PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Re: Austrian Military Archives

Cenowski — Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:42 am

Author: Cenowski

Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:42 am

Sorry to jump on this thread so late, the response seems to suggest that if your ancestor or relatives are on the list of loses then the archives do have some records. Im a reading that right or have i misread it. I thought it would be a waste of time as everything record wise to turned over to a state archive in Lwów that was destroyed.

Re: Austrian Military Archives

Shellie — Wed Dec 01, 2010 11:32 pm

Author: Shellie

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 11:32 pm

Hi Zenon,
I don't know how this got past me without a reply. With so much other genealogy leads for other parts of my family, I did not pursue this further. As we all learn more about our military ancestors, perhaps another member will share some hints that may help me find some records and I can return to this area of research.

Re: Austrian Military Archives

Zenon — Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:35 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:35 am

Shellie,

My German speaking cousin Ewa translated the reply from Wien Archives. Below is meaning of what they wrote:

---

The Military Records of Austrian Army for soldiers born in years 1850-1900, if only they concern the men who received citizenship outside of today's borders of Austria - after falling Habsubrg Monarchy in 1918 are not available in Wien Miliitary Archives.

According to Saint Germains resolutions from 1919, they remained in the new established countries where, in great extent, were destroyed. This is especially the case in Galicia (Poland an Ukraine) personal records.

Military Archives in Wien keeps only records related to war distinctions and losses in World War I 1914-1918 (confirmations of pays, hospital records, death records, injured records, lost records and captives records).

Research of these records makes sense only when you have a specific proof that Kulawiak Andre was honored, injured, ill, died or was in captivity.

---end of translation

Do you think is there a chance of finding anything there..?

Austrian Military Archives

Shellie — Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:20 pm

Author: Shellie

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:20 pm

My grandfather served in the Austro-Hungarian Army before he left for America, but we knew very little beyond a drawing of a soldier that was supposed to be him. I thought that I would share my recent experience with the forum.

Last month, I saw a posting on a military history website (I don't recall the name of it right now) about the Austrian archives for military information.

http://www.oesta.gv.at/

I sent off the following simple request in English to: kapost@oesta.gv.at

Good Afternoon,
I would like to request a search for information about my ancestor Stanislaw Kulawiak.
He was born 08 MAY 1870 in Odrowaz, Poland near Krakow (now part of Nowy Targ, Malopolskie).

Father: Andre Kulawiak
Mother: Rosaline Pagac
Wife: Aniela Kadlub

After military service, he lived in Luslawice, near Krakow.

I am so sorry but I do not have any other details. Can you help me locate any military records for Stanislaw Kulawiak?

Thank You,
[I then provided my full name, physical address, phone number and email address]

One month later, I received this reply by email. I hope someone reading our forum can help me read it:

Betrifft: KULAWIAK Andre, geb. 08.05.1870 in Odrowaz/Galizien

Sehr geehrter Herr Gray!

Die eigentlichen Personalunterlagen der k.(u.)k. bewaffneten Macht: Militär-Grundbuchblätter, Stellungslisten und Assentprotokolle (service sheets, draft lists and enlistments registers) für die Geburtsjahrgänge 1850-1900 sind, sofern sie Personen betreffen, die ihr Heimatrecht außerhalb der Grenzen der heutigen Republik Österreich besessen hatten, nach dem Zerfall der Habsburger Monarchie (1918) nicht in das Wiener Kriegsarchiv gelangt. Sie sind vielmehr gemäß den Friedensbestimmungen von Saint-Germain (1919) in den Nachfolgestaaten (successor states) verblieben, wo sie zum Großteil vernichtet wurden. Das gilt insbesondere auch für die galizischen (polnischen/ukrainischen) Personalakten.

Das Kriegsarchiv Wien verwahrt von galizischen (polnischen/ukrainischen) Soldaten lediglich subsidiäre Unterlagen über Auszeichnungen und Kriegsverluste des Weltkrieges 1914-1918 (Belohnungsanträge und Spitalsvormerkblätter sowie Karteien von Gefallenen, Verwundeten, Vermissten und Kriegsgefangenen).

Nachforschungen in diesen Unterlagen sind nur sinnvoll, wenn Sie über konkrete Nachricht darüber verfügen, dass KULAWIAK Andre im Weltkrieg dekoriert, verwundet, erkrankt, gefallen, vermisst oder in Kriegsgefangenschaft geraten war.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

19. Juni 2009
Der Archivdirektor:
TEPPERBERG

Elektronisch gefertigt

I am sure that there is a better way to request this information from the archive, but it seems to have resulted in a response.

I've tried the online translators and I believe that this reply states that records are not availabe, or worse, were destroyed.