Gendarmeriegeneral Emanuel Freiherr von Stillfried und Rathenitz

Emanuel Freiherr von Stillfried und Rathnitz is born in Pilsen in Bohemia [today: Plzeň in the Czech Republic] as the legitimate son of the imperial and royal officer Karl Freiherr von Stillfried und Rathenitz. Karl Freiherr von Stillfried und Rathenitz and Antonie Freiin von Fleißner-Wostowitz.

On March 12, 1938, Emanuel Freiherr von Stillfried und Rathnitz witnessed the demise of free and independent Austria with the invasion of the German Wehrmacht. Just one day after the occupation, on March 13, 1938, he was arrested and taken to the Wöllersdorf detention camp, which had now been converted by the National Socialists into a camp for opponents of National Socialism. From there, he was deported on April 2, 1938 on the so-called 'Prominent Transport' to the Dachau concentration camp. There he was subjected to particular abuse by the camp SS.

When Dachau concentration camp was cleared for the SS at short notice after Hitler's invasion of Poland, Emanuel Freiherr von Stillfried und Rathnitz was transferred to Flossenbürg concentration camp on September 27, 1939. In the meantime, he was dismissed from the civil service on January 13, 1939. On March 2, 1930, he was transferred back to Dachau concentration camp. He was released there on September 13, 1943. After his release from prison, he was conscripted into the Steyr-Werke.

In Vienna, Emanuel Freiherr von Stillfried and Rathnitz witnessed the liberation of Austria and the re-establishment of the Republic in April and May 1945. He was immediately reinstated into service and promoted to gendarmerie colonel and later to gendarmerie major general. On December 22, 1947, he was finally promoted to gendarmerie general and appointed supreme commander of the gendarmerie in Austria. He joins the newly founded Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the ÖVP-Kameradschaft der politisch Verfolgten und Bekenner für Österreich and the Gewerkschaft Öffentlicher Dienst (GÖD).

Emanuel Freiherr von Stillfried und Rathnitz retires on 31 May 1950. From October 1, 1963 to December 31, 1963, he was reactivated once more and transferred to active duty. He then retired for good and died in Bad Ischl at the age of 67.