Military organizations of the railways in Hungary during the Great War (original) (raw)

2022, Radu, Marza (ed.) Shaping Modernity. The railway journey across two centuries. Cluj-Napoca, Babes-Bolyai University, 343-358. p.

On 28 July 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy declared war on Serbia after its negative response to the ultimatum. Partial mobilization began on July 28 at midnight towards Serbia, where the first front of the Great War was opened. It required a new organizational framework and organizational work from the railway of the Monarchy. In peace time, the Hungarian railways were built up of 12 business management departments (railway headquarters) led by the Minister of Commerce, or subordinated to a separate board, or their own administrative organization. The commitment of the railway network for military purposes was managed in peacetime by a joint 5/Eisenbahnbüro (EB) department of the Ministry of War and the Chiefs of Staff, which had 27 railway commanding centre subordinated to the Monarchy, therefore the entire Hungarian network as well. With the outbreak of war, the 5/E.B. dissolved and military railway authorities were established while the existing railway headquarters started their operation with extended competence. The Central Transportation Management, which was established at that time, led the entire railway service during the mobilization and then to the stations assigned by the chief of military traffic in the hinterland. Subsequently, further transport was carried out by the Field Transportation Management. The Central Transportation Management was the accurate developer, implementer and control body of the planned and ordered rail transport transports with national general and partial competence in all rail transport issues and with full right of disposal. It was divided into a military, a railway department, a locomotive and a car coach management. It was also subdivided into regional and local rail transport, supply and service units. The aim of my presentation is to present the military organizational transformation of the Hungarian railways and their operation during the war period.