Battle of Limanowa-Lapanow

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Battle of Limanowa-Lapanow
date December 1. bis 14. December 1914
place Carpathian Mountains , Galicia
output Tactical Austrian victory
Parties to the conflict

Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary Austria-Hungary German Empire
German EmpireThe German Imperium 

Russian Empire 1914Russian Empire Russia

Commander

Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf Joseph of Austria Joseph Roth Alexander Szurmay
Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary

Russian Empire 1914Russian Empire Nikolai Iudowitsch Ivanov Radko Dimitriew Dmitri Tscherbachev Alexei Brusilow
Russian Empire 1914Russian Empire
Russian Empire 1914Russian Empire
Russian Empire 1914Russian Empire

Troop strength
Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary4th Army 3rd Army Group Szurmay 47th Reserve Division
Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
German EmpireThe German Imperium
Russian Empire 1914Russian Empire 3rd Army 8th Army
Russian Empire 1914Russian Empire

The Battle of Limanowa – Lapanow was part of the Carpathian Battle of World War I (1914–1918). An Austro-Hungarian counterattack in this battle from December 1 to 14, 1914, averted the danger of the imperial Russian troops breaking into northern Hungary . The battle spread from December 8th from the ridge of the Carpathian Mountains and formed the prelude to the winter battle in the Carpathian Mountains that began on January 22nd, 1915 .

overview

The counter-offensive launched by the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army under Archduke Joseph Ferdinand (190,000 men, plus 12,000 German auxiliaries) against the Russian 3rd Army (225,000 men) under General Radko Dimitriew was successful. The Austro- Hungarian 3rd Army ( Boroević ) and the Russian 8th Army ( Brusilov ) also intervened on the south wing of the battle . The counterattack launched by the Chief of Staff , Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf on December 1, was necessary to prevent a Russian attempt to break through with around 125,000 men into northern Hungary. The Austrian 3rd Army, attacking on the mountain ridge as early as December 8th, was less successful than the Russian 8th Army and could not achieve its target of attack - the relief of the Przemyśl fortress enclosed by the Russian Corps Group Selivanov . The victory of the attacking with 90,000 man army group of Field Marshal Lieutenant Josef Roth was threatened on December 10 by engagement of Russian reserves, a front gap between the kuk 4th and 3rd Army in the Neusandez was by the Hungarian corps of FML. Alexander Szurmay closed and eventually led to the withdrawal of the 3rd Russian Army on the Dunajec - Gorlice - Tarnów line .

prehistory

Nikolai Iudowitsch Ivanov

On November 20, 1914, the Russian Southwest Front under Commander-in-Chief General of the Artillery Nikolai Iudowitsch Ivanov opened the attack south from Cracow to New Sandets , his aim was the conquest of Cracow and the invasion of northern Hungary. The Russian 3rd Army (Dimitriew) led four corps between Grybow and Neusandez to break through against the Austro-Hungarian front. The northern wing - the 21st Corps (33rd and 44th Infantry Divisions) was still to the east of Krakow on the northern bank of the Vistula and was now regrouped to the south to the breakthrough point to New Sandez together with the 10th Corps adjoining it north. The center - the 11th and 9th Corps - stood on the right bank of the Vistula. The left wing corps of the Austrian 4th Army Joseph Ferdinand was pushed back on the Szreniawa , the kuk XVII. Corps (Kritek) threw itself to the Russian XI. Corps against - but had to go back to the heights west of Brzesko . Conrad von Hötzendorf ordered the necessary relocation of the VI., XVII. and XI. Corps to Western Galicia. Feldzeugmeister Karl Kuk , the city governor of Krakow, had to as a result of the withdrawal of the kuk XVII. Corps organize the threatened northeast front of the fortress on the Vistula alone with the 11th Division and Landwehr Brigades. The weakened Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army on the right of the 4th Army also had to give in to the pressure of the Russian 8th Army (Brusilov) and retreat south to the Carpathian front Eperjes , Laborcza-Tal-north Homonna - Uschok-Pass . As a result, from November 23, a gap in the front of about 30 km was created between the 4th and 3rd Armies.

From November 24th, the Russian X. and XXI. Corps between Mezölaborcz - Lapkow entered the Austrian front and crossed the Carpathian ridge with vanguard. The kuk XI. Corps (Ljubičić), which on the left flank to the north to Krakow the XVII. Corps (Křitek) was added as reinforcement , backed up to 25 November via the Wieliczka on Dobczyce - Sieprow. On the south wing near Dobra the Polish Legion (FML Durski and Colonel Piłsudski ) and the 11th Cavalry Division of Major General Julius von Nagy covered the retreat.

