Stupid question about the Austro-Hungarian Navy

[Tony]

I've never really thought about this in the past but I've just been looking at Gordon's Austro-Hungarian U-Boot badge and there was a programme on the telly the other day showing an Austrian ship going down in WWI.

I'm not aware of a coast in Austria or Hungary so where did they build their ships/subs and where were their ports?

Do the Austrians and Hungarians have a Navy today?

Tony

[Laurence Strong]

At the time of the start of WW1, the Austro-Hungarian Empire encompassed what is now the polygot of former Yugoslavian states, Remember that Arch Duke Ferdinand was assasinated in Sarajevo, and that this touched off the war.

And to the best of my knowledge niether Austria or Hungary have a navy at this time.

Edited April 23, 2005 by Laurence Strong

[Guest Rick Research]

I've got the K.u.k. Navy Rank Lists for 1915 and 1916:

among the officer corps (real names, now, 1 per line) were--

Dragutin von Prica,

Artur Catinelli Edler von Obradich-Bevilacqua,

Eugen Mallinarich von Silbergrund und Kollinensieg,

Alois Schusterschitz,

Janko Vukovic de Podkapelski,

Georg Pauspertl Wladyk von Drachenthal,

and my personal favorite

Kajetan Afan de Rivera de los Marques de Villanueva de las Torres

thus explaining the lack of Hapsburg naval successes--

either the ships' crews were laughing themselves silly, or it took so long to cry out

"Incoming torpedo, Herr Linienschiffsleutnant Freiherr von und zu Aichelburg Herr auf Potenhof und Greiffenstain!"

that the Italians sank them.

Of course, the two MOST famous Austro-Hungarian naval officers were

Nikolaus Horthy de Nagyb?nya, "Regent" of Hungary 1919-44 and

Georg Ritter von Trapp-- better known as "Mister Sound of Music" than as Franz Joseph's Uboat ace.

Now, Inquiring Minds might ask-- where WERE all these characters in the NEXT war...

but I suspect they all bunked off to their Home Planet of Origin after 1918.

[Guest Rick Research]

Here we have the launching of the Heavy Cruiser "Viribus Unitas."

No, wait, that is just an Admiral and his Lady Wife out with his staff, meeting up with a general and a couple of draft dodgers circa summer 1915.

[Guest Rick Research]

Despite the German war flag on the Hotel Europa, this undated photo shows Austrian naval officers in full hot weather whites, possibly just before the Big War since none are wearing ribbons-- perhaps at the Skutari enclave during the Balkans Wars 1912-13.

[Ralph A]

This looks fairly comprehensive:

http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyAustrian.htm

[maxheadroom]

Hello Rick,

You mentioned Georg Pauspertl Wladyk von Drachenthal and I was wondering if you had more Information in regards to him or the ship that he was working on since the Drachenthals are part of my heritage.

Thanks a lot

Markus

[Guest Rick Research]

Because these were wartime "security" lists the assignments aren't given.

He was born in 1875. Joined the navy 1 July 1893. Korvettenkapit?n 1.11.13 and in 1916 held a peacetime Signum Laudis in bronze, 1898 and 1908 military jubilees, a Turkish Osmania Order 4th Class, Montenegrin Danilo-4th and British Royal Victorian Order -5th Class.

Another unexpected Austrian NAVAL officer was Prince Johann of tiny landlocked and neutral in WW2... Liechtenstein!!!

[Sal Williams]

I have a dumber question,... Where were thier ports? Aren't Austri and Hungary landlocked????

Now that was weird! The first post I could see was Ricks and then when I asked my question I got the first 2 posts that I couldn't see which answered my question!

Edited November 17, 2005 by Sal Williams

[FireMedals]

Gentlemen,

If we are talking about great Austro-Hungarian naval officers of the first half of the 20th Century, I would have to nominate Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern -schplenden -schlitter -crasscrenbon -fried -digger -dangle -dungle -burstein -von -knacker -thrasher -apple -banger -horowitz -ticolensic -grander -knotty -spelltinkle -grandlich -grumblemeyer -spelterwasser -k?rstlich -himbleeisen -bahnwagen -gutenabend -bitte -eine -n?rnburger -bratwustle -gerspurten -mit -zweimache -luber -hundsfut -gumberaber -sh?nendanker -kalbsfleisch -mittler -raucher von Hautkopft of Ulm.

