Battles & Campaigns · 1914
Battle of Kraśnik
Kraśnik, Poland
What happened
At the start of the war in the east, Dankl's army advanced into Russian Poland and met Russian troops near Kraśnik. After two days of fighting, the Russian corps fell back. Zaltsa pulled his army back toward Lublin.
Why it matters
It was Austria-Hungary's first victory of the First World War, and Dankl was briefly hailed as a national hero. It opened a series of battles for control of Galicia.
What came next
The wider Battle of Galicia soon turned against Austria-Hungary. Dankl was later given the title 'Graf Dankl von Kraśnik'.
Did you know?
A few days before, a cavalry clash near Lemberg was called by one historian the largest cavalry-against-cavalry battle of the whole war.
Timeline
- 19 Aug 1914Large cavalry clash east of Lemberg.
- 23 Aug 1914Battle of Kraśnik begins.
- 25 Aug 1914The Russians retreat toward Lublin.
- Sep 1914Russian troops take Lemberg.