. On 28 November, the Austro-Hungarian Army Corps XIV (Roth) with the third (Major General met the train at Chabowka arriving Horsetzky ) and the 8th Division (FML Fabini ) on the hard-pressed front between Mszana - Dolna that it ought of South from the Lapanow - Bochnia line to counter-attack into the flank of the XXI. (General Shkinsky ) and X. Corps (General Protopopow ) are appointed. FML Roth was entrusted with the supreme command of this enclosure elaborated by Conrad von Hötzendorf, he was also given the leadership of the XI. Army Corps (Ljubičić), the 13th Rifle Division (Major General Kreysa), which was subsequently unloaded in Cracow, and the German 47th Reserve Division (12,000 men under Lieutenant General Alfred von Besser ) as "Army Group Roth".

On November 29th the Russian 3rd Army advanced with its center - the 9th and 11th Corps via Lapanow- Gdow on the Grabie-Doleczyce line. Nagy's cavalry was defeated at Dobra and had to go back to Mszana via Kasina-Wielka . The Russian breakthrough via Tymbark already penetrated the Losinatal and threatened Neumarkt , on the Snieznica heights Nagy's cavalry stayed at Gruszowiec . The Russian XI. Corps reached Wieliczka , the IX. Corps (General Tscherbachev ) pushed the Raba up against Myślenice and Wadowice . On November 30, Nagy had to evacuate Dobra from excessive enemy pressure and go back to Mszana Dolna , where the XIV Corps was just beginning to unload. The 3rd Division (Horsetzky) was unloaded at Skomielna north of Chabówka . It was followed by the 8th Division and the German 47th Reserve Division.

Involved armed forces

Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces

4th Army Archduke Joseph Ferdinand

3rd Army General of the Infantry Svetozar Boroević

Russian troops

3rd Army Infantry General Radko Dimitriev

  • XI. Army Corps General Vladimir Sakharov (11th and 32nd Divisions)
  • IX. Army Corps General Dmitri Shcherbachev (5th and 42nd Divisions)
  • Xth Army Corps General Nikolay Protopopov (9th and 31st Divisions)
  • XXI. Army Corps General Jakow Schkinski (33rd and 44th Divisions)
  • 74th Division

8th Army General of Artillery Alexei Brusilov

  • VIII Army Corps General Vladimir Dragomirov (13th, 14th and 15th Divisions)
  • XXIV Army Corps General Afanassi Zurikow (48th and 49th Divisions)
  • XII. Army Corps General Leonid Lesch (12th Siberian and 12th and 19th divisions)
  • VII Army Corps General Eduard Eck (34th and 65th Divisions)

The Austrian counterattack

Josef Roth from Limanowa
Battle of Limanowa-Lapanow, location on December 9, 1914

On December 1, the 13th Rifle Division (Major General von Szekely) together with the Nagy Cavalry Corps at Kasina Wielka opened access to the area on the Chabówka - Limanowa road designated for the flank . The Russian Kuban Cossack Division was defeated at Dobra , the Russian IX. Corps was pushed back from Skrzydlna to Limanowa. The Imperial and Royal 3rd Division was brought forward to Porąbka-Dobra with the 15th Brigade (Colonel Fisher), followed by the 8th Division on Gruszowiec. On December 2, the 13th Rifle Division turned north, while the 3rd Infantry Division, with Nagy's riders, advanced along the road. The kuk XI. Corps, meanwhile, tied the opposite Russian 11th Corps at Wiśniowa.

On December 3, the kuk 13th Rifle Division swung to the north, conquered Skrzydlna and reached at Wieliczka the connection to the 30th Division (FML Julius Kaiser), which on the Stradomka heights the right wing of the XI. Corps covered. The 6th Cavalry Division covered the northern flank at Łapanów . The thrust of the 8th Infantry Division (FML Fabini) occupied Tymbark during the day and captured the Łososina Valley. The Polish Legion stood in front of Rajbrot , behind them the German 47th Reserve Division appeared from Dobra.

On December 4, Field Marshal Lieutenant Roth transferred the blocking of the road against Neusandez to the 11th Honved Cavalry Division , he had the Kuk 8th Infantry Troop Division and the German 47th Reserve Division advance to the flank, covered on the right by the 6th Cavalry Division (Major General Schwer) . The attack in the wintry, snow-covered mountains over steep and icy slopes against the Russians , who repeatedly took up new resistance in favorable positions , placed high demands on the troops. In the evening a space 10 km deep had been won, the south wing of the Ljubičić group - the 30th Infantry Division (FML Kaiser) was now in the process of following the 13th Rifle Division. General Dimitriev reacted quickly to the danger, he gathered all available troops to support his indented south wing and also quickly brought the X. Corps back via Bochina to the center of his army. At the same time, the Russian 8th Army with its right wing - the VIII. Corps (General Dragomirow) - was to advance sharply through New Sandez on Limanowa. This blow was set against the right flank and the back of the attacking group under Field Marshal Lieutenant Roth, who were fighting hard at Łapanów.