Firemedals

[Guest Rick Research]

Yes, but he had to be placed in a supplement all by himself, which is often separated from the main List.

And for conspiracy freaks where DID ALL these officers GO after 1918, and why don't they EVER turn up in WW-Two? (Twilight Zone theme music.)

[landsknechte]

And for conspiracy freaks where DID ALL these officers GO after 1918, and why don't they EVER turn up in WW-Two? (Twilight Zone theme music.)

Most of them were lost in a tragic interwar accident... There was a late night collison with the British cruiser HMS Unpronouncable. I can't recall the name of the Austro-Hungarian ship, but there were a number of lives lost as the ship was never outfitted with enough life preservers - the name of the ship being long enough that the life preservers were of such size that only a handful could be fitted onto the railings. Furthermore, he distress signal was never completed, as the telegraph operator didn't have sufficient time to peck out the name of the ship in the hour and a half that she remained afloat.

Sorry... It's been a long week.

--Chris

Edited November 19, 2005 by landsknechte

[Dave Danner]

And for conspiracy freaks where DID ALL these officers GO after 1918, and why don't they EVER turn up in WW-Two? (Twilight Zone theme music.)

Janko Vukovic de Podkapelski was killed when the Italians sank the Viribus Unitis, which had become the flagship of the provisional Yugoslav navy.

Many of these, such as von Prica, Catinelli Edler von Obradich-Bevilacqua, and Mallinarich von Silbergrund und Kollinensieg, were Croatian or Slovenian nobles. They would not have had a place in Nazi Germany. The Pauspertls Vladyk von Drachenthal were Bohemian nobility.

A number of Croatian and Slovenian junior officers ended up in the navy of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later Yugoslavia. Some were later officers in the Croatian Navy.

[dond]

I have a dumber question,... Where were thier ports? Aren't Austri and Hungary landlocked????

Now that was weird! The first post I could see was Ricks and then when I asked my question I got the first 2 posts that I couldn't see which answered my question!

Sal, I believe they had a port just east of Venice which was ceded to Italy after the war. I forget the name of the place (Trieste perhaps)????

Don

[Tosun Saral]

Trieste was the main naval port . Austrians lost Trieste after WW1. It is still an unsolved problem within Italy and formar Jogoslavia.

[Alex K]

thus explaining the lack of Hapsburg naval successes--

either the ships' crews were laughing themselves silly, or it took so long to cry out

"Incoming torpedo, Herr Linienschiffsleutnant Freiherr von und zu Aichelburg Herr auf Potenhof und Greiffenstain!"

that the Italians sank them.

Edited April 26, 2007 by Alex K

[Klotzke]

Hello Markus and Rick, Gentlemen,

I am also interested in Georg, because he was 1st officer ("Gesamtdetailoffizier") on the cruiser "Kaiserin Elisabeth" and in Japanese captivity from 1914 to 1920 (see http://www.tsingtau.info).

Does anybody know details about his further life?

Jochen

Hello Rick,

You mentioned Georg Pauspertl Wladyk von Drachenthal and I was wondering if you had more Information in regards to him or the ship that he was working on since the Drachenthals are part of my heritage.

Thanks a lot

Markus

[maxheadroom]

Hello Markus and Rick, Gentlemen,

I am also interested in Georg, because he was 1st officer ("Gesamtdetailoffizier") on the cruiser "Kaiserin Elisabeth" and in Japanese captivity from 1914 to 1920 (see http://www.tsingtau.info).

Does anybody know details about his further life?

Jochen

He was married to Albertina Maria Elisabeth Malvine CORNIDES Edle von KREMPACH in 1907 - he had 2 sons Karl Wilhelm Georg (1911-1985) and Hans Wladimir Karl Ludwig (1909-) - both were priests. His wife died in 1923 in Klagenfurt. He worked for the Creditanstalt Bank until 1932 and died in 1963. He attended in 1962 a meeting of the Tsingtau Kameradschaft. His sister was my grandgrandmother..

