Back to the Austrian Commanders page

Julius Kaiser

Julius Kaiser was born in 1860.  FML Kaiser began the war in charge of the 30. Infantry Division.  This he led until September 1915, when it was taken over by GM Moritz Jesser.  Kaiser took over the II. Corps in place of FML Johann von Kirchbach in September 1915 and held it for a very long time-all the way to April 1918.  After this, he was replaced by FML Rudolf Krauss. Julius Kaiser died in 1925. GWS, 3/02 [rev. 6/04] Orders of Battle:  Podolian Front, August 1914 III. Armee, Gen. d. Kav. Rudolf Ritter von Brudermann XI. Korps, Gen. d. Kav. Koloszvary von Koloszvar   XXX. inf. div., Feldmlt. Kaiser Orders of Battle:  Polish Front, January 1915 IV. Armee, Gen. d. Inf. Erzherzog Josef Ferdinand XI. Korps, Feldz. Ljubicic   XXX. inf. div., Feldmlt. Kaiser Orders of Battle:  Podolian Front, September 1915 VII. Armee, Gen. d. Kav. von Pflanzer-Baltin Henriquez Korps, Feldmlt. von Henriquez   XXX. inf. div., Feldmlt. Kaiser Orders of Battle:  Volhynian Front, June 1916 Immediately preceding the Lutsk offensive Linsingen Group, Gen. d. Inf. von Linsingen IV. Armee, Generaloberst Erzherzog Josef Ferdinand II. Korps, Feldmlt. Kaiser   XLI. Honved inf. div., Genmj. Schamschula   IV. inf. div., Genmj. Reymann Kaiser's II. Corps was located just north of Olika, the small village east of Lutsk where the massive breakthough in the Austrian lines occurred.  Kaiser was forced to the defensive as the Russian VIII. Corps carried three lines of trenches to his right, and the Russian XXXIX. and XXX. Corps both forced themselves into his formerly impenetrable defense lines. Kaiser attempted to make a stand on the River Styr, some ten miles behind his trenches two weeks after the initial assault.  General Kaledin's Russian VIII. Army was intent on capturing Lutsk and eventually even Kowel.  Kaiser was allowed to retire behind the Styr and use it as a defense line.  The XXXIX. Corps crossed the river during the last week of June, however, and broke toward Kowel at a rapid rate.  Only the timely arrival of the German reinforcements under General Linsingen saved the day. GWS, 10/01 Orders of Battle:  Volhynian Front, July 1916 Immediately following the Lutsk offensive Army Group Linsingen, Gen. d. Inf. von Linsingen IV. Armee, Generaloberst von Tersztyanszky II. K.u.K. Korps, Feldmlt. Kaiser   XLI. Honved inf. div., Genmj. Schamschula   IV. inf. div., Genmj. Pfeffer Reorganisation was ordered by the Germans, and Kaiser's II. Corps was swapped for Bernhardi's Corps.  Kaiser was judged able enough to defend the highly exposed strongpoint of Czartorysk.  This place was held for the first fortnight in July under the most brutal assaults by the Russian XXX. and XLVI. Corps.  This was part of Kaledin's attack on Kowel.  The Guards Army gained inital stunning success by driving Kaiser from Czartorysk.  They expected that the II. Corps would be pushed beyond Kowel, but as the ground grew marshier, so the advance of the Guards became more precarious until they were exposed to a defiant defense amidst the moors of the River Stochod.  Aided by the Germans, Kaiser helped to defeat the hitherto elite Guards Army. GWS, 10/01 Orders of Battle:  Podolian Front, November 1916 IV. K.u.K. Armee, Generaloberst von Tersztyanszky II. K.u.K. Korps, Feldmlt. Kaiser   IV. inf. div., Feldmlt. Pfeffer   XLI. Honved inf. div., Genmj. Schamschula Orders of Battle:  Podolian Front, July 1917 IV. K.u.K. Armee, Generaloberst von Kirchbach II. K.u.K. Korps, Feldmlt. Kaiser   CVII. Deutsch inf. div., Genmj. Havenstein   IV. K.u.K. inf. div., Feldmlt. Pfeffer