SCHWEITZER, EDUARD VON

SCHWEITZER, EDUARD VON (1844–1920), Hungarian soldier. In the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Schweitzer was decorated for gallantry and transferred to the officers' training school. He fought with distinction in the war against Turkey in 1878, receiving a second decoration. He was knighted in the following year and received permission to enter the staff officers' course. Because Schweitzer refused to convert to Christianity, he was refused admission to the general staff. However, he continued to advance as a result of the personal intervention of the emperor Franz Joseph. In 1898 he was given command of a crack infantry regiment. The emperor is reported to have told a minister, who hinted that a Jewish officer should not remain in such an exalted post, that Schweitzer was one of the best commanders in the army. In 1908 he was promoted to lieutenant field marshal. He retired in 1912. For many years Schweitzer was president of Jewish charities in Vienna. (Mordechai Kaplan)