Hugo Meixner von Zweienstamm
The twins Hugo and
Otto were born on the 1st of February 1858
at Lobzów near Krakau (Kraków) as sons of Oberleutnant
Eduard Meixner. Besides their similar looks as was common with twins there were
amazing parallels within their lives especially during the first decades. After
successfully graduating from the military college at St. Pölten and the
military academy at Wiener Neustadt they were both promoted to Leutnant in
infantry regiment number 55 on the 1st of November 1878. Both attended the same
class at the Kriegsschule and were attached, in the meantime promoted to
Oberleutnant on the 1st of May 1883, to the general staff corps.
Hugo Meixner was attached to the headquarters of the 4th infantry brigade where he received his promotion to Hauptmann
1st class on the 1st of May 1886. On the same date he was transferred to the general staff of the 1st corps
headquarters at
Krakau (Kraków). For his performance there he received the certificate of commendation
from the war minister on the 25th of September 1888 and the certificate of commendation
from the corps commander on the
18th of November 1890. On the 19th of November 1889 he married
Auguste, a daughter of Generalmajor Johann Ritter von Kubin and
his twin brother Otto married on the same day her sister Margarete! On the 1st of November 1890 Hugo Meixner was
also assigned to line duty with infantry regiment number 100
located at Krakau (Kraków). Together with his promotion to
Major on the 1st of November 1892 he received his appointment as chief of the general staff of the 19th
infantry division at
Pilsen. In late 1894 he was transferred to the war ministry in Vienna shortly followed by his promotion to Oberstleutnant on the
1st of May 1895. On the 24th of October 1896 he became the head
of the 10th department of the Kriegsministerium. At this
important post he received his promotion to Oberst on the 1st of
May 1898 with the seniority from the 22nd of May. For his efforts
there he again was honored with a certificate of commendation from the
minister on the 18th of October 1898. On the 17th of October 1898
Oberst Hugo Meixner was transferred to line duty with infantry regiment "King of Italy" number 28 shortly followed by
the award of the Military Merit Cross on the 30th of November of
the same year. On the 13th of December 1899 he took over command
of this regiment. During his command he was honored with the
commander's cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy (1900), the
2nd class of the Persian Order of the Sun and the Lion (19th
October 1900) and finally the breast star to his commander's
cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy (July 1901). On the 4th
of November 1902 he was again assigned to the war ministry as
chief of the 2nd department.
Again Hugo
Meixner held an important post within the army
administration. For his performance there he was honored with the
award of the 3rd class of the Order of the Crown on the 6th of
October 1903. On the 1st of November 1904 he was promoted to
Generalmajor with seniority from the 5th of November. On the
25th of February 1908 he was again honored by the award of
the knight's cross of the Order of Leopold. Uniquely in the practice of
ennoblement, the twins Otto (9th July 1908) and
Hugo (5th August 1908) were granted to right to carry the same predicate
"von Zweienstamm". On the 15th of October 1908 Hugo
Meixner von Zweienstamm assumed command of the 27th infantry division Kaschau (Kassa) shortly followed by his promotion to
Feldmarschall-Leutnant on the 1st of November 1908 with
seniority from the 4th of November - still one day behind his
brother. On the 9th of February 1911 was transferred as commander
to the 2nd infantry division at Jaroslau. On the 12th of August
1913 he was honored with the award of the Order of the Iron Crown
2nd class followed by his relief from his command of the 2nd division on the 13th of
October 1913. While he was on leave awaiting a suitable
command he received his promotion to General der Infanterie on
the 1st of November 1913 with seniority from the 2nd of
November - now 6 months and a day junior to his brother Otto. On the
22nd of January 1914 he was appointed commander of the 10th corps
at Przemysl shortly followed by the honour title of Geheimer Rat
(Privy councillor) on the 12th of February 1914.
When the war started in 1914 GdI Hugo Meixner von Zweienstamm
and his 10th corps were part of Dankl's 1st army. For his
performance as a corps commander he was honored with the grand
cross of the Order of the Iron Crown with war decoration on the
5th of October 1914 and in November 1914 he received the Prussian Iron Cross 2nd class. In January 1915 he was
temporarily replaced by Feldmarschall-Leutnant Krautwald von
Annau but this
lasted only two months and was caused by illness. In March 1915
he returned to his post but was finally retired in April 1915
and surrendered command to Feldmarschall-Leutnant Hugo Martiny.
Disappointed and angry he retired from public life to Vienna
where he died in early July 1951, five years after his twin
brother Otto at the age of 93! General Hugo Meixner von
Zweienstamm was buried in the family tomb on the Hütteldorfer
Friedhof in Vienna on the 9th of July 1951.
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