Haynau, Julius Jacob, Freiherr von

SOLDIER (HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE)
BORN 14 Oct 1786, Kassel, Hessen - DIED 14 Mar 1853, Wien
CAUSE OF DEATH stroke
GRAVE LOCATION Graz, Steiermark: St. Leonhard-Friedhof (111-010-014)

Natural son of elector Wilhelm I von Hessen and Rebekka Ritter, the daughter of an apothecary. In 1801 he joined the Austrian army and saw action during the Napoleontic Wars. In 1808 he married Thérčse von Weber, the daughter of Marshal Weber who died at Aspern. He was wounded himself during the Battle of Wagram.

By 1847 he held the rank of field marshal lieutenant, but his violent nature caused him to clash frequently with his superiors. He hated the revolutionary movements and in 1848 it was his task to fight the revolution in Italy. After he captured Brescia he ordered the killing of all Italians who had weapons, but after the inhabitants of the city had killed wounded Austrians in a hospital.

In 1849 he fought the Hungarian uprising successfully but again he was so severe that he was called the "Hyena of Brescia". He was accused of ordering the whipping of women who had only shown sympathy to the revolutionary movement. In 1850 he clashed with the Minister of War and he resigned.

He retired to Graz from where he travelled abroad, but his reputation went wherever he went. In Brussels he had to be saved from a mob and in London he was attacked when he visited the Barclay & Perkins brewery by people who wanted to get even with the man who had ordered the whipping of women. He died in 1853 in Vienna and was buried in Graz.

Related persons
• has a connection with Batthyány, Lajos, Count

Events
6/10/1849Thirteen Hungarian generals are executed. The Austrian general Haynau had ordered the executions. The generals were Lajos Aulich (1793-1849); János Damjanich (1804-1849); Arisztid Dessewffy (1802-1849); Erno Kiss (1799-1849); Károly Knezic (1808-1849); György Lahner (1795-1849); Vilmos Lázár (1815-1849); Károly Leiningen-Westerburg (1819-1849); József Nagysándor (1804-1849); Erno Poeltenberg (1814-1849); József Schweidel (1796-1849); Ignác Török (1795-1849); Károly Vécsey (1807-1849). 

Images

The grave of Julius, freiherr von Haynau at the St. Leonhard-Friedhof, Graz.
Picture by Androom (15 Aug 2009)

 

Sources
• Gross, Eugen, Friedhofführer der Pfarre Graz-St. Leonhard, Wirtschaftsrat der röm.-kath. Pfarre Graz-St. Leonhard, Graz, 2004
Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909
Julius Jacob von Haynau - Wikipedia
The 13 Martyrs of Arad - Wikipedia


Hays, Mary

Published: 21 Mar 2010
Last update: 21 Feb 2022