Franz Rohr von Denta
Encyclopedia
Franz Rohr von Denta was an Austro-Hungarian Field Marshal and field commander who served as the last commander of the Austro-Hungarian First Army.
, Kingdom of Hungary
, Austrian Empire
(modern-day Romania
), in 1854 as Franz Denta, son of an army NCO, he became a lieutenant
in the 3 Galizisches Uhlanen-Regiment Erzherzog Carl in 1876 upon graduating from the Theresan Military Academy in Wiener-Neustadt. Having attained the rank of Colonel
, he was appointed Chief of Staff of II Corps in September 1897, a position in which he served until April 1901. By 1903 Denta was commanding the 73 Landwehr-Brigade at Pressburg/Pozsony
(modern-day Bratislava
) and in 1909 was made General Inspector of military educational establishments. In 1911 he was promoted to the rank of General der Kavallerie
and appointed commander of the Hungarian Landwehr (Honved) in 1913.
to Innsbruck
.
Having overseen the successful defense of the Corinthian frontier, Rohr was promoted to the rank of Generaloberst
on January 1, 1916, and made commander of the new 10th Army following the dissolution of his army-group in anticipation of the Tyrol Offensive
. With the halting of all offensive operations on the Italian front
by the Imperial army in the face of the Brusilov Offensive
, the Tyrol effort was prematurely brought to an end and Rohr was transferred to command the 11th Army, also in the Trento
district in June 1916.
In February 1917, and with the promotion of Gen. Arz von Straussenberg
to the position of Chief of the General Staff, Rohr took charge of the 1st Army and for the first time served as a commander on the Eastern Front
. On April 14, 1917, he was elevated to the nobility, taking the rank of Baron
and the title Rohr von Denta.
Promoted to the position of Field Marshal
on January 30, 1918, Rohr continued in command of the 1st Army until its disbandment following peace with Romania
on April 15, 1918.
, on 9 December 1927.
Early life
Born in AradArad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
, Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
(modern-day Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
), in 1854 as Franz Denta, son of an army NCO, he became a lieutenant
Army ranks and insignia of the Austro-Hungarian Army
Rank insignias as worn by the Austro-Hungarian Land Forces after the reorganisation in 1867 until 1918-Ranks:-Note:The ranks displayed after the "/" are the Hungarian equivalents of the Austrian ranks, since they were used in this format in the Magyar Királyi Honvédség .- Ranks and rank insignias...
in the 3 Galizisches Uhlanen-Regiment Erzherzog Carl in 1876 upon graduating from the Theresan Military Academy in Wiener-Neustadt. Having attained the rank of Colonel
Army ranks and insignia of the Austro-Hungarian Army
Rank insignias as worn by the Austro-Hungarian Land Forces after the reorganisation in 1867 until 1918-Ranks:-Note:The ranks displayed after the "/" are the Hungarian equivalents of the Austrian ranks, since they were used in this format in the Magyar Királyi Honvédség .- Ranks and rank insignias...
, he was appointed Chief of Staff of II Corps in September 1897, a position in which he served until April 1901. By 1903 Denta was commanding the 73 Landwehr-Brigade at Pressburg/Pozsony
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
(modern-day Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
) and in 1909 was made General Inspector of military educational establishments. In 1911 he was promoted to the rank of General der Kavallerie
Army ranks and insignia of the Austro-Hungarian Army
Rank insignias as worn by the Austro-Hungarian Land Forces after the reorganisation in 1867 until 1918-Ranks:-Note:The ranks displayed after the "/" are the Hungarian equivalents of the Austrian ranks, since they were used in this format in the Magyar Királyi Honvédség .- Ranks and rank insignias...
and appointed commander of the Hungarian Landwehr (Honved) in 1913.
War career
Responsible for the task of defending the southwestern frontier and historic heartlands of the Empire following the Itialian declaration of war on May 23, 1915, Rohr was appointed commander of Armeegruppe Rohr on May 27 and took charge of all troops from GrazGraz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
to Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
.
