Blasius von Schemua

Blasius von Schemua[1] was born in the family of Blaž Žemva, an Army officer. He graduated from the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt in 1874 and the Military High School in Vienna in 1884, where he was also a lecturer from 1893 to 1897. In 1910, he was responsible for nationwide mobilization in the Ministry of War. From 1911 to 1912 he was Chief of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff. As a general of Slovene descent, he achieved the highest position in the hierarchy of the Austro-Hungarian Army.[2] At the beginning of the Balkan Wars of 1912–13 he was appointed commander of the 16th Corps in Dubrovnik and promoted to Lieutenant field marshal, and in 1913 he was promoted to General of the Infantry. At the beginning of World War I in 1914, during the Battle of Galicia, he commanded the 2nd Corps and failed to distinguish himself at the Battle of Komarów; he was replaced by Johann von Kirchbach auf Lauterbach. He was then appointed commander of the defense of Danube from Krems to Pressburg. In 1915 he retired at his own request.[1]