On December 5th the arrival of important Russian reinforcements made itself felt. The left wing of the Roth group in particular had a hard time fighting off counter-attacks, while the Germans on the right wing, although often forced to fight with bayonets and butts, made faster progress. In the evening the arrival of fresh forces of the Russian 8th Army Brusilov at New Sandets was beyond doubt. The east-hung. Cavalry group now under the leadership of Major General Graf Bissingen - with the 11th Honved Cavalry Division (Nagy), and the 10th Cavalry Division advanced by Nowytarg (Major General Graf Herberstein), as well as the mixed group of Oberste Weiß, were forced to retreat . Nevertheless, FML Roth continued his flank thrust to the north, which finally led his left wing - 8th Division and Group Ljubičić to complete success. The Russians fell back behind the Stradomka. On the other hand, General Dimitriew now threw all attainable reinforcements against the enemy right wing and attacked them on the flank, so that new heavy fighting broke out, which only allowed the Germans and the Tyrolean infantry division to gain space gradually. FML Roth used the shortening of the front, which had occurred by swinging in his left wing and the Ljubičić group, to deploy surplus troops there to reinforce the right wing.

From December 6th, Roth gained ground at Lapanow, but on the evening of the latter day it emerged that the Russians in their new positions only now intended to take up the actual decisive battle. At the same time the advance of the Russian VIII. Corps from New Sandez to Limanowa was reported, where the 10th Cavalry Division and four Landsturm battalions under Count Herberstein had in the meantime thrown up fortifications to stop the dangerous thrust at Kanina as far as possible. The ku k. Army High Command in Teschen threw the VI. AK of Field Marshal Lieutenant Arz von Straussenburg with the 39th (FML. Hadfy ) and 45th Divisions (Major General Smekal), which had just been brought in via Cracow , quickly against the Russian VIII Corps to Limanowa-Kanina, where Major General Herberstein's brave cavalry met until reinforcements arrived heroically defended.

On December 8th, the 3rd Army Boroević received the order to advance across the Carpathian Mountains to the north with the aim of relieving the besieged Przemysl fortress. As planned, their left wing - the 38th Honved Division of Field Marshal Lieutenant Alexander Szurmay had to push quickly and ruthlessly over New Sandez into the flank and rear of the advancing Russians who had broken through at New Sandez and re-establish the broken connection with the right wing of the 4th Army. At the same time, the kuk 35th Division and 6th Division (Major General Yellow von Siegestern ) advanced against the line Krynica -Grybów. The Russian VII. Corps (General Eck) in turn oppressed the Austro-Hungarian IX. AK (10th and 26th division) in the Csergö Mountains and in the Topolytal. The kuk III. Corps (Gen. Inf. Von Colerus ) then opened the attack in the Tylicz - Bartfeld area against the Russian XII with the 6th Division, the 22nd Division (Major General Schmidt von Fussina) and the 28th Division (Major General Hinke) . Corps (General Lesch ). The FML Karg group continued to defend the Ushok Pass against attacks by the Russian 65th Reserve Division. The Krautwald group securing the Dukla Pass and the kuk VII Corps (Archduke Joseph) were deployed against the Tylawa - Jaśliska line .

On December 9th, further attacks by the Roth corps group against the now intervening Russian X. Corps at Bochnia failed , but the Austrian flank thrust had reached its climax. FML took over on the south wing. Arthur Arz von Straussenburg with the General Command VI. the leadership. The strong pressure of the Russian 21st Corps on the eastern flank of the German 47th Reserve Division (Besser) had compelled the front division of VI. Corps (FML Arz), the 45th Rifle Division, (FML Smekal), and the 13th Rifle Division on the eastern flank, while the 39th Honved Infantry Division (FML Hadfy), the defenders of Limanowa south to help hurried. The 13th Rifle Division captured the Kobila-Höhe , the 30th Division fought on the Leszczyna and the 15th Division (Schenck) captured Zokrow. Farther south, the Russian 8th Corps with its 13th Infantry Division was again attacking New Sandez.

