Croatian Officer in Austria-Hungarian Army Vrbon

[ostprussenmann_new]

A friend of mine has this picture.  It is his mother’s (she is 92) Uncle.  Can anybody tell me about the awards or who this guy was and history of him?  Did he serve in WWI?

Looks like he had some high level medals and was a high ranking officer but I may be wrong

[Bayern]

Hello .: A question first , which is the name of your friends mother ? .second ,if the tunic is white ,or light blue and the buttons are not plain  ,the man portrayed is a General .

[ostprussenmann_new]

8 minutes ago, Bayern said:

Hello .: A question first , which is the name of your friends mother ? .second ,if the tunic is white ,or light blue and the buttons are not plain  ,the man portrayed is a General .

name is Vbron (don't know if first or last name, but I will find out)

I just texted my friend about the name and your questions.  When I hear back I will repost.  Thanks for taking an interest.  he should be easy to find right?  I don't know much about this field of Pre-WWII stuff.

[BalkanCollector]

The surname can't be Vrbon. It's probably Vrban.

[ostprussenmann_new]

10 hours ago, BalkanCollector said:

The surname can't be Vrbon. It's probably Vrban.

You are probably correct.  Thanks for looking.

17 hours ago, Bayern said:

Hello .: A question first , which is the name of your friends mother ? .second ,if the tunic is white ,or light blue and the buttons are not plain  ,the man portrayed is a General .

My friend stated the uniforms looks Gray and the buttons have a design on them.  The photo is a family painting.

So maybe we look for "Vrban"

[Ian]

Hi,

As best I can make out the medals are as follows:

Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class, Militar Verdienstkreuz on war ribbon, bronze Signum Laudis on red ribbon (peace time), General Service War medal, Officers Long Service Cross (probably 3rd class), Jubilee medal and Jubilee cross.

There is no General Vrban in my copy of Antonio Schmidt-Brentano Austro-Hungarian Generals 1816-1918. Could he possibly be a Major?

Regards, Ian

[Bayern]

Hello : The uniform could be light blue pike grey.one of the colours of Generals uniforms .the Austrian Generals were unique in wearing buttons with a design on them . a rosette . Artillerymen weared buttons with a design too but this was cannon and balls . All the other military corps weared glatte (plain ) buttons .Regarding to the name i suggests to look for a Urbanc . the germanized form . another question . Vrban is the paternal or maternal name ?

[ostprussenmann_new]

He took the photo out of the frame

 

1 hour ago, Ian said:

Hi,

As best I can make out the medals are as follows:

Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class, Militar Verdienstkreuz on war ribbon, bronze Signum Laudis on red ribbon (peace time), General Service War medal, Officers Long Service Cross (probably 3rd class), Jubilee medal and Jubilee cross.

There is no General Vrban in my copy of Antonio Schmidt-Brentano Austro-Hungarian Generals 1816-1918. Could he possibly be a Major?

Regards, Ian

Ian

Thanks for identifying the medal.  I do not know what Rank he is.  All I have is the photo and Name.

8 minutes ago, Bayern said:

Hello : The uniform could be light blue pike grey.one of the colours of Generals uniforms .the Austrian Generals were unique in wearing buttons with a design on them . a rosette . Artillerymen weared buttons with a design too but this was cannon and balls . All the other military corps weared glatte (plain ) buttons .Regarding to the name i suggests to look for a Urbanc . the germanized form . another question . Vrban is the paternal or maternal name ?

Bayern,  Maybe Vrban is like you said.  Thanks again.  My friend only has this photo (painting).  This is very interesting.

17 hours ago, BalkanCollector said:

The surname can't be Vrbon. It's probably Vrban.

Balken,  I have always found the Croatians very interesting.  One of my favorite units is the 13th Waffen SS Handschar Division and the 369tth Heer HRVASTKA Division that was destroyed in Stalingrad.

Not to get off subject, but I have a WSS Gray-green Handschar Fez, Obersturmfuhrer set of Mountain Board from the 27th Regiment (rare), Collartab, and Sleeve Shield.  I am trying to get some stuff from the 369th.

[BalkanCollector]

7 hours ago, ostprussenmann_new said:

Not to get off subject, but I have a WSS Gray-green Handschar Fez, Obersturmfuhrer set of Mountain Board from the 27th Regiment (rare), Collartab, and Sleeve Shield.  I am trying to get some stuff from the 369th.

