Franz Graf Conrad von Hötzendorf
Encyclopedia
Count Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf ( – the proper family name is Conrad) (November 11, 1852 – August 25, 1925) was an Austrian soldier and Chief of the General Staff of the Austro-Hungarian Army
at the outbreak of World War I
.
, a suburb of Vienna
. His father was a retired Hussar
colonel, originally from south Moravia
. His mother was the daughter of the famous Vienna artist Kübler. Conrad's great grandfather had been raised to the nobility in 1816 adding "von Hötzendorf", the surname of his wife from the Palatinate, as his predicate.
Conrad was educated at the Theresianische Militärakademie
and at age 19 received a commission as lieutenant in a Jäger
unit. After graduating from the Kriegsschule
in 1876, he transferred to the General Staff Corps.
In 1878-1879, these duties brought him to Bosnia and Herzegovina
, when those two Turkish provinces were assigned to the military administration of Austria-Hungary. He was also a member of the staff during the insurrection in Dalmatia
, in 1882.
In the fall of 1888, he began a new appointment as a professor of tactics in the Kriegsschule (military academy) in Vienna, a position he prepared for by touring the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War
.
and was promoted to major general. After acting against a major Italian uprising in the city in 1902, he was made Feldmarschalleutnant and took command of the 8th Infantry Division at Innsbruck
in 1903.
By the time of his appointment to chief of staff for the Austro-Hungarian armed forces
in November 1906, he had established a reputation as a teacher and writer. Like other Austro-Hungarian officers of his generation, he had little direct combat experience, but had studied and written extensively about theory and tactics. His published works on infantry tactics sold well and were printed in multiple editions. He was a tireless campaigner for modernization of the armed forces.
in response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Conrad often proposed unrealistically grandiose plans, disregarding the realities of terrain and climate. The plans that he drew up frequently underestimated the power of the enemy. For example, the Serbian army proved far more effective than he had expected (see Serbian Campaign (WWI) for details). Also, his first offensives against Russia were remarkable for their lack of effect combined with massive human cost. His mistakes led to the disastrous first year of war that crippled Austro-Hungarian military capabilities. The most disastrous defeat came in 1916, in the Brusilov Offensive
by Russia
. The Austro-Hungarian forces under Conrad's command lost nearly 1.5 million men, and were never again capable of mounting an offensive without German help. Most of Austria's victories were possible only in conjunction with German
armies, on which the Austro-Hungarian army became increasingly dependent.
On the other hand, the historian Cyril Falls
argues that Conrad was probably the best strategist of the war and that his plans were brilliant in conception. The German generals in the east based most of their successful offensive operations on Conrad's plans. To his admirers he was a "military genius"; one such admirer was the Soviet general and theorist Boris Shaposhnikov
in his book Mozg Armii
, in which Conrad was presented as a model for a good Chief of the General Staff. On the other hand, "Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf never admitted his share of responsibility for the onset of the First World War or the defeat of Austria-Hungary... he claimed to have been "just a military expert" with no voice in the key decisions."
Following the accession of Emperor Karl to the throne in November 1916, Conrad was elevated to the rank of field marshal
, one of only three men in Austria-Hungary to hold that rank at the time. While still the heir-apparent, the new emperor had reported to Franz Josef that the "mismanagement" in the army's high command could not be cleared out until Conrad was replaced, but admitted that finding someone to take his role would not be easy. Yet under the new emperor, Conrad's powers were gradually eroded. In December Karl took supreme command of the army and operational control of all combat units in the army and navy. On March 1, 1917, Karl dismissed Conrad, who then requested retirement. The emperor personally asked him to remain on active duty, and when Conrad accepted, he was placed in command of the South Tyrolean Army Group.
In the late spring of 1918, the failure of the Austro-Hungarian offensives against the Italians
, with costly and bloody assaults led by both Conrad and Boroević
, brought condemnation upon the imperial leadership. Further complicating Conrad's image was his identification with those in the government intent on continuing the war. In this atmosphere, Conrad, described as a "broken man", was dismissed on July 15, perhaps in an effort to deflect further criticism.
In 1918 he was made a Graf, or Count, having been a baron.
