Generals of the Austrian Bundesheer 1918-1938

[Klemen L.]

Hello!

Can anyone recommend me a good book which contain the biographies of generals of the Austrian Bundesheer from 1918 to 1938? I am particularly interested in biography of Generalmajor Medicus who later became the head of the Heimwehr for Steiermark. I found his name mentioned once in Walter Wiltschegg's "Die Heimwehr: Eine unwiderstehliche Volksbewegung".

Klemen

[Grisu]

Klemen, do you have any information on the precise date when this alleged Generalmajor (Wilhelm?) Medicus became had of the Styrian Heimwehr? If so, you might find some information in the newspapers, some of which have been made accessible online by the Austrian National library.

Link: http://anno.onb.ac.at/anno.htm -> click "Jahresübersicht der Zeitungen und Zeitschriften" -> choose the year and then the date.

[Klemen L.]

Klemen, do you have any information on the precise date when this alleged Generalmajor (Wilhelm?) Medicus became had of the Styrian Heimwehr?

Nada. All what I know about him is that he entered the Austrian Bundesheer in 1919 as Colonel, was commander of the Styrian Alpine Regiment Nr. 9 in Graz until 1923 and then I find him again in Walter Wiltschegg's "Die Heimwehr: Eine unwiderstehliche Volksbewegung", where he is mentioned as the one who replaced Major Othmar Chocholka as the head of military command (or Heimwehr) for Steiermark. His last rank is given as Generalmajor.
So I take it there is no Austrian book which would contain a biography of this Wilhelm Medicus? :roll:

If so, you might find some information in the newspapers, some of which have been made accessible online by the Austrian National library.

Yes, I know but with so little information I have about him I could end up checking those online newspapers until my retirement.

lp,

Klemen

[Grisu]

So I take it there is no Austrian book which would contain a biography of this Wilhelm Medicus?

There might be several books with information on Medicus: To start with, there's a Schematismus für das österreichische Bundesheer which was published in the 1930s, i.e., in the time span I suspect would be most interesting for you. Second, the MoD published another book in an army-series: Österreichs Bundesheer (= Militärwissenschaftliche und technische Mitteilungen, 1929), ed. by Bundesministerium für Heereswesen.

As I don't think you have direct access to these, I ordered the 30s editions of the Schematismus and the book on the Bundesheer and will check for info on Medicus at the beginning of the week.

[Grisu]

I checked the books mentioned above. No success, I am sorry. Are you sure he was Generalmajor? Are you sure about the (spelling of) his name?

[Klemen L.]

Hello Grisu,

I checked the books mentioned above. No success, I am sorry. Are you sure he was Generalmajor? Are you sure about the (spelling of) his name?

Thank you for your efforts, Grisu. To be honest I was a bit skeptical about whether you are going to find anything about him in those two pieces of literature at the first place, so I can't say I am much suprised. Yes, as I said Walter Wiltschegg's in his book "Die Heimwehr: Eine unwiderstehliche Volksbewegung" gives his rank as Generalmajor. He was Lt.Col. in November 1918 and Colonel in late 1923, so I reckon there is a good chance he was promoted to general around late 1920s or early 1930s. But the problem is that there was also one apparently well-known florist Wilhelm Medicus and as a result of this always when I try to search anything about "my man" I tend to find the wrong Wilhelm Medicus.

Anyway I have sent you PM with excerpt from Wiltschegg's book.

Klemen

[Frech]

Hi, Klemen!

You could find Wilhelm Medicus as Colonel in 1933 when you look here:

http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/bundregt.htm

He was commander of the "Steirisches Alpenjägerregiment Feldmarschall Daun Nr.9" until 21-06-1933. It would be possible that he retired than as Generalmajor.

Regards

Christian

[Klemen L.]

Hello Christian,

You could find Wilhelm Medicus as Colonel in 1933 when you look here:
http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/bundregt.htm
He was commander of the "Steirisches Alpenjägerregiment Feldmarschall Daun Nr.9" until 21-06-1933. It would be possible that he retired than as Generalmajor.

Yes, I know although the date you are giving is obviously a typo. It is until 21-06-1923 and not 1933. As I said to Grisu after 1923 this man disappears completely from my radar screen and except for a small note about Generalmajor Wilhelm medicus in Wiltschegg's book I can't find any further reference about him. This includes his date and place of death. Not to mention his date and place of birth.

[Grisu]

If I had known that we are talking about the 20s, I would not have checked the books on the 30s...
Klemen, I take it you have already checked the Militärschematismus for the early career of Medicus? If your research up to now was unsuccessful, why don't you contact the archive? If Medicus was commander of the Styrian army unit (as indicated by Frech), and was Styrian Heimwehr leader, the regional archive would be my place to start (contact details).