That's cool. I don't collect fascist Croatia though. I only collect Yugoslav Partisan items from that period.

[Bayern]

Hello Gentlemen ,Good news , I found into the Schematismus fur de KuK heer 1914 , our man or so I believe , Eduard Urban , who received the Militarverdientskreuz in 1879 , he was in 1914 Feldmarschalleutnant ,that is lieutenant general .

[ostprussenmann_new]

1 hour ago, Bayern said:

Hello Gentlemen ,Good news , I found into the Schematismus fur de KuK heer 1914 , our man or so I believe , Eduard Urban , who received the Militarverdientskreuz in 1879 , he was in 1914 Feldmarschalleutnant ,that is lieutenant general .

Bayern,  This is great news.  Thanks alot.  Can we find anything else on him like units and other military service?  I will start looking since we have a name now.  I owe you.

[Ian]

URBAN Eduard (21 Oct 1847 - 18 May 1916)

Generalmajor 01 Nov 1900

Feldmarschalleuntant 01 May 1905

Pension 1 Nov1916

 

[ostprussenmann_new]

58 minutes ago, Ian said:

URBAN Eduard (21 Oct 1847 - 18 May 1916)

Generalmajor 01 Nov 1900

Feldmarschalleuntant 01 May 1905

Pension 1 Nov1916

 

This is great thank you.

 

would you happen to know final disposition of awards, and commands especially during WWI

Guys this has been great.  Thank you so much.

[Ian]

Sorry, but I am away from home at this time, but once I am back at home (Wednesday my time) I will search for the information.

Regards, Ian

[Bayern]

Hello : Gentlemen , my pleasure , regarding to General Urban I aventure that during WW1 he dont had a first line command . other point that come to my mind is that probably he was awarded with the Militarverdienstkreuz during the occupation of Bosnia in the year 1878

[ostprussenmann_new]

15 hours ago, Ian said:

Sorry, but I am away from home at this time, but once I am back at home (Wednesday my time) I will search for the information.

Regards, Ian

Works for me.  Thanks brother.

9 hours ago, Bayern said:

Hello : Gentlemen , my pleasure , regarding to General Urban I aventure that during WW1 he dont had a first line command . other point that come to my mind is that probably he was awarded with the Militarverdienstkreuz during the occupation of Bosnia in the year 1878

That is interesting.  I may have to read up on that.

[Christian1962]

Urban Eduard, Fmlt. a.D., wohnhaft in Wien:

Ritterkreuz des Leopoldordens

Orden der Eisernen Krone 3. Kl.

Militärverdienstkreuz (Frieden) [in 1879]

Bronzene Militärverdienstmedaille

Kriegsmedaille 1873

Militär-Jubiläumsmedaille 1898

Militärjubiläumskreuz 1908

Dienstzeichen für Offiziere 2. Kl.

Source: Schematismus für das k.u.k. Heer 1914, S. 156

https://library.hungaricana.hu/en/view/KriegsMarine_1914/?pg=155&layout=s

As far as I see, he died in 1916 and had not any command in WW1. Ruhestand was effective with 01.11.1906 not in 1916.

Urban, Eduard (21.10.1847 - 18.5.1916), 1.11.1900 (31.10.00) GM, 1.5.1905 (11.5.05) FML, 1.11.1906 pens. [from Schmidt-Brentano: Die k.u.k. Generalität 1815 - 1918, S. 191]

http://www.oesta.gv.at/DocView.axd?CobId=23130

Regards

Christian

Edited January 1, 2018 by Christian1962

[ostprussenmann_new]

  Thanks.  This is Great.  I appreciate it.  Pretty amazing.

[Ian]

From what I have been able to determine he Commanded the following:

October 1895 - Aug 1900 - Eisenbahn und Telegraph Regiment - Oberst

Aug 1900 - April 1905 13 Infantry Brigade - Oberst and Generalmajor .

He retired from servicer in November 1906. The 1916 was a typo by me....sorry.

[ostprussenmann_new]

8 hours ago, Ian said:

From what I have been able to determine he Commanded the following:

October 1895 - Aug 1900 - Eisenbahn und Telegraph Regiment - Oberst

Aug 1900 - April 1905 13 Infantry Brigade - Oberst and Generalmajor .

He retired from servicer in November 1906. The 1916 was a typo by me....sorry.

No issues, thanks for the update