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Ludwig Goiginger | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ludwig Goiginger was born on 11 August 1863 in Verona, in what was then Austria's Kingdom of Venezia. Obst Ludwig Goiginger became the chief of staff for the VII. Corps in March 1910, replacing Obst Julius Melion. He maintained this position until February 1912, when he was succeeded by Oberleutnant Josef Ritter Schilhawsky von Bahnbrück. Here is a brief summary of his military career: 1881 Kadett-Offiziersstellvertreter aus Geniekadettenschule zu Genieregiment 2 18.8.1884 Lieutenant, General staff branch 27.2.1912 Commander 122. InfBrig 23.5.1912 Major General 1.10.1914 brevet Commander 32. ITD 12.10.1916 Commander 73. ITD 22.8.1917 Able to stop the Italians breakthrough at Jelenik in the 11th Isonzo-Battle, for which he received the "golden bravery medal for officers" 8.3.1918 Commander XXIV. Corps 6.6.1918 Feldmarschlleutnant; for the battle at the Montello, he was awared the Order of Maria Theresia 19.7.1918 Commander of XVIII. Corps (Westfront!) 1.1.1919 retired He began the war ranked Generalmajor and in command of the 122. schützen brigade, part of FML Heinrich von Tschurtschenthaler's 44. Schützen division in the XIV. Corps of the Archduke Josef Ferdinand. GM Goiginger assumed command of the 32. Infantry Division in September 1914, replacing FML Andreas Fail-Griessler. Goiginger held this position for six months, and turned his command over to GM Rudolf Freiherr von Willerding in March 1915. Then he tried the 44. Landwehr Infantry Division, which he took over from FML Heinrich Tschurtschenthaler von Helmheim. Goiginger led this until May, when as a FML he surrendered it to GM Josef Nemeczek. FML Ludwig Goiginger was placed in command of the Infantry Division Pustertal in May 1915, just as the Italians were marching against Austria. In the summer, Goiginger was given command of the entire Rayon V. He remained in this command until October 1916, when he turned this force over to GM Franz Edler von Steinhart. Goiginger was then appointed to lead the new 73. Infantry Division in that month. This force was newly organised as the 60. Infantry Division a year later, in October 1917. He then led this division until March 1918, when it was taken over by FML Carl Freiherr von Bardolff. In March 1918, FML Goiginger took control of the XXIV. Corps from GdI Karl Freiherr von Lukas. Goiginger retained this command until July, when he was superceded by FZM Ferdinand Ritter Goglia von Zlota Lipa. Goiginger then assumed command of the XVIII. Corps from GdI Viktor v. Weber in July 1918, and was dispatched to the Western Front, where he was the highest ranking Austrian commander on the whole front. American troops assembled opposite his sector, and made advances against Goiginger's lines in the last weeks of October. The XVIII. Corps did not receive very heavy assaults from their American enemies, nor did they retreat ignominously. The mood among the Austrians was to avoid serious engagements with the enemy at this late and futile stage of the war, without succumbing to the rumours concerning the fighting quality of the Austrian soldiery that was rife amidst both the German and American armies. Ludwig had relative in Heinrich Goiginger, who commanded the 4. Generalkommando in the Ostarmee of General Alfred Krauss and attained the rank of Feldzeugmeister on 18 May 1918. Ludwig Goiginger died on 28 February 1931, in Neustift near Graz. GWS, 3/02 [rev. 3/05] |
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Orders of Battle: Polish Front, January 1915 Immediately preceding the Battles for the Carpathians Army Group Woyrsch, Gen d. Kav. von Woyrsch Öst. II. Armee, Gen. d. Kav. von Böhm-Ermolli Öst. IV. Korps, Gen. d. Kav. von Tersztyanszky XXXII. inf. div., Feldmlt. Goiginger As of Christmas Day 1914, Goiginger’s 32. Inf. div. was part of Gallwitz Corps in the 2. Army, and was located about 6 km east of the river Pilica, about 15 km southwest of Tomaszów. Hauer’s 9. Cavalry was to his left and Kosak’s 27. Infantry was to the right. At this time, a big battle was raging for Tomaszów, which the Russians considered the key to recapturing Lodz. After New Year’s Day, Goiginger and the rest of the 2. Army was sent to the Carpathians, and the 32. Inf. Div. was moved to the IV. Corps, as the orders of battle above illustrate. [rev. 4/04] |
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Orders of Battle: Eastern Front, 1 May 1915 Immediately preceding the Dunajec offensive II. Armee, Gen. d. Kav. Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli XVIII. Korps, Gen. d. Kav. Ritt. v. Ziegler 44. Schützen div., Feldmlt. Ludwig Goiginger 17. inf. brig., Oberst Edl. v. Dietrich 122. inf. brig., Oberst Ritt. v. Wasserthal 44. field art. brig., Oberst Edl. v. Ellenberger Orders of Battle: Italian Front, late May 1915 Immediately following Italy's declaration of war against the Empire Southwestern Front, Generaloberst Erzherzog Eugen Tirol Defense Command, Gen. d. Kav. Dankl Rayon V (Pustertal) Komb. div. Pustertal, Feldmlt. Ludwig Goiginger 51. mtn. brig., Oberst Edl. v. Sparber |
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Orders of Battle: Tirol Front, October 1915 Tirol Troop Dispositions: Rayon I, Ortler; Rayon II, Tonale; Rayon III, Südtirol/Trentino; XCI. inf div., Feldmlt. von Können-Horak VIII. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Fabini IX. Korps, Gen. d. Inf. Roth Rayon IV; XC. inf. div., Feldmarschal von Scholz Rayon V; Pustertal div., Feldmlt. Goiginger |
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Ludwig Goiginger greets visiting Generalleutnant Krafft von Delmensingen in 1916. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Orders of Battle: Tirol Front, May 1916 Immediately preceding the Tirol Offensive Landesverteidigung in Tirol, Gen. d. Inf. Roth Rayon V, Feldmlt. Goiginger LVII. inf. div., Feldmlt. Goiginger |
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Orders of Battle: Tirol Front, November 1917 Immediately preceding the Caporetto Offensive XI. Army, Gen. Scheuchenstüel Rayon IV, Fassaner Alpen-Pordoi, Feldmlt. von Goiginger LII. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Goiginger |
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Orders of Battle: Italian Front, June 1918 Immediately preceding the Piave Offensive Boroevic Army Group, Feldmarchal Boroevic von Bojna VI. Armee, Generaloberst Erzherzog Josef XXIV. Korps, Feldmlt. Goiginger XXXI. inf. div., Feldmlt. Lieb XIII. Schützen div., Feldmlt. Kindl XVII. inf. div., Feldmlt. Ströher |
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Orders of Battle: Western Front, Late October 1918 Immediately before the armistice German Army covering Oberelsass to the Swiss border XVIII. Army Corps, FML Ludwig Goiginger 1. inf. div., FML Metzger 35. inf. div., FML von Podhoránszky 37. Honvéd inf. div., FML Háber 106. Landstürm inf. div., FML Karl Kratky |
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