As a German aristocrat, Julius Haynau dealt with Hungarian generals.
Julius Haynau was a renowned aristocrat and descendant of an ancient noble family. He was born in 1787. His entire childhood was spent in the last decade of the 18th century. He was the illegitimate son of Wilhelm I, Elector of Hesse. In 1801, he enlisted in the army of the Austrian Empire. In 1805, he was promoted to captain. He distinguished himself by his courage and valor during the Napoleonic Wars. He always stood out for his bravery and enterprise. In 1809, he was promoted to major. He subsequently participated in the Austrian counteroffensive against France. As a battalion commander, he served during the final confrontation with Napoleon.
Later, fate brought Haynau into contact with mass resistance to the Austrian crown. Julius considered himself devoted to the ideals of the monarchy and did not tolerate anti-government uprisings, especially those provoked by the common people. During the Austro-Italian War of 1848, Haynau distinguished himself as an experienced division commander. Even then, he had already achieved the rank of Field Marshal-Lieutenant. Julius helped the Austrians win the Battle of Sommacampagna, in which the Italians were utterly routed. For his successful sortie against the enemy, he received the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa. A year later, in 1849, Haynau was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th Class, by Emperor Nicholas I of Russia.
Julius Haynau’s fame later faded due to his brutality in suppressing uprisings in Austria. He was one of those military leaders who recognized no ideology other than loyalty to the aristocracy and the monarchical system. In June 1849, Haynau assumed command of the troops opposing the Hungarian resistance. At the same time, he was promoted to Feldzechmeister, the highest rank in the imperial military hierarchy. Julius managed to inflict a series of defeats on the Hungarians at Temesvár, Szeged, and Raab. After the campaign, the imperial government awarded him the Grand Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa and the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Haynau’s reputation was not entirely positive even at the outset of the Hungarian War. During the fighting, he distinguished himself with incredible cruelty toward the rebels. He was often compared to Windischgrätz himself, who carried out bloody massacres in Vienna and Prague. The Hungarians resisted Austria with all their might, but the invasion of the Russian army led by General Paskevich decided the situation. Paskevich responded to the call of Franz Joseph I, who had just ascended the imperial throne. Along with the Russian attack, a new Austrian offensive began. On September 5, 1849, the last Hungarian city, Komárom, surrendered. All that remained was to decide what to do with the captured commanders and leaders of the uprising.
On October 6, 1849, Julius Haynau ordered the liquidation of Hungary’s rebel leaders. Thirteen military leaders were executed in Arad for treason and resistance to Austria. The generals were hanged as traitors. The Austrians also dealt with the former Hungarian Prime Minister, Lajos Batthyány. Batthyány was executed by firing squad on the same day, October 6. Hungarians subsequently dubbed the murdered men the Martyrs of Arad. The massacre of the surrendered rebellion commanders completely alienated Haynau from the public. He earned a reputation as an executioner and murderer. After the end of the campaign in Hungary, Julius Haynau completely lost his former glory. He was no longer regarded as a hero of the Napoleonic Wars and a recipient of numerous orders. Ordinary people considered him nothing more than a war criminal. In 1850, due to his reputation and the hostility of those around him, Haynau was forced to resign.
Many accounts claim that after the massacre of the Hungarians and his dismissal from the army, he traveled throughout Europe. In almost every country, Haynau was refused a proper reception. People were not shy about expressing their opinions. In London and Brussels, he was directly insulted. This even led to a series of diplomatic scandals. In 1853, Julius died in Vienna. He will forever be remembered as one of Austria’s most brutal and merciless military leaders, who rightfully earned not state awards, but a general tribunal.
