Evidenzbureau
Encyclopedia
The k.u.k. Evidenzbureau (modernized spelling Evidenzbüro) was the directorate of military intelligence
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
, headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
and the 1866 campaign against Prussia
, albeit with little success.
The Evidenzbureau initially reported to the k.u.k. Foreign Ministry, but was reassigned to the General Staff
at the outbreak of World War I. It existed until the end of the monarchy in 1918.
The Kundschaftsbüro, tasked with monitoring foreign states, was subordinate to the Evidenzbureau.
and the Balkans
); conversely, Russia was chiefly interested in affairs of Austria-Hungary and the German Reich.
The bureau collected intelligence of military relevance from various sources into daily reports to the Chief of Staff (Generalstabschef) and weekly reports to Emperor Franz Joseph
; until 1913, the reports to the Emperor had to be submitted in longhand.
The core Bureau at the time consisted of 20 officers, a fraction of the numbers employed in the German or Russian services. This shortage was primarily because the service was part of the Foreign Ministry, which, as a k.u.k.
institution, customarily received only the minimum acceptable amount of financing from the Hungarian side (see also Ausgleich
).
, General Staff officer and later head of counter-intelligence
and deputy director of the Evidenzbureau, as a double agent. His discovery in 1913 led to a severe political and military crisis in Austria at the eve of World War I.
During that war, the importance of the Bureau was on the rise; the relatively new task of intercepting radio transmissions was added to its traditional functions such as mail censorship.
In the last year of the War (1918), the Evidenzbureau – then led by Maj. Maximilian Ronge
– combined with the domestic intelligence service (Staatspolizei) is reported to have employed 300 officers, 50 officials, 400 police agents, 600 soldiers and 600 informant
s.
Notable officers
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
Foundation
Founded in 1850 as the first permanent military intelligence service, the Evidenzbureau became active in the 1859 Austro-Sardinian warSecond Italian War of Independence
The Second War of Italian Independence, Franco-Austrian War, Austro-Sardinian War, or Austro-Piedmontese War , was fought by Napoleon III of France and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia against the Austrian Empire in 1859...
and the 1866 campaign against Prussia
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
, albeit with little success.
The Evidenzbureau initially reported to the k.u.k. Foreign Ministry, but was reassigned to the General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
at the outbreak of World War I. It existed until the end of the monarchy in 1918.
The Kundschaftsbüro, tasked with monitoring foreign states, was subordinate to the Evidenzbureau.
Functions
Towards the end of the 19th century, tensions among the major European powers were rising, leading to increased activities of intelligence services. Mirroring political interests, attention of Austro-Hungarian services was primarily directed east- and southward (RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
); conversely, Russia was chiefly interested in affairs of Austria-Hungary and the German Reich.
The bureau collected intelligence of military relevance from various sources into daily reports to the Chief of Staff (Generalstabschef) and weekly reports to Emperor Franz Joseph
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
; until 1913, the reports to the Emperor had to be submitted in longhand.
The core Bureau at the time consisted of 20 officers, a fraction of the numbers employed in the German or Russian services. This shortage was primarily because the service was part of the Foreign Ministry, which, as a k.u.k.
K.u.k.
The German phrase kaiserlich und königlich , typically abbreviated as k. u. k., k. und k. , or k. & k., refers to the Court of the Habsburgs in a broader historical perspective . Some modern authors restrict its use to the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918...
institution, customarily received only the minimum acceptable amount of financing from the Hungarian side (see also Ausgleich
Ausgleich
The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 established the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. The Compromise re-established the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hungary, separate from and no longer subject to the Austrian Empire...
).
World War I
In 1903, the Russian services succeeded in enlisting Col. Alfred RedlAlfred Redl
Alfred Redl was an Austrian officer who rose to head the counter-intelligence efforts of Austria-Hungary. He was one of the leading figures of pre-World War I espionage. His term in office was marked by innovation, and he used very high technology for the time to ensnare foreign intelligence...
, General Staff officer and later head of counter-intelligence
Counter-intelligence
Counterintelligence or counter-intelligence refers to efforts made by intelligence organizations to prevent hostile or enemy intelligence organizations from successfully gathering and collecting intelligence against them. National intelligence programs, and, by extension, the overall defenses of...
and deputy director of the Evidenzbureau, as a double agent. His discovery in 1913 led to a severe political and military crisis in Austria at the eve of World War I.
During that war, the importance of the Bureau was on the rise; the relatively new task of intercepting radio transmissions was added to its traditional functions such as mail censorship.
In the last year of the War (1918), the Evidenzbureau – then led by Maj. Maximilian Ronge
Maximilian Ronge
Colonel Maximilian Ronge was the last director of the Evidenzbureau, the directorate of military intelligence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Ronge played a key role in the 1913 exposure of Col. Alfred Redl as a double agent.-Life:Ronge was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1874...
– combined with the domestic intelligence service (Staatspolizei) is reported to have employed 300 officers, 50 officials, 400 police agents, 600 soldiers and 600 informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
s.
Directors
- Maj. Anton Ritter von Kalik, 1850–64
- Col. Georg Ritter von Kees, 1864–66
- Col. Josef Pelikan von Plauenwald, 1866–69
- Lt.Col. Franz Weikhard, 1869–70
- Col. Ludwig Edler von Cornaro, 1870–71
- Col. Rudolf Ritter von Hoffingen, 1871–76
- Col. Adolf Ritter von Leddihn, 1876–79
- Col. Karl Freiherr von Ripp, 1879–82
- Col. Hugo Ritter Bilimek von Waissolm, 1882–86
- Col. Edmund Ritter Mayer von Wallerstein und Marnegg, 1886–92
- Lt.Col. Emil Freiherr Woinovich von Belobreska, 1892–96
- Lt.Col. Desiderius Kolosvary de Kolosvar, 1896–98
- Col. Artur Freiherr Giesl von Gieslingen, 1898–1903
- Col. Eugen Hordliczka, 1903–09
- Col. August Urbanski von Ostrymiecz, 1909–14
- Col. Oskar Hranilović von Czvetassin, 1914–17
- Col. Maximilian RongeMaximilian RongeColonel Maximilian Ronge was the last director of the Evidenzbureau, the directorate of military intelligence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Ronge played a key role in the 1913 exposure of Col. Alfred Redl as a double agent.-Life:Ronge was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1874...
, 1917–18
Notable officers
- Col. Alfred RedlAlfred RedlAlfred Redl was an Austrian officer who rose to head the counter-intelligence efforts of Austria-Hungary. He was one of the leading figures of pre-World War I espionage. His term in office was marked by innovation, and he used very high technology for the time to ensnare foreign intelligence...
, Deputy Director of the service 1908–1912