PS: No message from you in my PM-inbox.

[Klemen L.]

Hello Grisu,

If I had known that we are talking about the 20s, I would not have checked the books on the 30s...

Hm... Hm... Hm....

Can anyone recommend me a good book which contain the biographies of generals of the Austrian Bundesheer from 1918 to 1938? I am particularly interested in biography of Generalmajor Medicus who later became the head of the Heimwehr for Steiermark. I found his name mentioned once in Walter Wiltschegg's "Die Heimwehr: Eine unwiderstehliche Volksbewegung".

If your research up to now was unsuccessful, why don't you contact the archive? If Medicus was commander of the Styrian army unit (as indicated by Frech), and was Styrian Heimwehr leader, the regional archive would be my place to start (contact details).

I already did contact them about another fellow which I am searching but they just replied thatI need to come to Graz in person. Although I like Graz much more than Vienna (despite the fact that Graz 99ers sux) I cannot afford to drive to there just for one fellow only to get duped at the end by the fact that they have nothing about him.

PS: No message from you in my PM-inbox.

OK. Let's see if now I can squezze something through.

Thanks again for your help.

Klemen

[Frech]

Hi!

a little bit late, but some facts about Medicus:

MEDICUS Wilhelm (Triest, 08.08.1871)
18.08.1892 als Leutnant aus TherMilAk zu IR 87
01.05.1896 Oberleutnant
01.11.1905 Hauptmann
01.01.1915 Major, IR 87
01.10.1916 Oberstleutnant
01.01.1921 Oberst
14.07.1923 Generalmajor
01.05.1921 – 21.06.1923 Kommandant AJR 9
01.08.1923 Versetzung in den Ruhestand
00.00.1937 Kommandant 5. Milizbrigade
JM1898
JK1908
KTK
VwM
EZ.II.-RK.KD
BMVM.X
SMVM.X 3x
MVK.3.X
EKO.3.X
LO-RK.X

Regards

Christian

[Aisingioro]

Thanks, Christian

Aisin

[JakeV]

Titular-Generalmajor Wilhelm Thomas Medicus
* 08.08.1871 in Triest/Küstenland
† 06.12.1948 in Wien

Vater: evangelischer Pfarrer Heinrich Medicus

Here's a picture of him from Das Interessante Blatt vom 22.09.1921, S. 4:

from http://anno.onb.ac.at/pdfs/ONB_dib_19210922.pdf

Medicus Wilhelm.png (353.97 KiB) Viewed 1129 times

(caption: Der Kommandant des steirischen Grenzschutzes Oberst Wilhelm Medicus mit seinem Adjutanten Oberstleutnant Alfons Hofmann)

Jake

[VJK]

Hi,

Can anyone please add any info to what I have, a picture would also be greatly appreciated:

Kornelius GRAF-KHITTEL, Edler von Westhort
Born:
Died:

Promotions:
Leutnant:
Oberleutnant:
Hauptmann:
Major: 1 Nov 1912
Oberstleutnant: 1 May 1915
Oberst: 1 Nov 1917
Tit.-Generalmajor: (http://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno? ... ch&seite=9)

Assignments:
1917: Geniedirektor Bileca

Awards & Decorations:
Orden der Eisernern Krone III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration: Nov 1916
Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration: Aug 1915
Bronzene Militärverdienstmedaille am Bande des MVK
Bronzene Militärverdienstmedaille am roten Bande
Bronzene Jubiläumserinnerungsmedaille für die bewaffnete Macht
Militär-Jubiläumskreuz
Erinnerungskreuz
preuss. Eiserne Kreuz II. Kl.: Feb 1917

Best regards,

VJK

[JakeV]

Hi VJK,

Cornelius Oskar Ludwig von Graf [I assume that he changed his surname to "Graf-Khittel Edler von Westhort" around 1909]
* 14.04.1871 in Lemberg/Galizien
† 26.12.1954 in Bad Ischl

Eltern: k.u.k. Hauptmann Ferdinand von Graf & Clara, geb. Mejo

verheiratet am 10.05.1905 in Wien mit Margaretha Khittel (* 28.09.1876 in Wien-Landstraße; † 13.10.1967 in Mödling bei Wien), Tochter des Hofrats Jaroslav Khittel (ab 1909 Khittel von Westhort) (http://www.biographien.ac.at/oebl/oebl_ ... 5_1918.xml)

Regards

Jacob