Wilhelm Gebauer

Wilhelm Gebauer 1935

Wilhelm Gebauer (born January 6, 1882 in Groß Herrlitz , Austrian Silesia , † August 23, 1972 in Vienna ) was an Austrian professional officer and the last living field marshal lieutenant in Austria.

Life

Austro-Hungarian monarchy

After graduating from high school in Troppau, Gebauer began his military career at the Brno Cadet School . As a lieutenant , at the risk of his life, he prevented a major fire in the unrest in the Boryslaw petroleum area and was awarded the “ Signum Laudis ” medal for bravery .

After graduating from the Austro-Hungarian War School , he served as a first lieutenant in the Vienna Infantry Brigade Command, which was deployed as a captain on the Russian front from 1914 at the beginning of the First World War . There he received several awards, including as a knight with the Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd class. For the award of the highest military order for officers, the " Maria-Theresia-Order ", the application was submitted, which was no longer processed because of the death of Emperor Franz Joseph. In the last year of the war he served in the Austro-Hungarian War Ministry .

Republic of Austria

After the end of the war, the republic took him over as a major in the federal army , for which he wrote the drill regulations . From October 5, 1927 to December 31, 1928 he was appointed as a Colonel to the Chief of Staff of the 2nd Brigade in the Vienna City Command under Major General Otto Wiesinger . Subsequently, he was employed as adjutant to the Austrian Army Minister Carl Vaugoin , and from 1932 as commander of the Lower Austrian 3rd Brigade in St. Pölten.

Federal State of Austria

At the end of his career, which extended into the time of the authoritarian corporate state , he was appointed field marshal lieutenant with the honorary title of excellence on March 18, 1937 and retired on March 31, 1937.

retirement

After Austria was annexed to the German Reich in 1938, he turned down the offer of the German armed forces to be reactivated.

Gebauer lived in retirement in Vienna and was buried in the Hietzingen cemetery .

Military CV

• August 18, 1901 Deputy Cadet Officer
• October 26, 1902 Lieutenant
• April 26, 1909 First Lieutenant
• August 1, 1914 captain
• January 1, 1920 Major
• ??. ??. 1922 Lieutenant Colonel
• November 28, 1927 Colonel
• October 24, 1932 Major General
• March 18, 1937 Lieutenant Field Marshal

Military awards

• November 3, 1904 Bronze Military Merit Medal on the red ribbon of the Merit Cross (PVBl. 46/1904)
• December 2, 1908 Military Jubilee Cross
• October 20, 1911 Imperial Chinese Order of the Double Dragon III. Degree, III. Class (PVBl. 42/1911)
• April 19, 1913 Montenegrin order Danilo I , V class (PVBl. 19/1913)
• November 25, 1914 Military Merit Cross III. Class with swords (PVBl. 91/1914)
• May 28, 1915 Iron Cross (1914) 2nd class (PVBl. 79/1915)
• July 31, 1915 Bronze Military Merit Medal on Ribbon with Swords (PVBl. 115/1915)
• March 2, 1916 Silver military merit medal on ribbon with swords (PVBl. 47/1916)
• January 27, 1917 Silver military merit medal with swords and silver clasp (PVBl. 24/1917)
• January 26, 1918 Order of the Iron Crown III. Class with swords (PVBl. 19/1918)
• August 17, 1926 Military service badge 2nd class for officers
• July 5, 1930 Large Deutschmeister badge and honorary membership
• December 22nd, 1932 Large silver medal for services to the Republic of Austria
• June 19, 1933 War Memorial Medal
• August 18, 1936 Military service badge, 1st class for officers