Rudolf Stöger-Steiner von Steinstätten

Rudolf Stöger-Steiner Freiherr von Steinstätten (26 April 1861 – 12 May 1921) was a colonel general in the Austro-Hungarian army and served as the last Imperial Minister for War not only to the Austro-Hungarian Empire but also to the ancient Habsburg monarchy which sat at its head.

Background and early life Born as Rudolf Stöger in the village of Pernegg an der Mur, Styria, in the then Austrian Empire in 1861, Stöger-Steiner's father died when he was a young boy, leading his mother to marry a then in the Austrian Army, Joseph Steiner. Stöger-Steiner's stepfather, a veteran of the Danish campaign where he had been mentioned in dispatches to the Kaiser, had a profound influence on the young man's development and encouraged him to enlist in the Army.

Joseph Steiner saw that his stepson entered service as a cadet in the 9th Feldjägerbataillon upon joining the Army so as to prevent him being sent off to active service in Bosnia as a war volunteer, but rather than join his stepfather's old unit, Stöger-Steiner was accepted into the Infantry cadet institute at Liebenau for officer's training. Stöger-Steiner remained in command of the now mobilized fourth Infantry posted to Galicia as part of Auffenberg's Fourth Army. In Galicia, the fourth infantry took part in the Battles of Krasnik, Zamość, Komarów and the retreat to Tuckow, for which Stöger-Steiner received decorations in recognition of his initiative and outstanding leadership. In late 1914, the 4th infantry was redeployed to Kraków and attached to the First Army before being enlarged to become "Kombinierte Division Stöger-Steiner", a combined tactical force which took part in 1915's May Offensive and captured Annopol and Josefów. only to be promoted to the command of XV Corps (also on the Isonzo) that same summer. Over the next two years, XV Corps was to take part in 8 of the 12 battles of the Isonzo, and its commander, Stöger-Steiner, was promoted to the rank of General der Infanterie in late 1915.

In 1916, as part of his evaluation of Stöger-Steiner's performance, his commander Feldzeugmeister Scheuchenstuel stated the General was:

"A versatile useful senior general with a comprehensive military education with outstanding leadership qualities. Quiet, determined, full of self confidence. Has proved his worth in difficult situations. Owing to his special qualities he is also especially suited for a senior position within the military command."

The role into which he had been appointed had diminished much in terms of power as Armeeoberkommando (Military High Command) became more powerful in politics and Emperor Karl tinkered with Parliamentary politics despite the war situation, while powerful Hungarian politicians also attempted to split the common army into two wholly separate entities.

Service record

Selected awards and decorations

Austria-Hungary Military Merit Cross, 2nd class (1899) Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd class (1906) Knight's Cross of the Order of Leopold (1912) Military Merit Cross, 2nd class with war decoration (1915) Grand Cross of the Order of the Iron Crown with war decoration (1916) Merit decoration of the Society of the Red Cross, 1st class with war decoration (1917) Order of Leopold, Grand Cross with war decoration and swords (1917) Swords for all previously given Austro-Hungarian orders with war decoration (1917) Military Merit Medal (Signum Laudis) (1917) Decoration for Services to the Red Cross with war decoration (1917) Marian Cross (Marianerkreutz) Officers Medal for 50 years of military service Military Medal for the 50th year of the reign Military Cross for the 60th year of the reign

Germany

Grand Cross of the Military Merit Order with swords (Bavaria) Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd class (1915) and 1st class (1917) Order of the Red Eagle, 1st class with swords (Prussia) War Merit Cross (Lippe, 1917) Grand Cross with Swords of the Order of Albrecht (Saxony) Grand Cross with Swords of the Order of the Crown (Württemberg) Loyal Service Cross (Schaumburg-Lippe)

Other Order of the Cross of Takovo, 5th class (Serbia, 1887) Order of the Lion and the Sun, 4th class (Persia, 1890) Commander's Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania (1910) Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of the Star of Romania (1911) Order of the Double Dragon, 2nd grade of the 2nd class (Chinese Empire, 1911) Order of Osmanieh, 2nd class (Ottoman Empire, 1913) Golden Imtiaz Medal (Ottoman Empire, 1917) Gallipoli Star or "Iron Crescent", (Ottoman Empire) Knight Grand Cross of Magistral Grace of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Order of the Red Banner RSFSR

Other honours Appointed Privy Counsellor to the Emperor, 4 June 1916 Elevated to Freiherr (Baron), 28 April 1918 It has been claimed that Stöger-Steiner would have received the Military Order of Maria Theresa, Imperial Austria's highest military decoration for his actions in 1914, and in engaging the 4th infantry in the battle of Krasnik in particular had he submitted a claim and not died so soon after the war.