Balkanstreitkräfte
| Imperial and Royal Balkan Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
| k.u.k. Balkanstreitkräfte | |
Austro-Hungarian officers c. 1914 | |
| Founded | August 1914 |
| Disbanded | 27 May 1915 |
| Allegiance | Austria-Hungary |
| Branch | Austro-Hungarian Army |
| Type | Field Army |
| Role | Offensive operations |
| Size |
|
| Part of | Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Sarajevo Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Nickname(s) | Balkan Army |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Oskar Potiorek Archduke Eugen |
The Balkanstreitkräfte (German for "Balkan Armed Forces"), also known as the Balkan Army, was a military formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army created for operations against the Kingdom of Serbia at the onset of World War I.
Formed in August 1914, the force participated in three unsuccessful invasions of Serbia, culminating in a decisive defeat at the Battle of Kolubara in December of that year. Following this failure, its commander, Feldzeugmeister Oskar Potiorek, was dismissed. The Balkanstreitkräfte was officially disbanded in May 1915, with its remaining elements, notably the 5th Army, reorganized under Archduke Eugen of Austria and redeployed to the Italian front.