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 Goiginger retained this command until July, when he was superceded by FZM Ferdinand Ritter Goglia von Zlota Lipa.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]
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]
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
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
Immediately preceding the Tirol Offensive
Landesverteidigung in Tirol, Gen. d. Inf. Roth
Rayon V, Feldmlt. Goiginger
LVII. inf. div., Feldmlt. Goiginger
Immediately preceding the Caporetto Offensive
XI. Army, Gen. Scheuchenstüel
Rayon IV, Fassaner Alpen-Pordoi, Feldmlt. von Goiginger
LII. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Goiginger
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
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
