Hans Margulies (1889-1960)
The Army Years 1911-1918
Die Stellungspflicht dauert 3 Jahre - beginnend mit 1. Jänner jenes Kalenderjahres,
in welchem der Wehrpflichtige das 21. Lebensjahr vollendet und endet bei regelmäßiger
Erfüllung derselben mit 31. Dezember jenes Jahres, in dem er das 23. Lebensjahr
vollstreckt;
Source: Wehrgesetz für das Heer in der ö-u. Monarchie
http://www.weltkriege.at/Justiz/wehrgesetz.htm
Every male Austrian was required to serve in the armed forces for three years, starting
on January 1st. in the year he became 21. After his service was over, he automatically
became a member of the Reserves, until he was 43.
Hans Margulies, born 1889, ... Citizen of Alexanderfeld in the
District of Bielitz, County of Silesia, Austria, was conscripted in 1911 and
served in the k.u.k army, finishing his service as Lieutenant {Oberleutnant}
in the Reserve Army (Rank 1.11.1917, Lieutenant {Leutnant} 1.9.1915)
in the k.k. 31st. Militia {Landwehr} Infantry Regiment ( = 31st. Defense
Regiment {Schützenregiment}).
In 1918 he was assigned [in this rank] to the War
Press-Corps. Hans Margulies was on active duty from 22.12.1914, and - after
an illness on 7.2.1915 - again from 2.8.1915.
On 25.9.1915 he received the Silver Medal of Bravery, 2nd Class,
for Courage in the Face of the Enemy.
On 4.7.1916 he was awarded the Bronze Military Service Medal on the Ribbon
of the Military Service Cross, "in Recognition of of his Courageous Behaviour
and Exemplary Services against the Enemy".
Excerpts from a letter from the Austrian State Military Archives
According to the letter from The War Archives Hans was conscripted for his 3 year service
in 1911.
But according to his CV he was
1912 Dramaturg der Volksbühne Wien unter Stefan Grossmann und Dr. Arthur Rundt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dramatic advisor at the Volksbühne Vienna under Stefan Grossmann und Dr. Arthur Rundt.
So something is not right here. Perhaps he was a "1 Year Volunteer" ?
Die Begünstigung als Einjährig-Freiwilliger den Präsensdienst abzuleisten steht nachfolgenden
Wehrpflichtigen zu:
a) Absolventen eines Obergymnasiums oder einer Oberrealschule und sonstiger besonders bezeichneter
mittlerer Lehranstalten (z.B. künstlerische, technische, gewerbliche, kaufmännische, nautische,
forst- und landwirtschaftliche).
Source: Wehrgesetz für das Heer in der ö-u. Monarchie
http://www.weltkriege.at/Justiz/wehrgesetz.htm
i.e. under certain conditions, you could volunteer and serve for just one year.
I've seen mentions of a 1-year military service for Heinrich and Emil too.
Gg. Hanns Margulies, L-I-R
was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery to commemorate his actions in the last battles
in Wolhynien and was also promoted to Ensign.
Source: Judische Zeitung, Vol. 9, Nr. 45, 12th. Nov 1915
Volhynia
/
Wolhynien
is now a part of the Ukraine.
At different times parts of it were under russian or polish control.
Apart from that brief mention in the
"Jüdische Zeitung" I don't know anything about Hans' war
experiences. He doesn't seem to have talked a lot about them:
Sonntag 20. Feb. 1917
Hans Margulies is back from the Front. Strange, how little the people talk about it.
It's the same with Steif. Or perhaps we already know all they can tell.
The war correspondents have generalised everything for us and spread it around.
Stefan Zweig, Tagebücher. S.Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt/M, 1984.
Click here for
more Army photos
What follows is purely speculative, and is mentioned here as a reminder to me,
to look for more documentary evidence (troop movements, etc).
k.k. Landwehr Infanterie Regiment Nr. 31
91. Landwehr Infanteriebrigade | 46. Landwehr Infanterie Truppendivision | I. Armeekorps
Errichtet: 1901
Garnison: Teschen
Nationalitäten: 33 % Tschechen / 37 % Deutsche / 27 % Polen / 1 % Andere
Ergänzungsbezirk: Teschen und Wadowice
Kommandant: Oberst Emil Maculan
Source:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiserlich_K%C3%B6nigliche_Landwehr
Conscription was probably "done locally" and Teschen [PL: Cieszyn] was in the former
Silesia, quite near to Alexanderfeldt.
Snippets and Stories:
Not 'war services', but an episode from that period:
In 1917 the composer and songwriter Werner Richard Heymann was suffering from hunger-typhus and pneumonia:
Und so lag ich nun da und wäre sicher gestorben, wenn nicht am nächsten Tag ein Wunder geschehen wäre.
Ein junger Mann kam an unserem Haus vorbei, den wir nur flüchtig kannten. Er hieß Hanns Margulies,
war Oberleutenant, hatte Fronturlaub und kam vom Südbahnhof. Ich wohnte damals in der Prinz-Eugen-Straße.
Er ging also an unserem Haus vorbei, erinnerte sich, dass er mich da einmal besucht hatte. Er
beschloss, mir Guten Tag zu sagen, sah mein Elend, zuckte einen Hundertkronenschein und verschwand,
mit dem Versprechen, bald wiederzukommen.
And so I lay there and surely would have died if a miracle hadn't happened the next day.
A young man - a fleeting aquaintance - passed by our house. He was called Hanns Margulies,
was a Lieutenant, had front leave and was coming from South Railway Station. In those days I lived in
Prince Eugene Street. Passing our house, he remembered that he had visited me once before, decided
to say hello, and, on seeing my miserable condition, gave me a hundred crown note and disappeared,
promising to come again.
That evening a messenger from Weinberger Publishing Company appeared, with a card:
"Hochverehrter Meister! Bitte kommen Sie sofort zu mir" und auf der Rückseite stand "P.S. Ich höre
soeben aus dem Café Parsifal, wohin ich Ihnen telefonieren liess, dass Sie unpäßlich seine.
Bitte stehen Sie nicht auf, wenn Sie sich damit schaden würden." Ich nehme an, dass Hanns
Margulies im Café Parsifal irgendjemandem von meinem Elend erzählt hat.
"Dear Master! Please come and see me immediately." On the back was written: "I've just heard from
the Café Parsifal, where I tried to phone you, that you are unwell. Please don't get up if this would
make you feel worse." I assume that Hanns Margulies had told someone in the
Café Parsifal about my misery?illness.
Heymann, Werner Richard: "Liebling, mein Herz lässt dich grüssen", Henschel 2001.