90,000 125,000 Result Austro-Hungarian victory | Date December 1914 | |
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12,000 dead, wounded or captured 30,000 dead, wounded or captured Combatants Austria‑Hungary, Russian Empire, German Empire Similar World War I, Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive, Eastern Front, Siege of Przemyśl, Battle of Stallupönen | ||
The Battle of Limanowa took place from 1 December to 13 December 1914, between the Austro-Hungarian Army and the Russian Army near the town of Limanowa (40 kilometres (25 mi) south-east of Kraków).
Contents
The Austro-Hungarian high command had assumed that the German success would weaken Russian forces in the north and that the Galician front would remain quiet. Both these assumptions were incorrect.
Though the Habsburg 2nd army offensive opened on 16 November and met early success, the Russians proved stronger than expected and their 4th Army yielded little ground. Meanwhile, further south the Russian 2nd Army advanced across the San river and moved into the Tarnów area by 20 November. Further north, the Habsburg 4th Army, supported by the 47th German Reserve Division, moved onto the offensive in the last days of November.
In fierce battles around the towns of Łapanów and Limanowa, the Russian 3rd Army was beaten and forced to retreat east, ending its opportunity to reach Kraków. To avoid being surrounded, the Russian 8th Army also had to retreat, stopping its advance toward the Hungarian plains.
Battle of limanowa
Russian forces
Russian Southwestern Front, Commander-in-chief – Nikolai Ivanov
Austro-Hungarian Forces
Commander-in-chief – Conrad von Hötzendorf
Results
The Russian threat to Krakow was eliminated and the Russians were pushed back across the Carpathians. The Austrian-Hungary forces claimed the battle as a victory.