In this book, Thomas Edelmann offers an in-depth insight into the hitherto little-researched staging areas of the Austro-Hungarian army during the First World War. As an essential space between the front and the rear, the staging areas were the backbone of the military infrastructure a place where soldiers were supplied, the wounded and sick were treated, and resources were organised. This book also highlights the social aspects by examining the leisure activities of soldiers, their interactions with the civilian population and the effects of epidemics in the rear area. The work addresses the central question of how the rear area system of the Austro-Hungarian Army changed between 1909 and 1918. Through the first detailed study of the history of the stage office, this book shows how the original war plans from 1909 to 1914 differed from the real conditions of the First World War and how the stage gained unexpected importance for the army. Supplemented by in-depth case studies, the work provides further insights into everyday life during the war. This work is the first coherent study based on archival sources of the life and work of soldiers in the rear area of the Imperial and Royal Army. It is intended to stimulate further detailed studies and is aimed at anyone who would like to take a deeper look at the effects of the war away from the military front lines.
