Page 274 - Il 1919. Un’Italia vittoriosa e provata in un’Europa in trasformazione. Problematiche e prospettive - Atti 11-12 novembre 2019

272 Il 1919. Un’Italia vittoriosa e provata in un’Europa in trasformazione

to take the temporary measure of creating a Volkswehr (Peoples’ Defence) made
up of short-term enlisted professional soldiers until the actual implementation
of a militia army based on compulsory military service was feasible. Recruiting
for this new army began immediately after signing the armistice on 4 November
and a high army pay (6 Kronen per day) was granted to reach relevant troop
strengths as fast as possible. The demobilization order for the old imperial army
from 6 November was still signed by Emperor Karl I and – this is an interesting
detail – was only decreed by the Austrian State Council on 7 November. 8
After a fundamental commitment to the guidelines for its formation on 8 No-
vember, the actual order to form the Volkswehr followed on 15 November 1918.
At this point, Lieutenant Field Marshal Adolf von Boog had already been sworn-
in as commander-in-chief. During his speech at the swearing-in ceremony, Pres-
ident of the State Council Karl Seitz not only mentioned the future spectrum of
duties for the Volkswehr but also made clear that there was to be no continuity
from the old army of the Danube Monarchy, although it had to be conceded that
one would not be able to do without the trained soldiers from the Great War.
However, this made it clear from the very beginning that there was to be no direct
transfer of units from the former imperial army into the new Volkswehr.
By nominating Adolf von Boog, a highly educated and experienced Imperial
and Royal general staff officer who had achieved outstanding accomplishments
as division commander, the ambivalent situation – war experience and military
training with an Imperial and Royal background on one side, lack of military
skills with a republican ethos on the other - became more than obvious. 9
Troop’s strengths for the Volkswehr were to be one infantry battalion of three
companies each per political district. A senior level of leadership based on the
federal principle, with provincial commanders (incl. Southern Bohemia, Southern
Moravia, German-Bohemia and Sudetenland) located in official residences in Vi-
enna, Graz, Innsbruck, Leitmeritz (modern-day Litoměřice) and Troppau (mod-
ern-day Opava) would lead the battalions and independent companies directly.
No brigades or divisions were formed, particularly about the envisaged unifica-
tion with Germany and the intended integration of the armed forces, which
seemed easier to carry out without higher operational commands.

8 Wolfgang Etschmann: Theorie, Praxis und Probleme der Demobilisierung 1915-1921. Dis-
sertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades an der Geisteswissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Uni-
versität Wien, Vienna 1979, p. 75
9 Glaubauf, Die Volkswehr 1918 – 1920, p. 26 ff.