Conrad Von Hötzendorf, Franz

Born Nov. 11, 1852, in Penzing, near Vienna; died Aug. 25, 1925, in Mergentheim. Austro-Hungarian field marshal (1916), count (1918).

Conrad was close to the heir to the throne, Archduke Francis Ferdinand. On the latter’s recommendation he was appointed chief of the general staff in November 1906. He carried out a reorganization of the army and strengthened the artillery. As the head of the war party, after 1907 he advocated a preventive war against Serbia and the seizure of Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania. Because of a conflict with the minister of foreign affairs, A. Aehrenthal, he was forced to leave his post in November 1911, but in December 1912 he was again appointed chief of the general staff. He was one of the most important of those whose actions led to the unleashing of World War I. During the war he was de facto leader of the Austro-Hungarian Army in the field, especially on the eastern front. Because of disagreements with Emperor Charles I, he was transferred on Feb. 28, 1917, to the post of commander of the southwestern front, in the Tirol (until July 15, 1918). His memoirs are a valuable source on World War I.