Rudolf Schamschula was born at Czernowitz in the Bukovina on 9 September 1866. His military career included being an adjutant to General Friedrich Freiherr von Beck during the last year of this venerable soldier's tenure as Chief of the General Staff. Then Rudolf took his place on the General Staff for two years before performing service in Infantry Division No. 3, No. 5, and finally No. 100. Schamschula was on the General Staff as chief of the telegraph bureau until war broke out in 1914, and he was made head of the military telegraph bureau until 1915. He also received the rank of Generalmajor in 1915. A lull in 1916 preceded his elevation to command the newly reorganised 52. Infantry Division, which he led from May 1918 until wars' end. On 13 November 1918, as the Imperial and Royal Army disintegrated, Schamschula was promoted to Feldmarschalleutnant, one of a large batch of promotions at the bitter end. Schamschula died in Linz on 1 July 1936.
But that's Rudolf Schamschula without predicate. There was another Rudolf Schamschula on the front, most likely a first cousin. To keep things from becoming confused, in October 1918, the 52. Division of Generalmajor Rudolf Schamschula was located toward the left flank of the XI. Army on the upper Adige, while the 41. Division led by Feldmarschalleutnant Rudolf Schamschula von Simontornya was located on the Piave amidst the VI. Army.
Before the war, GM Rudolf Schamschula was in charge of the 82. Honved Brigade, part of the 41. Honved division under the command of FML Johann Nikic. After the departure of Nikic, Schamschula commanded this division for many years. He then led the 41. Honvéd infanterie division from July 1915 through October 1918. On 18 May 1917, he was promoted to the rank of Feldmarschalleutnant. Finally, Schamschula was handed control of the XXIII. Corps in late October 1918 until wars’ end, taking over for FML Emmerich Hádfy von Livno. Schamschula’s main task was to demobilise the army in the face of the armistice signed on the Italian front.
GWS, 6/03 [rev. 7/03]
Orders of Battle: Tirol, June 1918
Immediately preceding the Piave Offensive
Conrad Group, FM Franz Conrad
XI. Armee, Generaloberst Scheuchenstüel
III. Korps, Generaloberst Martiny von Malastow
6. kav. div., Feldmlt. von Braganca
6. inf. div., Genmj. Schilhawsky
52. inf. div., Genmj. Schamschula
28. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Kraself
Orders of Battle: Tirol, late October 1918
Immediately preceding the Battle of Vittorio Veneto
Conrad Group, FM Franz Conrad
XI. Armee, Generaloberst Scheuchenstüel
III. Korps, Generaloberst Martiny von Malastow
6. kav. div., Feldmlt. von Braganca
6. inf. div., Genmj. Schilhawsky
52. inf. div., Genmj. Schamschula
Orders of Battle: Eastern Front, May 1915
Immediately preceding the Dunajec offensive
II. Armee, Gen. d. Kav. Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli
VIII. Korps, Feldzeugsmeister v. Scheuchenstüel
41. Honvéd inf. div., Feldmlt. Schay
40. Honvéd inf. brig., Oberst Schnetzer
82. Honvéd inf. brig., Genmj. Schamschula
41. field art. brig., Oberst Czapp
Orders of Battle: Volhynia, June 1916
Immediately preceding the Brussilov Offensive
Linsingen Group, Gen. d. Inf. von Linsingen
IV. Armee, Generaloberst Erzherzog Josef Ferdinand
II. Korps, Feldmlt. Julius Kaiser
41. Honved inf. div., Genmj. Rudolf Schamschula
4. inf. div., Genmj. Reymann
Orders of Battle: Volhynia, July 1916
Immediately following the Brussilov Offensive
Army Group Linsingen, Gen. d. Inf. von Linsingen
IV. Armee, Generaloberst Karl von Tersztyanszky
Bernhardi Group, Gen. d. Kav. von Bernhardi
Deutsch comb. inf. div., Genmj. Rusche
XI. Bay. inf. div., Genlt. von Kneußl
II. K.u.K. Korps, Feldmlt. Kaiser
XLI. Honved inf. div., Genmj. Schamschula
IV. inf. div., Genmj. Pfeffer
Immediately following Roumania's declaration of war on Austria-Hungary
Army Group Linsingen, Gen. d. Inf. von Linsingen
IV. Armee, Generaloberst von Tersztyanszky
II. K.u.K. Korps, Feldmlt. Kaiser
XLI. Honved inf. div., Genmj. Schamschula
IV. inf. div., Genmj. Pfeffer
Orders of Battle: Roumania, November 1916
Immediately following Roumania's defeat by the Quadruple Alliance
Bernhardi Army Group, Gen. d. Kav. Bernhardi
XCII. Deutsch inf. div., Genmj. Rusche
II. K.u.K. Korps, Feldmlt. Kaiser
IV. inf. div., Feldmlt. Pfeffer
XLI. Honved inf. div., Genmj. Schamschula
Orders of Battle: Isonzo Front, November 1917
Immediately preceding the Caporetto Offensive
Boroevic Armee Group, Generaloberst von Boroevic
I. Isonzo Armee, Generaloberst von Wurm
XXIII. Korps, Feldmlt. von Csicserics
XLI. Honved inf. div., Feldmlt. Schamschula
X. Honved inf. div., Feldmlt. von Gologorski
XII. inf. div., Genmj. von Puchalski
XXI. Schützen res. div., Feldmlt. Pohajsky
Orders of Battle: Italian Front, June 1918
Immediately preceding the Piave Offensive
Commander of the Southwestern Front, Feldmarschal Boroevic von Bojna
VI. Armee, Generaloberst Erzherzog Josef
XXIII. Korps, Gen. d. Inf. von Csicserics
XII. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Puchalski
X. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Gologorski
I. kav. div., Genmj. von Habermann
res., LVII. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Hronzky
K.u.K. res., IX. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Greiner
XXXV. inf. div., Feldmlt. von Podhoranszky
XLI. Honved inf. div., Feldmlt. von Schamschula
LI. Honved inf. div., Feldmlt. von Benke
XII. Schützen kav. div., Genmj. von Karapancza
Orders of Battle: Italian Front, October 1918
Immediately preceding the Battle of Vittorio Veneto
VI. Armee, Gen. d. Kav. Schönburg-Hartenstein
XXIV. Korps, Gen. d. Inf. Hadfy von Livno
XLI. Honved inf. div., Feldmlt. Schamschula
LI. Honved inf. div., Genmj. Daubner
