Landessch眉tzen

<html><head> <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"/> <meta content="en-us" http-equiv="Content-Language"/> <meta content="Microsoft FrontPage 4.0" name="generator"/> <meta content="Glenn Jewison" name="author"/> <meta content="2001 Glenn Jewison" name="COPYRIGHT"/> <meta content="The mountain troops of the Austrian Landwehr - the Landessch眉tzen/Kaisersch眉tzen 1914-1918" name="description"/> <meta content="k.u.k, k.k., Austro-Hungarian army, Landessch眉tzen, Kaisersch眉tzen " name="keywords"/> <title>Landessch眉tzen</title> </head> <body alink="#0000FF" bgcolor="#FFF8DC" link="#0000FF" text="#400040" vlink="#DB7093"> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="4" width="94%"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" valign="bottom"> <a href="/" name="Landessch眉tzen/Kaisersch眉tzen聽">Landessch眉tzen/Kaisersch眉tzen聽</a>聽</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="48%"><img border="0" height="243" src="/lschtzn.jpg" width="393"/> Contemporary illustration showing the last peacetime uniforms of the Landessch眉tzen. Of particular note is the officer on the extreme left of the group wearing the parade uniform as worn when on parade with the troops.</td> <td width="4%"> </td> <td valign="top" width="48%"> Introduction The Austro-Hungarian army of the great war fielded two very notable organisations in the defence of the their Southern border with the Kingdom of Italy. These were the Kaiserj盲ger regiments and the Landessch眉tzen later renamed as the Kaisersch眉tzen regiments. As outlined in the introductory page of this site, the ground forces of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy were not one homogeneous force but in fact three separate armies; the common army of the empire and the two national armies of the principal states within the monarchy - Austria and Hungary known as the Landwehr and Landwehr (Honv茅d) respectively. Whereas the Kaiserj盲ger were a part of the common army, the Landessch眉tzen were regiments of the Austrian Landwehr.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </center> </div> <hr/> <div align="center"> <center> </center><center> </center><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="4" width="710"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" valign="bottom" width="700"> Formation and Pre-war History The creation of the Tyrolean and Voralberg Landessch眉tzen units was originally ordered in December 1870 at a strength of ten battalions bearing the numbers 1 to 10 ( from 1889 I to X) with a projected wartime establishment of four field and one replacement companies each. The yearly recruiting contingent was set at 413 men per year. According to the statute of 1874, every battalion had in peace-time four field companies. being of predominantly German nationality the command language of the Landessch眉tzen was German and the title of the private soldier was initially Sch眉tze which in 1894 was changed to Landessch眉tze. The strength of a battalion was comparable to that of common army Feldj盲ger battalion. The ten battalions were named and garrisoned as follows: 聽</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="415"> Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Unter-Inn-Thal Nr.I Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Innsbruck-Wipp-Thal Nr.II Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Ober-Inn-Thal Nr.III Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Ober-Etsch-Thal Nr.IV Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Etsch und Fleims-Thal Nr.V Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Puster-Thal Nr.VI Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Noce-Avisio Nr.VII Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Trient-Valsugana Nr.VIII Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Roveredo-Sarca Nr.IX Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Voralberg Nr.X</td> <td width="279">Schwaz Innsbruck Imst Meran Bozen Bruneck Mezzolombardo Trient Riva Bregenz (1901 Imst)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> 聽 On the 1st of May 1893, the ten battalions were formed into three regiments: Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Nr.I with the regimental staff in Innsbruck, Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Nr.II with regimental staff in Bozen and Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Nr.III with regimental staff in Trient. The regiments were formed from the following battalions: 聽 </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"> Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Nr.I Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Nr.II Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Nr.III </td> <td valign="top" width="350"> Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Nr.I, II, III and X Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Nr.IV, V and VI Landessch眉tzen-Bataillon Nr.VII, VIII and IX </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> 聽 Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Nr.III was disbanded in 1901 and its battalions transferred to the II. regiment. At the same time the I. and II. regiments were reorganised: The II. and IV. battalions of the I. regiment were disabanded and the III. battalion was renamed as the II. The III. battalion from the k.k.Landwehrinfanterieregiment Nr.2 became the new III. battalion. The newly organised regiments were now known as the k.k.Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Innsbruck Nr.I and k.k.Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Bozen Nr.II respectively and were brigaded together in the k.k.88.Landessch眉tzenbrigade which had its headquarters in Bozen. On the 1st May 1906 the two regiments of landessch眉tzen were officially recognised as high mountain troops and following this the I.regiment moved to and received the name k.k.Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Trient Nr.I. Finally on the 1st of March 1909 the III.regiment was reformed as the k.k.Tiroler Landessch眉tzenregiment Innichen Nr.III. </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> 聽 The First World War 聽 Mobilisation found all three regiments of Landessch眉tzen serving in Feldmarschalleutnant Heinrich Tschurtschenthaler von Helmheim's 44.Landwehr-Infanterie-Division. The 1st regiment was serving in Generalmajor Ludwig Goiginger's 122.Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade and the other two regiments under command of Generalmajor Karl Georgi's 88.Landessch眉tzen-Brigade. As a part of XIV.Korps (General der Infanterie Erzherzog Joseph Ferdinand) and General der Kavallerie Rudolf Ritter von Brudermann 's 3.Armee, the specialised high mountain warfare trained soldiers found themselves not fighting in the Dolomites or the Puster Valley but on the relatively flat Galician plains of what is now the Western Ukraine. All three regiments suffered high casualties during that first Summer and Winter campaign on the Russian front in engagements such as Grodek, Rawa-Ruska, Przemysl, Limanowa and the especially difficult fighting in the Carpathian mountains. Following the successful Gorlice-Tarn贸w offensive in May 1915 and Italy's subsequent entry into the war later that month, all three regiments were moved to the Italian front, where they joined colleagues who had manned the border fortifications since the outbreak of the war. The regiments fought at the Isonzo, Col di Lana, the Trentino offensive of 1916 and in many other bitter engagements during the next three years. The skill and valour of the three regiments would earn them the name of Kaisersch眉tzen on the 16th January 1917, when Kaiser Karl in recognition of their prowess awarded them this new designation. Uniquely among the Austro-Hungarian forces, five officers of the Landessch眉tzen/Kaisersch眉tzen were awarded the Military Maria Theresa Order - Austro-Hungary's highest award for valour during the First World War: 聽 </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"> Oberst Robert Freiherr von Proch谩zka Oberleutnant Alfred <a href="/biog/enrich.html"> Enrich</a> Major Konstantin <a href="/biog/valentini.html"> Valentini</a> Oberleutnant Wilhelm Licka Leutnant der Reserve Peter <a href="/biog/SCHEIDER.HTM"> Scheider</a> </td> <td valign="top" width="350"> Kaisersch眉tzenregiment Nr.II Kaisersch眉tzenregiment Nr.I Kaisersch眉tzenregiment Nr.III Kaisersch眉tzenregiment Nr.I Kaisersch眉tzenregiment Nr.III 聽 </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"> - </td> <td valign="top" width="350"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"> <img border="0" height="296" src="/portraits/scheider.jpg" width="429"/> </td> <td valign="top" width="350"> The illustration to the left depicts Leutnant in der Reserve Peter <a href="/biog/SCHEIDER.HTM"> Scheider</a> who won his Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa for the storming of the 2432 metre high Monticello Ridge on the 13th of June 1918 whilst commanding Kaisersch眉tzen of High Mountain Company 17. This post war oil painting of Scheider by Alfons Walde shows him wearing the Maria Theresa Order from his second button hole. He was however not actually awarded the Order until the 31st October 1931 in the last post war "Promotion" (Number 195). His Golden Bravery Medal聽 was awarded in November 1918 (P.V.Bl. f. d. k.u.k. Heer Nr.200 v. 9. Nov. 1918.) </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> -- </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> Additionally a further 130 officers, NCOs and Sch眉tzen were awarded the Golden Bravery Medal with a further 2797 being awarded the 1st class Silver Bravery Medal. 