Lemberg, Battles of

In World War I, fighting between Austrian and Russian forces 1914–15 around the fortress town of Lemberg in Galicia (now Lviv, Ukraine). The Russians were driven out of the area by German forces June 1915 and it remained in German hands for the remainder of the war.

The Austrian army fell back to Lemberg when defeated by the Russians at Sokal August 1914. Three Austrian armies were advancing east to do battle; the 2nd was based on Lemberg, the 1st was about 15 km/9 mi south of Lemberg, and the 3rd was in southwest Poland. The Russians mustered four armies and when the 2nd Austrian advanced, the Russians, under General Alexei Brusilov and General Nikolai Russky, almost encircled it and completely defeated it, while effectively keeping the other two Austrian armies at bay. This defeat led what was left of the 2nd Army to retire and abandon Lemberg to the Russians.

In June 1915, German troops under General August von Mackensen advanced on Lemberg from the south but were repulsed. Keeping the defences diverted, this attack allowed other German forces to swing north and east and thus threaten the rear of the defended zone. After a fierce battle lasting several days the Russians finally evacuated the town and fortress 22 June 1915, and it remained in German hands thereafter.