Fact Sheet: The Austro-Hungarian Empire at War

General facts

• Population: 48.5 million (1914)
• Capital: Vienna (1914 population 2 million)

Head of State:

• Emperor Franz Joseph I (2 December 1848–21 November 1916)
• Emperor Karl I (21 November 1916–1921)

Head of Government:

• Prime Minister Count Karl von Stürgkh (3 November 1911–21 October 1916)
• Prime Minister Ernst von Koerber (29 October–20 December 1916)
• Prime Minister Count Heinrich von Clam-Martinic (20 December 1916–23 June 1917)
• Prime Minister Ernst Seidler von Feuchtenegg (23 June 1917–27 July 1918)
• Prime Minister Baron Max Hussarek von Heinlein (27 July–27 October 1918)
• Prime Minister Heinrich Lammasch (27 October–11 November 1918)

Participation in the War

• Entered the war: 28 July 1914 (Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia)
• Ceased hostilities: 4 November 1918 (armistice with the Allies)
• Ended belligerent status: 10 September 1919 (Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye signed between the Allies and the newly formed Republic of Austria); 4 June 1920 (Treaty of Trianon signed between the Allies and the newly formed Republic of Hungary)
• The republics of Austria and Hungary were the "rump" states left after the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire saw the rest of its territory divided amongst Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Italy, and Romania. The two republics inherited the obligations of and responsibility for the empire's role as a belligerent in the war for the purposes of the Paris Peace Conference at Versailles.

War Costs

• Based on the estimates by Winkler and Teleszky, Austria’s war costs come to 65.1 billion crowns in current prices (15.4 billion crowns in 1913 prices), while Hungary’s amount to 32.7 billion crowns in current prices (7.8 billion crowns in 1913 prices). Overall, the war costs of Austria-Hungary are estimated at 97.8 billion crowns in current prices, or 23.2 billion crowns in 1913 prices. In other words, the war consumed more than three times Austria-Hungary’s GDP of the year 1913.

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Army

• Peacetime strength 1914: 415,000
• Reserves 1914: 1.4 million
• Full mobilisation 1914: 1.8 million
• Total mobilised during the war: 8 million

Navy

• Peacetime strength 1914: 20,000
• Fleet (1914)
• Battleships (Dreadnoughts): 4
• Battleships (pre-Dreadnoughts): 12
• Cruisers: 3
• Light cruisers: 4
• Destroyers: 18
• Submarines: 14

Austrian, Hungarian, Albanian, and Bosnian
Soldiers of the Empire

Significant Military Operations (Not Comprehensive)

• Serbian Campaign (1914):

The initial offensive against Serbia, which was the immediate trigger for the war, resulted in heavy losses for Austria-Hungary despite their initial success. 

• Galician Campaign (1914–1915):

A series of battles fought in the region of Galicia against the Russian forces, with mixed results for Austria-Hungary. 

• Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive (1915):

A major offensive alongside Germany against the Russians, achieving significant territorial gains in Galicia. 

• Battles of the Isonzo (1915-1917):

A series of protracted and bloody battles against Italy on the Isonzo River front, with Austria-Hungary largely holding the line despite heavy casualties.  

• Defense and Counterattack of the Brusilov Offensive (1916):

The largest and most successful Russian assault of the war. Despite eventually being contained by the Central Powers, it proved quite damaging to Austria-Hungary's forces.

• Battle of Caporetto (1917):

A decisive Austro-Hungarian and German victory against Italy, marking their most significant success on the Italian front. 

• Romanian Campaign (1916–1917):

Austria-Hungary, with German support, successfully occupied large parts of Romania. 

 

Crowd Waiting for the Local Coal Merchant,
Hütteldorf (Vienna), 1917

Casualties (Military)

• Dead (all causes): 1.2 million
• Wounded: 1,943,000
• Prisoners of War: 2.1 million

Casualties (Civilian)

• Losses for Austria-Hungary can be estimated at 460,000 caused by famine, cold, and epidemics (the Spanish flu additionally caused 250,000 victims).

Sources: 1914-1918 Online; New Zealand History; Various Wikipedia sites