Julius Jacob von Haynau

Julius Jacob von Haynau (October 14, 1786 - March 14, 1853), Austrian general, was the bastard natural son of the landgrave--afterwards elector of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel), William IX of Hesse-Kassel and Rebecca Richter, a jewish woman.

He entered the Austrian army as an infantry officer in 1801, and saw much service in the Napoleonic wars. He was wounded at Wagram, and distinguished during the operations in Italy in 1813 and 1814. Between 1815 and 1847 he rose to the rank of field marshal lieutenant.

On October 11, 1808 Haynau had married Thérèse von Weber, the daughter of Field Marshal Lieutenant Weber, who was slain at Aspern. She died, leaving one daughter, in 1850.

Reputation

Building Up

A violent temper, which he made no attempt to control or conceal, led him into trouble with his superiors. His hatred of revolutionary principles was fanatical. When the insurrectionary movements of 1848 broke out in Italy, his known zeal for the cause of legitimacy, as much as his reputation as an officer, marked him out for command. He fought with success in Italy, but was chiefly noted for the severity he showed in suppressing and punishing a rising in Brescia. It ought to be remembered that the mob of Brescia had massacred invalid Austrian soldiers in the hospital, a provocation which always leads to reprisals.

In June 1849 Haynau was called to Vienna to command first an army of reserve, and then in the field against the Hungarians. His successes against the declining revolutionary cause were numerous and rapid. In Hungary, as in Italy, he was accused of brutality. It was, for instance, asserted that he caused women who showed any sympathy with the insurgents to be whipped. For this reason he won the unenviable nickname of the Hyena of Brescia.

Falling Down

His ostentatious hatred of the revolutionary parties marked him out as the natural object for these accusations. On the restoration of peace he was appointed to high command in Hungary. His temper quickly led him into quarrels with the minister of war, and he resigned his command in 1850. He then travelled abroad.

The refugees had spread his evil reputation. He was saved from mob violence in Brussels with some difficulty.

visited England in 1864, he insisted on visiting the brewery to thank "the men who flogged Haynau."

G. K. Chesterton, the famous English author, describes the situation in 'The Crimes of England'. [cite web |title=The Crimes of England |first=G. K. |last=Chesterton|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/11554/11554-8.txt |publisher=Project Gutenberg] "When an Austrian general who had flogged women in the conquered provinces appeared in the London streets, some common draymen off a cart behaved with the direct quixotry of Sir Lancelot or Sir Galahad. He had beaten women and they beat him. They regarded themselves simply as avengers of ladies in distress, breaking the bloody whip of a German bully."

References

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