Important Austrian war geologists and their tasks at the southern front of World War I

Daniela Angetter (a) & Bernhard Hubmann (b)
(a) Institut für Neuzeit- und Zeitgeschichtsforschung. Forschungsbereich Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, A-1030 Wien, Kegelgasse 27; Tel.: +431515812609, e-mail: daniela.angetter@oeaw.ac.at (b) Institut für Erdwissenschaften, Universität Graz, Heinrichstraße 26, A-8010 Graz; Tel.: +433163805586, e-mail: bernhard.hubmann@uni-graz.at

First approaches in "war geology" lead back at least to the 19th century; during World War I, when static warfare necessitated the construction of extensive war-related infrastructure, geological knowledge of the subsurface abruptly was in great demand. A particular challenge for the Austro-Hungarian army leadership arose when Italy participated in the war in May 1915, because the "southern front" consisted mainly of mountainous terrain. Somewhat belatedly, towards the end of the war, three courses for war geologists were organized at the I Institut für Forstliche Standorte ("Institute for Forests") at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Vienna to instruct various aspects in engineering geology relevant to mission. Important Austrian geologists fighting at the southern front during World War I were Raimund von Klebelsberg, Julius von Pia, Robert Schwinner, Albrecht Spitz and Artur von Winkler-Hermaden, as well as Heinrich Beck, Kurt Ehrenberg, Alois Hauser and Andreas Thurner.

Austrian war geologist, geological resource, high mountain war, war surveying and mapping, World War I.