MLW Posted 3 July , 2009 Share Posted 3 July , 2009 Does anyone have any information about the fortifications at Lemberg - such as number of forts, design, period of construction? As far as I know, the Austrian-Hungarian Army also built ring forts at Cracow and Przemysl to protect northernn Galicia. Yet, despite there being several battles for Lemberg, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMSKaiser Posted 3 July , 2009 Share Posted 3 July , 2009 The official Austrian history ("Österreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg 1914-1918, Volume I") gives only few details about the fortifications: The forts were built in 1887, improved and rebuilt in 1912 ("Crisis year"). It consisted of a belt of earthworks with concrete fittings, forming a large ring with a diameter of 48km around the city. It is stated that there are only 28 guns available, in case of emergency the field army had to reinforce the defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLW Posted 3 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 3 July , 2009 Thanks for the information. As scant as that description is, it is much more than I have seen from other books about WWI. Cheers, Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMSKaiser Posted 4 July , 2009 Share Posted 4 July , 2009 There are some more information in the text, i will try to get the extracts summarized here. I'm sorry for that I can only write it down piecemeal, but as I'm writing my exams the days, I have not enough time to read through the whole book at the moment Commander of the fortifications was Major-General Friedrich Gostischa, his forces according to mobilisation plan consisted of 2 baons of 'Landsturm' Infantry Regiment 19 (from the 93th 'Landsturm' Brigade) - 2,000 1st and 2nd companies of fortress artillery regiment 9 - 516 4 'Landsturm' artillery detachments - 808 1st and 2nd pioneer companies (pioneer regiment 11) - 520 one 'Landsturm' sapper detachment - 203 making 4,047 men (without officers) total strength Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLW Posted 5 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2009 Thanks. Whatever information you can provide will be of great help, and certainly take your time. Austro-Hungarian source material is rare in the US. Good luck on your exams! Cheers, Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMSKaiser Posted 18 July , 2009 Share Posted 18 July , 2009 This map shows the recapture of Lemberg by Austro-German forces on 22. June 1915. The circles show the positions of the fortifications. I dont think that the Russians had had enough time to improve the defence perimeter, thus all those forts should be pre-war-built. Source: "Österreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg 1914-1918. Beilagen Band II. Das Kriegsjahr 1915, 1.Teil" (Vienna, 1931) I will try to get some detailed accounts of single fortifications, but i am afraid that most of the facts I reminded myself of, were about bridgeheads Jaroslau, Siniewa and fortress Przemysl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLW Posted 18 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 18 July , 2009 Thank you very much. That is the first map I have seen of the Lemberg forts. Very helpful. Regards, Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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