Paul Stupar

Paul Stupar (27 December 1866 – 26 January 1928) was an Austro-Hungarian naval officer who attained the rank of rear admiral. Born in Pazin, Austria-Hungary, to Jakov and Maria Stupar, he was baptized as Paulus Ioannes. His father worked as a lower official at the district court in Pazin.

Stupar enrolled in the Austrian naval academy in Fiume in 1882 and graduated in 1886, beginning his naval career. By 1901–1904, he held the rank of ship-of-the-line lieutenant on the staff list at Rijeka's naval academy. His brother, Anthäus Stupar, served as a professor at the academy from 1903 to 1914.

In his career, Stupar commanded several ships, including the minelayer *Salamander* in Pula (1907), the torpedo boat *Satellit* (1910), and the light cruiser *Aspern* during the naval blockade of Montenegro (1912–1913). He later commanded the armored cruiser *Sankt Georg* (August–October 1913) and the battleship *Babenberg* (March 1914). In August 1914, he assumed command of military warehouses in Šibenik with the rank of battleship captain. By 1917, he commanded the battleship *Erzherzog Friedrich*, and on 1 May 1918, he was promoted to rear admiral.

Stupar was twice awarded the Military Merit Cross 3rd Class during his career.