (signed Fiedler FZM - see his waffling the previous year).fggdoc136-10
 |
Picture
courtesy Glenn Jewison |
Opinion of the Troop Divisionaire: Performed admirably as Regimental commandant. Skillful in the tactical direction of the regiment, and also in the leading and training of the officer corps. Has gone to considerable length to upgrade the level of training in the regiment. Shows much care and consideration for the material welfare of the troops. Without a doubt he is also suited to become brigadier and Major General.fggdoc136-15 Opinion of the Corps Commandant: A very capable Regiment Commandant. Strong character, energetic, of very independent and sure judgement. Leads skillfully, with quick decisions and consequences. Very caring. Good influence on the martial training of officers and men. Suited to become brigadier and more senior ranks. (signed m.p.(10) Fiedler FZM, dated Vienna 29 November 1907).fggdoc136-10