聽 </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> Regimental Commanders 1914-1918: The commanders of the three individual regiments during the First World War were as follows: <table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td width="72%">-</td> <td width="28%"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">KSchR.I:</td> <td width="28%"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberst Adolf <a href="/portraits/sloninka.JPG"> S艂oninka</a> von Ho艂od贸w</td> <td width="28%">Aug 14 - Mar 15</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Major Ludwig Nechi (Interim)</td> <td width="28%">Mar 15 - Jun 15</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberst Adolf <a href="/portraits/sloninka.JPG"> S艂oninka</a> von Ho艂od贸w</td> <td width="28%">Jun 15 - Mar 16</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant/Oberst Rudolf Florio</td> <td width="28%">Mar 16 - Aug 18</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant/Oberst Ludwig Nechi</td> <td width="28%">Aug 18 - Nov 18</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">KSchR.II:</td> <td width="28%"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant/Oberst Josef Stiller</td> <td width="28%">Nov 12 - Oct 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant Theodor Spiegel聽</td> <td width="28%">Oct 14 - Nov 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberst Hugo Sch枚nherr</td> <td width="28%">Nov 14 - Dec 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant/Oberst Friedrich Ritter von <a href="/portraits/muelleitner.jpg">M眉lleitner</a></td> <td width="28%">Dec 14 - Mar 17</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant/Oberst Emil <a href="/portraits/busch.jpg">Busch</a></td> <td width="28%">Mar 17 - Nov 18</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">KSchR.III:</td> <td width="28%"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant/Oberst Hugo Sch枚nherr</td> <td width="28%">Apr 14 - Sep 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant Theodor Spiegel聽</td> <td width="28%">Sep 14 - Oct 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberst Josef Stiller</td> <td width="28%">Oct 14 - Dec 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberstleutnant/Oberst Josef <a href="/portraits/hadasczok.jpg">Hadaszczok</a></td> <td width="28%">Dec 14 - Mar 18</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="72%">Oberst Gabriel Graf von Gudenus</td> <td width="28%">Mar 18 - Nov 18</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> 聽 The war's end found the majority of all three regiments entering Italian captivity and thus ended the relatively short existence of Austria's first and most famous mountain troops. During the course of the First World War the total fatal casualties suffered by the three regiments came to some 15,500.聽 </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> <hr/> 聽 </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> Insignia The most distinguishing marks of the Landessch眉tzen/Kaisersch眉tzen were the wearing of a cock feather plume or "Spielhahnsto脽" on the left side of the cap and the Edelwei脽 badge worn on the collar patch. Both of these distinctions had been introduced in June 1907. The badge for NCOs and Sch眉tzen was in metal and embroidered on grass-green badge cloth for commissioned officers. The collar patches were grass-green and the button colour was white. Uniquely Landessch眉tzen commissioned officers were further distinguished by the wearing of shoulder straps. On the service dress tunic these were grass-green cloth edged with silver lace and surmounted by a Kaiser's cypher and crown. The illustration above shows a major's left hand patch. This illustrates well the contrasting star and lace colours of a field officer. Additionally commissioned officers and the senior officer aspirants (F盲hnrich) wore a gold-plated聽 tombac Imperial cypher instead of the normal circular bullion badge on the field cap. </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="700"> - </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"> </td> <td valign="top" width="350"> Shoulder strap of a Lieutenant or Captain as worn on the service dress blouse. The strap is made of grass-green badge cloth 5cm in width with a gold embroidered Kaiser's cypher and crown on a red silk underlay. The strap of the field officers was 6cm wide with a larger cypher and crown. </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"> - </td> <td valign="top" width="350"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"> <img border="0" height="191" src="/badges/schbad.jpg" width="147"/> </td> <td valign="top" width="350"> The Cypher as worn by Commissioned Officers and Senior Officer Aspirants (F盲hnrich) on the pike grey field service dress Kappe and the black service dress Kappe. It was manufactured in matt gold embroidery for officers and in yellow silk for the F盲hnrich on a grass-green badge cloth underlay with a height of 4.5cm and a width of 3cm. </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> <a href="/troophis.htm">Back to Troops and Unit Histories</a>聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 <a href="#Landessch眉tzen/Kaisersch眉tzen聽"><img border="0" height="26" src="/btn_up.gif" width="54"/></a>  </body></html>

CINXE.COM

Landessch眉tzen