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Maksimilijan Njegovan (31 October 1858 – 1 July 1930) was an
Austro-Hungarian Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
of
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
n descent. He was the Navy's senior administrator as well as its fleet commander in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, from 1917 to 1918. He "inherited a competent but exhausted service."


Background

Njegovan was born in 1858 in Agram (now
Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
). Upon graduation from the Imperial and Royal Naval Academy in Fiume (now
Rijeka Rijeka (; Fiume ( �fjuːme in Italian and in Fiuman dialect, Fiuman Venetian) is the principal seaport and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Ba ...
), he joined the fleet in Pola (
Pula Pula, also known as Pola, is the largest city in Istria County, west Croatia, and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istria, Istrian peninsula in western Croatia, wi ...
) in 1877 as a ''Seekadett''. In 1893, after receiving a short instructional course as torpedo officer of ''Alpha'', he received his first command, the torpedo boat ''Condor''. At the Naval Academy, he was an instructor in seamanship from 1898 to 1905. Njegovan then held command of the battleship ''Budapest'' until 1907. He served from 1907 to 1909 as chief of staff to the ''Marinekommandant'' (Navy Commander), Rudolf Montecuccoli, and as adjutant and chief of operations of the ''Marinesektion'' (Naval Section of the War Ministry), of which Montecuccoli was ''Chef'' (Chief). He was promoted to ''Konteradmiral'' in 1911 and ''Vizeadmiral'' in 1913. In the spring of the same year he commanded naval units at the international Blockade of Montenegro. At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 he was named commander of the 1st Division of the 1st Battle Squadron, hoisting his flag in the dreadnought battleship ''Tegetthoff''. Njegovan was decorated with the Order of Leopold for his bombardment of
Ancona Ancona (, also ; ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region of central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona, homonymous province and of the region. The city is located northeast of Ro ...
the night
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
declared war on the empire, 23/24 May 1915.


Fleet Commander

In February 1917 he succeeded the late ''Grossadmiral''
Anton Haus Anton Johann Haus (13 June 1851 – 8 February 1917) was an Austrian naval officer. Despite his German name, he was born to a Slovene language, Slovenian-speaking family in Tolmein (now Tolmin, Slovenia). Haus was fleet commander of the Austro-H ...
as ''Marinekommandant'' and as ''Flottenkommandant'' (Fleet Commander). Promoted to full
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
, he was appointed to the additional post of ''Chef der Marinesektion'' in April 1917, succeeding the late Karl Kailer von Kaltenfels. Njegovan was the last man to hold all three posts. He received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Iron Crown for the battle of the Otranto Straits, 14/15 May 1917. Njegovan continued Haus' strategy of preserving his major forces as a ' fleet in being'. However, he was unable to ease ethnic tensions on individual warships, where sailors were also influenced by radical agitators. Another pressing problem for which Njegovan could find no solution involved shortages of food, fuel, and other vital supplies. In the face of such difficulties, in 1917, Kaiser
Wilhelm II of Germany Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as the Hohenzollern dynasty ...
and Kaiser Karl I of Austria proposed an unrealistic plan for an invasion of
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
using the whole fleet. Njegovan steadfastly opposed the proposal, which eventually was dropped. The abortive nationalist-inspired mutiny at Cattaro (
Kotor Kotor (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian language, Italian: ), is a town in Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has ...
) in February 1918 underscored the need for a more energetic fleet commander. Relieved of command, Njegovan was succeeded as ''Flottenkommandant'' by
Miklós Horthy Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya (18 June 1868 – 9 February 1957) was a Hungarian admiral and statesman who was the Regent of Hungary, regent of the Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946), Kingdom of Hungary Hungary between the World Wars, during the ...
and as ''Chef der Marinesektion'' by Franz von Holub. The office of ''Marinekommandant'' was left vacant. Retired on 1 March 1918, Njegovan spent the rest of the war in Pola. Pensioned and promoted to '' Grossadmiral'' on the retired list, he was decorated with the Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold for his services to the Empire.


Postwar

After the war, Njegovan lived for a time in Venice. His homeland of
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
had become part of the new country of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, and in 1930 he died in his hometown of
Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
at the age of 71. He is buried in Mirogoj cemetery.


See also

*
Austro-Hungarian Navy The Austro-Hungarian Navy or Imperial and Royal War Navy (, in short ''k.u.k. Kriegsmarine'', ) was the navy, naval force of Austria-Hungary. Ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy were designated ''SMS'', for ''Seiner Majestät Schiff'' (His Majes ...
* Gavrilo Rodić * Petar Preradović * Svetozar Borojević * Paul Davidovich *
Arsenije Sečujac Arsenije Sečujac ( sr-cyr, Арсеније Сечујац, ; 1720 – 13 January 1814) was a Habsburg general who earned the rank of major general at the very end of his military career and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Military Order ...
* Paul von Radivojevich * Peter Vitus von Quosdanovich * Mathias Rukavina von Boynograd


References


External links


First World War.com - Who's Who - Maximilian Njegovan
at firstworldwar.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Njegovan, Maximilian 1858 births 1930 deaths Military personnel from Zagreb Austro-Hungarian admirals Croatian admirals Croatian Austro-Hungarians Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I Croatian people of World War I 19th-century Croatian military personnel 20th-century Croatian military personnel Burials at Mirogoj Cemetery