The crisis

The progress made on the eastern flank was offset by the Russians on December 10th in a counterattack. The intervention of the Russian 48th Division (General Lawr Kornilow ) of the 24th Corps (General Zurikow), which rushed over Gorlice, brought the defenders of Limanowa into serious distress again. The left wing of the front of the Roth attack group was completely defensive by a powerful breakthrough attempt in which 120,000 men of the Russian 3rd Army participated and had to escape behind the Stradomka , only the tenacious perseverance of the 47th Reserve Division saved Roth total collapse. The 15th Division (FML von Schenk), coming from the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army, had to be quickly sent to the south wing of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army as reinforcement. and XI. Corps pushed in at Gdow. The entire attack front following south found itself thrown into defense again, only on the south wing near Limanowa the just arriving Molnar Brigade of the 39th Honved Infantry Division (FML Hadfy) was now to attack the enemy comprehensively. The battle decision was hoped for by the intervention of the 3rd Army (Boroević), whose west wing under FML Szurmay (38th Honved Division and Combined Division of Major General Kornhaber), was already engaged in happy battles with the Russian 15th Infantry Division (8th Corps ) Neusandez approached from the southeast.

On December 11th the kuk IX. Corps (FML Rudolf Kralićek ) finally break the pressure of the Russian 7th Corps and break through with the 10th Division (FML Theodor Hordt ) and the 26th Division on Gorlice . The crisis of the Roth Army Group on the north wing near Lapanow was overcome. The Russian 21st Corps broke off its attack at Muchowka in front of the front there and had to regroup immediately to cover the line of retreat southward on Gorlice. The Russian 8th Corps, which had penetrated the furthest, was completely taken by surprise behind at Limanowa by the Austrian counterattack over New Sandez. In order to avoid his own separation, General Dragomirov now had to retreat quickly.

On December 12th, General Brusilov had to withdraw his threatened 48th Division immediately to Gorlice , thus enabling the successful breakthrough of the 38th HID. north to New Sandez, where at the Dunajec bridge the union with the 39th HID, which is pushing south. of the FML Hadfy took place. The gap in the front on the Austrian side that had existed since November 25 was thus successfully closed. The kuk III. Corps (Gen. Inf. Emil Colerus von Geldern ) captured Zmigrod with the 22nd Division (Schmidt von Fusina) and approached the 45th Division of the Northern Group, which had arrived in Jakobkowice.

General Radko Dimitriew renewed his attacks on the 13th Rifle Division on the Kobila Heights to cover the retreat of his center across the Dunajec on Grybów . The 47th Reserve Division advanced east of Rajbrot , where the Russian 21st Corps with the 33rd Division defended the road to Zakliczyn for their own retreat.

On December 14th, the Russian 8th Corps fought over Gorlice to retreat into the basin of Jaslo and Krosno . The northern wing of the Russian 3rd Army - the 11th Corps evacuated the front at Niepołomice in the evening and returned to Tarnów via Bochnia . In the center the 10th Corps (General Protopopow) went back before Lapanow. The victory of the Roth Army Group was thus decided. The Austrian 3rd Army reached by December 15 with the left wing - IX. and III. Corps took the Ryglice and Brzostek line , in the center the VII Corps (Archduke Joseph) took Krosno, the right wing stalled - the group of FML Joseph Krautwald von Annau encountered a superior enemy at Lisko.

consequences

Location of the kuk4. Army in late December 1914

By December 16, the entire front of the Russians in Poland and Western Galicia was retreating tactically - the 9th Army was back on the Bzura - Rawka - Upper Pilica - Nida river line and the 3rd Army on the Dunajec - Tarnow - Sanok. The Russians saw their main line of communication, the Tarnow - Rzeszów - Jaroslau railway , and the 11th Army, newly formed from the Selivanov reserve group, threatened, which now took over the fortification of Przemyśl . From the defensive front in Poland and the Dniester , however, the Russians cleverly called in reinforcements for their 3rd and 8th Armies, intensified the resistance to the utmost, and on December 20th they went back to counterattack with the 8th Army (Brusilov) over. The Austrian 3rd Army, which was only able to receive reinforcements by way of a long detour via Kraków, was thrown from the superior forces in the battle of Jaslo and pushed back onto the Carpathians . Simultaneous attempts by the Russian 3rd Army to restore the old front between Dunajez and Biala and near Gorlice, however, were rejected by the Austrian 4th Army.

On September 4, 1916, Josef Ritter von Roth, who had meanwhile been promoted to general of the infantry and ennobled, received the title "Limanowa-Lapanów" in recognition of his achievements in this battle.

literature

  • Anton Wagner: The First World War . Carl Ueberreuter Verlag, Vienna 1981, pp. 59–65.
  • Hermann Stegemann: History of the World War . Volume I, Deutsche Verlagsanstalt, Stuttgart 1917.
  • Austria-Hungary's last war . Volume I, publisher: Edmund Glaise-Horstenau, Verlag der Militärwissenschaftlichen Mitteilungen, Vienna 1930. P. 774 f

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Arno Kerschbaumer, Nobilitations under the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I. / I. Ferenc József király (1914–1916) . Graz 2017, ISBN 978-3-9504153-2-2 , p. 74.