[922F]

For those unfortunate enough not to have discovered John Biggins' novels, look for or Google A Sailor of Austria, {In which, without really intending to, Otto Prohaska becomes Official War Hero No. 27 of the Habsburg Empire} The Emperor's Coloured Coat, The Two-Headed Eagle, and/or Tomorrow the World. Recent trade paperback reprints make these fine novels finally affordable at about $12-$14 apiece.

A certain Max Hapsburg strongly advocated A-H naval development from Lokrum near Dubrovink before sailing for Vera Cruz. Rumor is he liked the uniform.

Several well-written English language publications describe the Empire's naval efforts. Given the realities of their situation, especially "front office" indifference, resource lack and a stifling bureaucracy, A-H's {no NOT that one!!} navy performed at least as well as the Italians!

[Klotzke]

Guten Tag, Markus,

ich war lange nicht im "Club", bedanke mich aber nachtr?glich f?r die Hinweise zu Pauspertl. Dass seine beiden S?hne Priester waren, bedeutet wohl, dass es keine Nachkommen mehr gibt. K?nnte jemand in der Sippe noch weitere Dokumente oder Fotos besitzen?

Viele Gr??e

Jochen

www.tsingtau.info

He was married to Albertina Maria Elisabeth Malvine CORNIDES Edle von KREMPACH in 1907 - he had 2 sons Karl Wilhelm Georg (1911-1985) and Hans Wladimir Karl Ludwig (1909-) - both were priests. His wife died in 1923 in Klagenfurt. He worked for the Creditanstalt Bank until 1932 and died in 1963. He attended in 1962 a meeting of the Tsingtau Kameradschaft. His sister was my grandgrandmother..

[Guest Rick Research]

Novels about the K.k. Marine makes me remember (dimly) the ONLY Hollywood movie (besides the grotesquely fantasized "Sound of Music") ever made about the Austro-Hungarian navy--

I think from about 1934, and titled something racy like "Hell Divers." It was an over the top tale about a U.S. Navy submarine attacking and kamikaze-type destroying an Adriatic "Navarone" type base, complicated with a dimbulb 2-guys-1-girl back plot. But that's the only time I've ever seen the Hapsburg navy in a movie. They didn't do too bad with the uniforms.

[Christian Zulus]

I'm not aware of a coast in Austria or Hungary so where did they build their ships/subs and where were their ports?

Do the Austrians and Hungarians have a Navy today?

Dear Tony,

Austria/Hungary had the most modern & sophisticated fleet in WW I . We invented some important technical achievements: Ship's screw, torpedo etc.

We are landlocked now, but we had a great naval history. Whenever you come to Vienna, have a look at the really breathtaking naval section of our military museum in Vienna: Sea forces Austria http://www.hgm.or.at/eng/ .

Our Austrian Armed Forces have no Navy today, but Hungary has still some sort of Navy: Danube Flotilla . In 1988 the Danube Flotilla, incorporated into the Hungarian army in 1968, consisted of 700 men and eighty-two vessels, including ten Nestin MSI (riverine) boats. During wartime its chief functions would be to clear the Danube and Tisza rivers of mines and to assist the army and its materiel in river crossings. The Hungarian Danube Flotilla has their own ranks & uniforms.

Austria has only the patrol boat "Nieder?sterreich":

and another very tiny boat with the name "Oberst Brecht" for operations on the river Danube.

Best regards

Christian

[Eric Stahlhut]

For those unfortunate enough not to have discovered John Biggins' novels, look for or Google A Sailor of Austria, {In which, without really intending to, Otto Prohaska becomes Official War Hero No. 27 of the Habsburg Empire} The Emperor's Coloured Coat, The Two-Headed Eagle, and/or Tomorrow the World. Recent trade paperback reprints make these fine novels finally affordable at about $12-$14 apiece.

i have to wholeheartedly agree. the prohaska series were/are wildly entertaining as well as highly informative.

[xxx]

Sal, I believe they had a port just east of Venice which was ceded to Italy after the war. I forget the name of the place (Trieste perhaps)????

Don

another main port was pula/pola

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pula

[Douglas Jr.]

...and there was a programme on the telly the other day showing an Austrian ship going down in WWI.

Tony

Here is the video showing the sinking of the battleship SMS Szent Isztv?n in 1918:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgDVU934HzA

Impressive even after 91 years...

Douglas