Conrad was something of a social Darwinist, and believed a battle between German and Slavic civilization was inevitable. The power of the Magyar elite within Austria-Hungary troubled him, as he believed it weakened and diluted what he saw as an essentially German empire. He also worried about Italian ambitions in the Balkans. However, his greatest ambition was for a pre-emptive war against Serbia in order to neutralize the threat that he believed they posed, and at the same time change the political balance within Austria-Hungary against the Magyars by incorporating more Slavs. According to Hew Strachan
, "Conrad von Hötzendorf first proposed preventive war against Serbia in 1906, and he did so again in 1908-9, in 1912-13, in October 1913, and May 1914: between 1 January 1913 and 1 January 1914 he proposed a Serbian war twenty-five times."
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
at the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Early life and military career
Conrad was born in PenzingPenzing (Vienna)
Penzing is the 14th District of Vienna and consists of the boroughs of Penzing, Breitensee, Baumgarten, Hütteldorf and Hadersdorf-Weidlingau. In the west, it shares a border with Purkersdorf and Mauerbach...
, a suburb of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. His father was a retired Hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
colonel, originally from south Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
. His mother was the daughter of the famous Vienna artist Kübler. Conrad's great grandfather had been raised to the nobility in 1816 adding "von Hötzendorf", the surname of his wife from the Palatinate, as his predicate.
Conrad was educated at the Theresianische Militärakademie
Theresianum
This article is about the Theresian Academy in Vienna. For other uses of Theresianum, see Theresianum .Theresianum is a private boarding school governed by the laws for public schools in Vienna, which was founded by Maria Theresa of Austria in 1746.-History:-1...
and at age 19 received a commission as lieutenant in a Jäger
Jäger (military)
Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
unit. After graduating from the Kriegsschule
Kriegsschule (Austria)
The Kriegsschule was the military academy in Vienna at which officers for the armies of the Austrian Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire were trained from 1852 to 1918....
in 1876, he transferred to the General Staff Corps.
In 1878-1879, these duties brought him to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
, when those two Turkish provinces were assigned to the military administration of Austria-Hungary. He was also a member of the staff during the insurrection in Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, in 1882.
In the fall of 1888, he began a new appointment as a professor of tactics in the Kriegsschule (military academy) in Vienna, a position he prepared for by touring the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
.
Return to command and Chief of Staff
Conrad requested transfer back to command in 1892 and took charge of an infantry regiment. Later that year he commanded the 55th Infantry Brigade in TriesteTrieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
and was promoted to major general. After acting against a major Italian uprising in the city in 1902, he was made Feldmarschalleutnant and took command of the 8th Infantry Division at Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
in 1903.
By the time of his appointment to chief of staff for the Austro-Hungarian armed forces
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
in November 1906, he had established a reputation as a teacher and writer. Like other Austro-Hungarian officers of his generation, he had little direct combat experience, but had studied and written extensively about theory and tactics. His published works on infantry tactics sold well and were printed in multiple editions. He was a tireless campaigner for modernization of the armed forces.
World War I
Conrad was one of the main proponents of war with SerbiaSerbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
in response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Conrad often proposed unrealistically grandiose plans, disregarding the realities of terrain and climate. The plans that he drew up frequently underestimated the power of the enemy. For example, the Serbian army proved far more effective than he had expected (see Serbian Campaign (WWI) for details). Also, his first offensives against Russia were remarkable for their lack of effect combined with massive human cost. His mistakes led to the disastrous first year of war that crippled Austro-Hungarian military capabilities. The most disastrous defeat came in 1916, in the Brusilov Offensive
Brusilov Offensive
The Brusilov Offensive , also known as the June Advance, was the Russian Empire's greatest feat of arms during World War I, and among the most lethal battles in world history. Prof. Graydon A. Tunstall of the University of South Florida called the Brusilov Offensive of 1916 the worst crisis of...
by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The Austro-Hungarian forces under Conrad's command lost nearly 1.5 million men, and were never again capable of mounting an offensive without German help. Most of Austria's victories were possible only in conjunction with German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
armies, on which the Austro-Hungarian army became increasingly dependent.
On the other hand, the historian Cyril Falls
Cyril Falls
Cyril Bentham Falls CBE was a military historian noted for his work on the First World War. He was born in Dublin and died in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey....
argues that Conrad was probably the best strategist of the war and that his plans were brilliant in conception. The German generals in the east based most of their successful offensive operations on Conrad's plans. To his admirers he was a "military genius"; one such admirer was the Soviet general and theorist Boris Shaposhnikov
Boris Shaposhnikov
Boris Mikhailovitch Shaposhnikov was a Soviet military commander.-Biography:Shaposhnikov was born at Zlatoust, near Chelyabinsk in the Urals. He joined the army of the Russian Empire in 1901 and graduated from the Nicholas General Staff Academy in 1910, reaching the rank of colonel in the...
in his book Mozg Armii
Mozg Armii
Mozg Armii , in English The Brain of the Army, is a three-volume military theory book published between 1927 and 1929. It is the most important work of Boris Shaposhnikov, a Soviet military commander then in command of the Moscow military region...
