The white Russian bear, dyed red with Austro-Hungarian blood, triumphs over the Habsburg Eagle. Russian was victorious in Galicia in 1914 and early 1915. A postcard by Bianchi.

l'orso bianco

the white bear



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Proprieta artistica riservata - N. 88

Artistic ownership reserved - No. 88

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Monday, March 22, 1915

"March 22nd. [1915]

The fortress is surrendering. The artillery fired up to 5 a.m. At 5.30 a.m. explosions were heard, at first separately, but later a regular hell was let loose. We opened the windows so that they should not be broken. The sun had already risen, and the plumes of smoke, lit up by the sun, presented a beautiful scene. The thunder and crash of the explosions went on uninterruptedly. It was impossible to get near a window; one was flung backwards. The panic became terrible. At every explosion the doors were blown open. Bridges, powder magazines, stores, everything was blown up in two hours. The Ruthenes were overjoyed at the Russian victory. We could no longer remain in the hospital, and for the first time we went out into the streets. Our soldiers were embracing the Austrian soldiers. In one place a ring had been formed, and our cavalry were dancing with the Ruthene women. All the footpaths were thronged with people."

Quotation Context

Entry for March 22, 1915 from the diary of a captured Russian officer in Przemyśl, Austria-Hungary on the day the fortress city surrendered to the Russians. The city had been isolated and besieged in the autumn of 1914. In the final days of the siege the food rations for soldiers and civilians were repeatedly cut, but then increased for the soldiers who would soon be marched into captivity. Stanley Washburn, the official British witness with the Russian Army, reported that 40,000 civilians were in the city when it fell, and over 110,000 Austro-Hungarian men and officers were taken.

Source

The Great Events of the Great War in Seven Volumes by Charles F. Horne, Vol. III, 1915, p. 105, copyright © 1920 by The National Alumnia, publisher: The National Alumni, publication date: 1920

Tags

Przemyśl, Przemysl, 1915, 1915-03-22, March