Paulus Sturm was born on august 10./22. 1848. in Görlitz, Prussian Silesia, of ethnic Sorb origin. He moved with his brother to Serbia and joined the Serbian army. Šturm became one of the most important commanders in the Serbian army in World War I, especially during its first two years, the time when his 3rd army was main support either for the 2nd army during the battle of Cer, or for the 1st army during the battle of Kolubara. He and his brother Eugene graduated from the royal Prussianmilitary academy in Breslau, and participated in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. They later resigned their commissions and moved to the Principality of Serbia, prior to the Serbian–Ottoman War, in order to lecture at the Serbian Military Academy in Belgrade. With the outbreak of the war, the two brothers joined the Serbian Army as volunteers. He also fought in the Serbo-Bulgarian War as commander of a regiment. He fell in love with Serbia instantly and married a Serbian woman. In order to become naturalized, he changed his name into Pavle Jurišić-Šturm in 1876. Pavle being a cognate of Paulus, and Jurišić being derived from a modulated translation of the word "charge". He kept his German last name as an alias. In the Balkan Wars he was the General of the Drina Division, which distinguished itself at the Battle of Kumanovo after which he was promoted to the rank of general. As commander of the Third Serbian Army, he participated in all major battles in the Serbian theater in World War I, from Cer and Kolubara, then retreated over frozen Albania, and the participation of the Serbian Army on the Salonika Front. Here, his army fought in the Battle of Kajmakcalan, suffering many casualties. After this battle Sturm was replaced at the head of the Third Army by Miloš Vasić in October 1916. He was sent to Russia to assist the commander of the Serbian Volunteer Corps. In early 1917, he returned via Japan to Thessaloniki, where he was appointed Chancellor of the Order of the Crown, a job he held until the end of the war. After years of peace that followed, Šturm stayed in Serbia and remained in its army with the rank of general. He died in 1922 at his home in Belgrade. Šturm was decorated with Order of Karadjordje Star, Order of White Eagle and Allied decorations of Order of Italian Crown, Order of St. George, Order of Belgian Crown, the Order of Legion of Honour and the Order of St. Michael and St. George. Maybe the most valuable was the Order of Paulovnia Flowers on the Great Cross personally decorated by Japanese Emperor. He was also the bearer of the Iron Cross Ordinance, the Order of St. Leopold. He was included in the ranks of the greatest commanders of First World War and one of the best commanders in Serbian war history.
