Hermann Kusmanek von Burgneustädten was a colonel general of the Austrian Imperial Army. He gained particular fame during World War I by his defence from September 1914 to March 1915 of the fortress of Przemyśl against a Russian siege.

Przemyśl fortress was a series of fortifications constructed at Przemyśl by the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the mid 19th century until the First World War. It was constructed in sections, depending on the diplomatic relations between Austria and the Russian Empire, and saw extensive combat during World War I. Originally captured by the Russian Army, it was recaptured by the German Army in mid-1915. Afterwards the ruined fortifications lost their military significance.