Hans Baumgartner (officer)

Hans Baumgartner speaks in front of the "Russenkircherl"

Hans Baumgartner (born July 7, 1873 in Vienna ; † November 29, 1950 there ) was an Austrian officer. He was a participant in the First World War , which describes his six-year Russian captivity in detail and, after his return home, campaigned intensively for the rights of prisoners of war around the world.

Life

Hans Baumgartner was born on July 7, 1873 in Vienna as the son of a businessman, but grew up mainly in Krems , where he attended the Piarist high school. On March 16, 1897, he was a one-year volunteer for 10 years in the standing army and another two years in the Landwehr to the Infantry Regiment Frh. Waldstätten No. 81 assented.

1901 marriage to Antonie Waldstein; a year later he became the father of a daughter. Professionally, he worked for the post, from February 24, 1891, first as a post office trainee, later as a post office official, and after his return from Russian captivity as a postal and telegraph inspector. From November 1894 to August 1897 he was assigned to the Abbazia Post and Telegraph Directorate (today: Opatija ).

Although Lieutenant Hans Baumgartner was relieved of military service on September 20, 1907 due to the end of his military service, he was drafted into the kk Landsturm Territorial Battalion No. 18 on October 1, 1914. In this battalion he took part in the fighting on October 23, 1914 Turze (near Lemberg ). On November 1, 1914, he was appointed first lieutenant.

On February 14, 1915 he was transferred to the Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 1, with which he had to cover the retreat on the Carpathian front. The order was to hold the position until the order to withdraw was received. But this order did not come! The regiment shrank to the size of a “weak company”, whose command was taken over by Hans Baumgartner. After great losses, the survivors were captured by the Russians on April 3, 1915 near Zubracze. This was the beginning of the six-year imprisonment for Hans Baumgartner, which was to bring him to Vladivostok and which he describes in detail. During his imprisonment, Hans Baumgartner was promoted to captain on October 8, 1915.

In 1921 Hans Baumgartner returned to Austria by sea. His experience led to intensive activity within the framework of the Federal Association of Former Austrian Prisoners of War (Beö.K.) founded in 1924 , of which he became the second chairman. As such, he took part as an Austrian delegate in international congresses organized by the Fédération Interaliée des Anciens Combattants (FIDAC) in Luxembourg and Bremen , in which he actively campaigned for the rights of prisoners of war around the world.

On November 5, 1933, the Austrian Federal President Wilhelm Miklas unveiled a memorial for the war victims in front of the “Russenkircherl” in Vienna at Wagramer Strasse 17A (behind which the Vienna International Center stands today). Hans Baumgartner gave the keynote address.

Hans Baumgartner died on November 29, 1950 in Vienna

Honors

October 8, 1915 bronze military merit medal on the ribbon of the Military Merit Cross .

December 14, 1934: In recognition of his work for prisoners of war around the world, Federal President Wilhelm Miklas awarded Hans Baumgartner the Austrian Gold Medal of Merit .

Publications

Hardly anyone else dealt with his experiences in Russia as intensively as Hans Baumgartner. He has published numerous articles, some of which deal with experiences during captivity and some with general thoughts. In the article “Peace Idea and Peace Movement”, Baumgartner deals with fundamental thoughts that guide him to his work in the Beö.K. have caused: Peace is based on respectful, mutual justice and this, only this, is the key that opens the gates to a better future.

Baumgartner left extensive records - diaries, letters, manuscripts and other documents - about the time of his imprisonment and his later commitment to the interests of the former prisoners. His grandson, Dipl.-Ing. In 1978, Helmut Hörner compiled a 148-page typescript from the author's extensive estate with chronologically arranged stories about his experiences in Russian captivity. This compendium is available for inspection in the Austrian State Archives / War Archives in both typewritten and digitally stored form under the signature collection B-268.

Publications by Hans Baumgartner in the magazine "Der Plenny", organ of the Federal Association of Former Austrian Prisoners of War:

• A mass death (beginning) vol. 1, 3rd episode Sept. 24, p. 6.
• A mass death (conclusion) Vol. 1, 4th episode Oct. 24, p. 3.
• Morning hour has gold in the mouth vol. 1, 5th episode Nov. 24, p. 7.
• A POW Christmas Vol. 2, 1st episode Jan. 25, p. 2.
• Christos woskrese (Christ is risen) Vol. 2, 4th episode April 25, p. 2.
• The academic or legal shoemaker vol. 2, 4th episode April 25, p. 5.
• An unforgettable Subotnik Vol. 2, 5th episode May 25, p. 3.
• My girlfriend vol. 2, 7th episode, July 25, p. 7.
• Die Pioneers des Ostens Vol. 2, 8th episode Aug. 25, p. 2.
• Our Industry Vol. 2, 10th episode Oct. 25, p. 1.
• Merry Christmas Vol. 2, 12th episode Dec. 25, p. 2.
• On the Kaikyu-Maru (beginning) Vol. 3, 1st episode Jan. 26, p. 4.
• On the Kaikyu-Maru (end) Vol. 3, 2nd / 3rd Episode March 26, p. 15.
• Our press vol. 3, 6th episode June 26, p. 3.
• The mission or the crucial point vol. 3, 6th episode June 26, p. 7.
• A Path to Freedom Vol. 3, 11th episode Nov. 26, p. 1.
• The advertising column vol. 4, 2nd episode Feb. 27, p. 19.
• The Bremen Conference Vol. 4, 9th episode Sept. 27, p. 98.
• Luxemburg II vol. 4, 10th episode Oct. 27, p. 113.
• Before the picture of my mother (poem) Vol. 4, 11th episode Nov. 27, p. 130.
• Freiheit, Vaterland Vol. 5, 11th episode Nov. 28, p. 127.
• The Christmas present vol. 5, 12th episode Dec. 27, p. 144.
• In the prison quarters vol. 6, 1st episode Jan. 29, p. 5.
• The Peace Idea - The Peace Movement Vol. 6, 6./7. Follow June / July 29, p. 69.
• POW graves vol. 7, 3rd episode March 30
• The first quarter in Russian captivity Jg. 7, 6./7. Follow June / July 30, p. 64.
• For the feast of love vol. 8, 1st episode Jan. 31, p. 4.
• Activity report 1930 vol. 8, 5./6. Episode May / June 31, p. 51.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The Plenny. 6th year, 6/7 Episode, 1929, p. 69.

Personal documents in the possession of Helmut Hörner. Report on Hans Baumgartner's captivity in Russia, including pictures and documents about his military career in the Austrian War Archives, Vienna, signature collection B-268, both in written and digital form.