, in which Conrad was presented as a model for a good Chief of the General Staff. On the other hand, "Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf never admitted his share of responsibility for the onset of the First World War or the defeat of Austria-Hungary... he claimed to have been "just a military expert" with no voice in the key decisions."
Following the accession of Emperor Karl to the throne in November 1916, Conrad was elevated to the rank of field marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
, one of only three men in Austria-Hungary to hold that rank at the time. While still the heir-apparent, the new emperor had reported to Franz Josef that the "mismanagement" in the army's high command could not be cleared out until Conrad was replaced, but admitted that finding someone to take his role would not be easy. Yet under the new emperor, Conrad's powers were gradually eroded. In December Karl took supreme command of the army and operational control of all combat units in the army and navy. On March 1, 1917, Karl dismissed Conrad, who then requested retirement. The emperor personally asked him to remain on active duty, and when Conrad accepted, he was placed in command of the South Tyrolean Army Group.
In the late spring of 1918, the failure of the Austro-Hungarian offensives against the Italians
Battle of the Piave River
The Battle of the Piave River , known in Italy as Battaglia del Solstizio , Battaglia di Mezzo Giugno , or Seconda Battaglia del Piave , was a decisive victory for the Italian Army during World War...
, with costly and bloody assaults led by both Conrad and Boroević
Svetozar Boroevic
Svetozar Boroević von Bojna was an Austro-Hungarian field marshal who was described as one of the finest defensive strategists of the First World War....
, brought condemnation upon the imperial leadership. Further complicating Conrad's image was his identification with those in the government intent on continuing the war. In this atmosphere, Conrad, described as a "broken man", was dismissed on July 15, perhaps in an effort to deflect further criticism.
In 1918 he was made a Graf, or Count, having been a baron.
Family
Conrad married Wilhelmine le Beau in 1886, with whom he had four sons. He would later marry Virginia von Reininghaus in 1915, against the wishes of his children.Policy, politics, and theory
In military matters, Conrad emphasized the importance of aggressive, well-trained infantry and the strategic and tactical offensive.Conrad was something of a social Darwinist, and believed a battle between German and Slavic civilization was inevitable. The power of the Magyar elite within Austria-Hungary troubled him, as he believed it weakened and diluted what he saw as an essentially German empire. He also worried about Italian ambitions in the Balkans. However, his greatest ambition was for a pre-emptive war against Serbia in order to neutralize the threat that he believed they posed, and at the same time change the political balance within Austria-Hungary against the Magyars by incorporating more Slavs. According to Hew Strachan
Hew Strachan
Brigadier Professor Hew Francis Anthony Strachan, DL, FRSE, FRHS is a Scottish military historian, well known for his work on the administration of the British Army and the history of the First World War...
, "Conrad von Hötzendorf first proposed preventive war against Serbia in 1906, and he did so again in 1908-9, in 1912-13, in October 1913, and May 1914: between 1 January 1913 and 1 January 1914 he proposed a Serbian war twenty-five times."
Legacy
- The German Army post in OberammergauOberammergauOberammergau is a municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria, Germany. The town is famous for its production of a Passion Play, its woodcarvers, and the NATO School.-Passion Play:...
, Bavaria, built in 1937, is named the Conrad von Hötzendorf Kaserne. - He appears in Karl KrausKarl KrausKarl Kraus was an Austrian writer and journalist, known as a satirist, essayist, aphorist, playwright and poet. He is regarded as one of the foremost German-language satirists of the 20th century, especially for his witty criticism of the press, German culture, and German and Austrian...
' tragedy The Last Days of Mankind in act 1 scene 24. - He has a prominent role in Dennis WheatleyDennis WheatleyDennis Yates Wheatley was an English author. His prolific output of stylish thrillers and occult novels made him one of the world's best-selling authors from the 1930s through the 1960s.-Early life:...
's historical adventure The Second Seal.