Having overseen the successful defense of the Corinthian frontier, Rohr was promoted to the rank of Generaloberst
Army ranks and insignia of the Austro-Hungarian Army
Rank insignias as worn by the Austro-Hungarian Land Forces after the reorganisation in 1867 until 1918-Ranks:-Note:The ranks displayed after the "/" are the Hungarian equivalents of the Austrian ranks, since they were used in this format in the Magyar Királyi Honvédség .- Ranks and rank insignias...
on January 1, 1916, and made commander of the new 10th Army following the dissolution of his army-group in anticipation of the Tyrol Offensive
Battle of Asiago
The Battle of Asiago ' or the Trentino Offensive , nicknamed Strafexpedition by the Austrians, was a counteroffensive launched by the Austro-Hungarians on the Italian Front on 15 May 1916, during World War I...
. With the halting of all offensive operations on the Italian front
Italian Campaign (World War I)
The Italian campaign refers to a series of battles fought between the armies of Austria-Hungary and Italy, along with their allies, in northern Italy between 1915 and 1918. Italy hoped that by joining the countries of the Triple Entente against the Central Powers it would gain Cisalpine Tyrol , the...
by the Imperial army in the face of the Brusilov Offensive
Brusilov Offensive
The Brusilov Offensive , also known as the June Advance, was the Russian Empire's greatest feat of arms during World War I, and among the most lethal battles in world history. Prof. Graydon A. Tunstall of the University of South Florida called the Brusilov Offensive of 1916 the worst crisis of...
, the Tyrol effort was prematurely brought to an end and Rohr was transferred to command the 11th Army, also in the Trento
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
district in June 1916.
In February 1917, and with the promotion of Gen. Arz von Straussenberg
Arthur Arz von Straussenburg
Arthur Freiherr Arz von Straußenburg was an Austro-Hungarian Colonel General and last Chief of General Staff to the Austro-Hungarian Army.- Early life :...
to the position of Chief of the General Staff, Rohr took charge of the 1st Army and for the first time served as a commander on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
. On April 14, 1917, he was elevated to the nobility, taking the rank of Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
and the title Rohr von Denta.
Promoted to the position of Field Marshal
Army ranks and insignia of the Austro-Hungarian Army
Rank insignias as worn by the Austro-Hungarian Land Forces after the reorganisation in 1867 until 1918-Ranks:-Note:The ranks displayed after the "/" are the Hungarian equivalents of the Austrian ranks, since they were used in this format in the Magyar Királyi Honvédség .- Ranks and rank insignias...
on January 30, 1918, Rohr continued in command of the 1st Army until its disbandment following peace with Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
on April 15, 1918.
Retirement
Retiring from command at war’s end, Rohr was nevertheless appointed Field Marshal in the army of newly independent Hungary. Freiherr Rohr von Denta died in the village of Rodaun, near ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, on 9 December 1927.
Honours & Decorations
- Military Service Cross 1st Class
- Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold
- Knights' Cross 1st Class of the Order of the Iron Crown
- Captain of the Hungarian Trabantenleibgarde (Life Guards)
Selected Service Record
- 1876 Lieutenant (3.Galizisches Uhlanen-Regiment Erzherzog Carl)
- 1896 Colonel (General Staff)
- 1903 Major General (73.Landwehr-IBrig. at Preßburg)
- 1909 General Inspector of military educational establishments
- 1911 General der Kavallerie
- 1918 Feldmarschall
See also
- Italian Campaign (World War I)Italian Campaign (World War I)The Italian campaign refers to a series of battles fought between the armies of Austria-Hungary and Italy, along with their allies, in northern Italy between 1915 and 1918. Italy hoped that by joining the countries of the Triple Entente against the Central Powers it would gain Cisalpine Tyrol , the...
- Eastern Front (World War I)Eastern Front (World War I)The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...