Karl Kailer von Kaltenfels

Karl Kailer von Kaltenfels (born May 24, 1862 in Pola , Austrian Empire , † April 28, 1917 in Vienna , Austria-Hungary ) was an Austro-Hungarian vice admiral and head of the Austro-Hungarian naval section .

Live and act

Kailer who graduated Naval Academy Fiume and was from 1880 midshipman . In 1884 he was promoted to ensign of the line, in 1891 he became lieutenant of the line. Later he took over the instruction in the organization of the navy and the army as adjutant of the naval academy. He made some business trips to India and East Asia before he received his first command of the torpedo boat Star in 1896/97 . As the commander of this torpedo boat, he distinguished himself during the blockade of Crete in 1897/98 . He was able to earn further fame as first lieutenant in the flag of Rudolf Montecuccoli , whose squadron had been sent to China to suppress the Boxer Rebellion and there was involved in the capture of the fort of Peitang . In the period that followed, Kailer rose steadily: initially he held a command in Constantinople , in 1903 he became a corvette captain, in 1907 a frigate captain and in 1910 a liner captain. In 1908, during the Bosnian annexation crisis, he was chief of the Eskadrest. Already in 1905/06 and finally in 1910/11 he was the deputy head of the operations chancellery of the naval section in the Reich War Ministry, of which he became head in 1911/12. In 1912 Kailer was promoted to commodore and henceforth commanded the 4th heavy division. In 1913 he became Rear Admiral and Deputy Naval Commander. In 1914 he became vice admiral . After Anton Haus's death in February 1917, Kailer became head of the kuk marine section . He held this post until he died only two months later.

Kailer made great contributions to the administration of the Kriegsmarine and suggested numerous important technical innovations, above all the introduction of radio telegraphy .

literature

• Kailer von Kaltenfels, Karl. In: Austrian Biographical Lexicon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 3, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1965, p. 176.

predecessor	Office	successor
Anton house	Navy commander 1917	Maximilian Njegovan