Battle of Herkulesfürdő

In this article we are going to talk about Battle of Herkulesfürdő, a topic that has been present throughout history and that continues to be relevant in today's society. Battle of Herkulesfürdő has aroused great interest and debate, both in academia and in public opinion, due to its impact on different aspects of daily life. Over time, Battle of Herkulesfürdő has been the subject of studies, research and reflections that have contributed to expanding our understanding of this topic. In this sense, we will address different perspectives and approaches to better understand the importance and meaning of Battle of Herkulesfürdő today.
Battle of Herkulesfürdő
Part of the Romanian Campaign of World War I

Herkulesfürdő around 1900
Date6–10 September 1916
Location
Herkulesfürdő, Banat, Austria-Hungary (today Băile Herculane, Romania)
Result Romanian victory
Belligerents
 Romania  Austria-Hungary
 Germany
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Romania Ioan Culcer
Kingdom of Romania Ion Dragalina		 Austria-Hungary Arthur Arz von Straussenburg (6 - 8 September)
German Empire Hermann von Staabs (8 - 10 September)
Austria-Hungary Rudolf von Fiebich-Ripke
Units involved

1st Army

  • 1st Infantry Division

1st Army/XXXIX Reserve Corps

Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Battle of Herkulesfürdő was a military engagement during the Romanian Campaign of World War I. It was fought between Romanian forces on one side and Central Powers forces (Austria-Hungary and Germany) on the other side. It resulted in a Romanian victory.

Background

The Kingdom of Romania declared war on Austria-Hungary on 27 August 1916. On the following day, the Battle of Orsova commenced, the Romanians managing to secure the Danube port-town as well as the western bank of the Cserna (Cerna) River and a few other settlements by 4 September. In this sector of the front, the 1st Division (General Ion Dragalina) of the Romanian 1st Army (General Ioan Culcer) fought against the 145th Brigade (Colonel Rudolf von Fiebich-Ripke) of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army (General Arthur Arz von Straußenburg). On 5 September, the first German unit to arrive in nearby Transylvania – the 187th Regiment of the 187th Division – promptly rushed its III Battalion to Herkulesfürdő (Băile Herculane/Herkulesbad), one of the settlements taken by the Romanian forces on 1 September (another such settlement was Mehádia). The aim of the Central Powers was to secure the Iron Gates.

Battle

The battle took place between 6 and 10 September. However, only on 6 September — the first day of the battle — did the Central Powers gain any ground. Their forces managed to secure Herkulesfürdő as well as Mehádia, but fell short of reaching Orsova. Orsova was the location of the Iron Gates, and securing the Iron Gates was the objective of the Central Powers. As early as 8 September, two days before the end of the battle, Vienna admitted that the Romanians had taken Orsova, five days after the town was seized. Also on 8 September, the XXXIX Corps of German General Hermann von Staabs assumed responsibility for operations in southern Transylvania. The units placed under the command of von Staabs included the covering troops at Mehádia.

Aftermath

Main article: First Battle of Orsova

A mixed Austro-Hungarian and German force under the Hungarian Colonel Szívó had moved along the Cserna River in mid-November, during a general Central Powers offensive against Romania which started on 11 November, and captured parts of Orsova during fighting on 11–13 November.

References

  1. ^ Michael B. Barrett, Indiana University Press, Oct 23, 2013, Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania, pp. 1-2, 4, 20-21 and 98
  2. ^ Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung, Verlag der Militärwissenschaftlichen Mitteilungen, 1930, Öesterreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg, 1914-1918, Volume 1, p. 89
  3. ^ Edmund Glaise-Horstenau, Österreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg 1914 – 1918. Vol. 5: Das Kriegsjahr 1916; 2; Beil, Verl. der Militärwiss. Mitteilungen, Wien, 1932
  4. ^ a b Michael B. Barrett, Indiana University Press, Oct 23, 2013, Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania, p. 98
  5. ^ Military Service Institution of the United States, 1916, Journal, Volume 59, pp. 517-518
  6. ^ Encyclopædia britannica Company, Limited, 1922, The Encyclopædia Britannica: The New Volumes, Constituting, in Combination with the Twenty-nine Volumes of the Eleventh Edition, the Twelfth Edition of that Work, and Also Supplying a New, Distinctive, and Independent Library of Reference Dealing with Events and Developments of the Period 1910 to 1921 Inclusive. The First-third of the New Volumes, Volume 30, p. 915
  7. ^ Michael B. Barrett, Indiana University Press, Oct 23, 2013, Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania, p. 241
  8. ^ Austria. Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung, Verlag der Militärwissenschaftlichen Mitteilungen, 1930, Öesterreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg, 1914-1918, Register-Band, p. 91

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