Josef Freiherr Roth von Limanowa-Łapanow
, commonly known as
Josef Roth
was an Austro-Hungarian
Generaloberst
during
World War I
as well as a Privy Councilor while commanding the XIV Corps throughout the war.
Biography
[
edit
]
Josef Roth was born in
Trieste
where his father was garrisoned at as he was an Austrian officer himself. After attending the cadet school at
Sankt Polten
, he entered the
Theresian Military Academy
and graduated on April 4, 1879, and served as a lieutenant in the 21st Feldjager Battalion.
[1]
On May 1, 1884, Roth was promoted to lieutenant. After graduating from war school in Vienna, he was promoted to First Lieutenant in the 71st Infantry Brigade at
Fiume
but was transferred 13th Infantry Brigade at
Esseg
and then to the XII Corps at Esseg. On November 1, 1889, Roth was promoted to captain and placed on the General Staff.
[1]
In 1895, he was promoted to major, he was assigned to the staff of the 12th Infantry Division in
Krakow
. In 1897, he was employed in the same way at the V Corps staff in
Pressburg
, with promotion to lieutenant colonel on May 1, 1898. In 1900, Roth was transferred to the 76th Infantry Regiment in
Graz
for a short period of time, and on May 1, 1901, he was promoted to colonel and was head of the newly established "General Staff Office for Instructional Work and Exercises".
[1]
After being promoted to major general on May 1, 1908, he became commander of the 94th Infantry Brigade in
Tolmein
in the same year and on April 1, 1910, commander of the Theresian Military Academy.
[1]
On May 1, 1912, Roth was promoted to Field Marshal Lieutenant in this capacity.
At the beginning of the
World War I
, he was given command of the 3rd Infantry Troops Division of the XIV Corps on August 5, 1914, and then on October 1, 1914, of the XIV Corps.
[1]
[2]
After an army group with eight Austrian infantry troop divisions, three Austrian cavalry troop divisions, one German infantry division and three
Polish legions
had been formed shortly after the outbreak of war, he was given command of this army group which was known as
Roth
. At the
Battle of Limanowa
, he succeeded in preventing the Russian forces from breaking through between the 4th and 3rd Imperial and Royal Army and the threatening encirclement of
Krakow
to fend off at.
[1]
Army Group Roth continued to fight in the Eastern front, including at the
Battle of Gorlice Tarnow
and the
Battle of Lublin
.
[1]
Promoted to general of infantry on September 1, 1915, Roth was ordered to the
Italian front
, where he was assigned to the Tyrolean Defense Command. He then took command of the IV and V Corps. In March 1916 he was appointed commander of the defense of
Tyrol
.
[2]
After the end of the
Battle of Asiago
, Roth became the commanding general of the XX. Corps.
[1]
[2]
He was not given a higher rank however because his direct superior,
Archduke Eugen of Austria
, despite considering him to be an excellent general, classified him as too soft and considerate in dealing with his subordinate units.
On May 19, 1916, he was given the title "Privy Councilor" and on June 11, 1916, the title of "Knight of" was awarded. He received the title "Limanowa-Lapanow" at his request on September 4, 1916.
[3]
In the months that followed, Limanowa-Lapanow once again gained merit as a corps commander. After the success of the
Battle of Caporetto
, the defensive front in the Dolomites was over and the army high command looked for a new use for Roth. Chief of Staff
Franz Conrad von Hotzendorf
, who agreed with Archduke Eugen in his assessment of Roth, added: "A decent, chivalrous character, more reserved than energetic, albeit fearless and brave, he does not seem suited to taking command of an army. He is more suitable to take up the position of inspector in military training as he has heart and understanding for the youth.”
For this assessment, on February 15, 1918, Roth was appointed Inspector General of the Military Educational Institutions.
[2]
On February 1, he was promoted to
Generaloberst
on February 25, 1918.
[1]
On October 2, 1918, Roth was awarded the Knight's Cross of the
Military Order of Maria Theresa
by Emperor
Karl I
, and in accordance with the Order's statutes, he was elevated to the status of baron on October 10, 1918, by a decree from the Most High (AH) at
Schonbrunn Palace
.
[4]
After the
peace agreement with Russia
, the released prisoners of war flowed back to Austria-Hungary. The army leadership, which was still responsible for the soldiers who had been released from captivity and wanted to reintegrate them into the army, feared that there were also Bolshevist sympathizers and other so-called subversive elements among them. Therefore, the post of "General Inspector for Returnees" was created and transferred to Generaloberst Roth, in addition to his previous duties. Generaloberst Roth remained in these positions until the end of the war.
He retired on December 31, 1918, and lived at his home in Vienna, but continued to be involved in various institutions. He was President of the "Verein Alt-Neustadt", President of the "Officers' Society", 1st President of the "Reich Comradeship and Warrior Association" and Chairman of the "Supreme Officers' Council".
[1]
From 1925 he was also President of the Chapter of the Military Order of Maria Theresa.
After his death on April 9, 1927, at the age of 69, Limanowa-Lapanow was buried in the
Vienna Central Cemetery
(Group 81B, No. 54).
[2]
From 1891 he was married to Countess Melanie Lasansky and they had two sons and two daughters.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
Peter Broucek
: "
Roth von Limanowa-Łapanow Josef
". In:
Osterreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815?1950
(OBL). Vol. 9,
Austrian Academy of Sciences
, Vienna 1988,
ISBN
3-7001-1483-4
, p. 282 f. (Direct links to "
p. 282
", "
p. 283
")
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
"Roth-Limanowa, Josef (english): AEIOU Osterreich-Lexikon im Austria-Forum"
.
Austria Forum
. Retrieved
May 1,
2022
.
- ^
Arno Kerschbaumer,
Nobilitierungen unter der Regentschaft Kaiser Franz Joseph I. / I. Ferenc Jozsef kiraly (1914?1916)
. Graz 2017,
ISBN
978-3-9504153-2-2
, p. 74.
- ^
Arno Kerschbaumer:
Nobilitierungen unter der Regentschaft Kaiser Karl I. / IV. Karoly kiraly (1916?1921)
. Graz 2016,
ISBN
978-3-9504153-1-5
, p. 132.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Georg von Reichlin-Meldegg:
Der Lowe von Limanowa.
Ares-Verlag
, Graz 2005.
ISBN
978-3-902475-07-7
.
- Wurzbach:
Acten des k.u.k. Kriegsarchivs.
Militar-Zeitg. u. Armeeblatt o. J.
- Peter Frank-Dofering (Hrsg.):
Adelslexikon des Osterreichischen Kaisertums 1804?1918.
1989.