AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN SOLDIERS ON TOILET BREAK BEHIND THE FRONTLINES IN GALICIA, CA. 1914.

 AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN SOLDIERS ON TOILET BREAK BEHIND THE FRONTLINES IN GALICIA, CA. 1914.

Today 109 years ago, on December 1, 1914, the Battle of Limanowa-Łapanów began.

On November 20, 1914, the Russians attacked the Austro-Hungarians in front of Kraków, with the aim of capturing the city. The Austrians were forced to withdraw, and by November 29 the Russians were just 20 km from Kraków. The Austro-Hungarians ordered a counter-attack.

On December 1, 1914, some 190,000 Austro-Hungarian soldiers supported by 12,000 German troops went on the offensive against 225,000 Russians along a 30 km wide front.

In the south, the attack caught the Russians by surprise, who were pushed east to Limanowa. Fierce fighting took place in deep snow on mountainous terrain here, leading to an Austro-German advance.

Russian reinforcements were sent in, offering fierce resistance, but in the north, the town of Łapanów was taken by the Austro-Germans on December 6. The Russians counter-attacked at Limanowa, leading to further heavy fighting, though with much difficulty, the Austro-Hungarians repulsed the attack.

On December 7, the Austro-Hungarians ordered an attack through the Carpathian Mountains, with the aim of relieving the Przemyśl Fortress, where some 127,000 Austro-Hungarian troops were trapped. This attack marked the beginning of the bloody Carpathian Winter Battles.

The Austro-Hungarian progress through the Carpathians was slow, and a powerful Russian  counter-attack on December 10 forced them to halt, almost leading to the collapse of the Austrian lines.

Though the next day the Austro-Hungarians went on the attack again, and finally broke through for good. The Russians withdrew to Tarnów and Jaslo, and by December 14, the battle was over.

In the Battle of Limanowa-Łapanów, the Austro-Germans had suffered some 12,000 casualties and the Russians 30,000 casualties. The battle had ended in an Austro-German victory, as the Russian threat to Kraków was eliminated. However, the Austro-Hungarians failed to relieve the Przemyśl fortress.

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