Stöger-Steiner remained as a Corps commander on the Isonzo front until 12 April 1917, when he was recalled from front-line duties and promoted to become Imperial Minister for War.
Thrust into a central and highly political role in steering the war effort, his selection was driven by divisions at court where theretofore in a relatively obscure role, he emerged as a compromise candidate suitable to the new Emperor who sought to appoint his ministers from the ranks of "persons not previously involved in any politics".

The role into which he had been appointed had diminished much in terms of power as Armeeoberkommando (Military High Command) became more powerful in politics and Emperor Karl tinkered with Parliamentary politics despite the war situation, while powerful Hungarian politicians also attempted to split the common army into two wholly separate entities.

Energetically, Stöger-Steiner set about his task and reorganized the ministry with the creation of operationally independent offices such as the Zentraltransportleitung, (central transport department) the Kriegsüberwachungsamt (war supervisory office), the Kriegsfürsorgeamt (war welfare office), the Zentralevidenz (central intelligence) and Generalinspektorat für das Heimkehrerwesen (general inspectorate for repatriated POW's), as well as introducing new officers into the departments he created.
Generally held to be highly competent, he was again decorated for his work in the War Office, where he assured the Emperor that Austria Hungary would not suffer the same fate as that of Russia in the winter of 1917, while he faced the same problems as von Krobatin of ensuring continued supplies of food and arms in the face of mounting war fatigue and the need to retain law and order among the populace.

In political matters, Stöger-Steiner's extensive military training served him poorly for facing professional politicians often with conflicting interests in the Ministerrat (ministerial council) and the Reichsrat (parliament) while he battled deteriorating health.
He often considered retiring from his position, especially given that he felt Hungarian politicians tried constantly to thwart his efforts, but Stöger-Steiner's oath to the Kaiser left him to consider that he had no choice but to continue working.
In April 1918, he was granted the noble title of "Freiherr", in an upgrading of his former title.
While promoted to the new rank of Colonel-General, he had become convinced of the inevitability of defeat by the beginning of 1918 and was forced to withdraw some seven front-line divisions to maintain internal order in the early part of 1918.

Through the course of 1918, the situation deteriorated further as ration increases to the army could not prove possible and interruptions to supply of foodstuffs to the cities of industrial Austria led to increasing strikes, which only served to further undermine war production.

On 30 October 1918, as Stöger-Steiner traveled to the last meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Empire, a mob surrounded his car, smashed its windows, tore off the passenger's headgear and ripped off the Royal Cockade - an act not directed against him but symptomatic of the decline of law and order in the Imperial capital itself in the last days of the empire.
Stöger-Steiner remained as a Corps commander on the Isonzo front until 12 April 1917, when he was recalled from front-line duties and promoted to become Imperial Minister for War. Thrust into a central and highly political role in steering the war effort, his selection was driven by divisions at court where theretofore in a relatively obscure role, he emerged as a compromise candidate suitable to the new Emperor who sought to appoint his ministers from the ranks of "persons not previously involved in any politics".
The role into which he had been appointed had diminished much in terms of power as Armeeoberkommando (Military High Command) became more powerful in politics and Emperor Karl tinkered with Parliamentary politics despite the war situation, while powerful Hungarian politicians also attempted to split the common army into two wholly separate entities.
Energetically, Stöger-Steiner set about his task and reorganized the ministry with the creation of operationally independent offices such as the Zentraltransportleitung, (central transport department) the Kriegsüberwachungsamt (war supervisory office), the Kriegsfürsorgeamt (war welfare office), the Zentralevidenz (central intelligence) and Generalinspektorat für das Heimkehrerwesen (general inspectorate for repatriated POW's), as well as introducing new officers into the departments he created. Generally held to be highly competent, he was again decorated for his work in the War Office, where he assured the Emperor that Austria Hungary would not suffer the same fate as that of Russia in the winter of 1917, while he faced the same problems as von Krobatin of ensuring continued supplies of food and arms in the face of mounting war fatigue and the need to retain law and order among the populace.
In political matters, Stöger-Steiner's extensive military training served him poorly for facing professional politicians often with conflicting interests in the Ministerrat (ministerial council) and the Reichsrat (parliament) while he battled deteriorating health. He often considered retiring from his position, especially given that he felt Hungarian politicians tried constantly to thwart his efforts, but Stöger-Steiner's oath to the Kaiser left him to consider that he had no choice but to continue working. In April 1918, he was granted the noble title of "Freiherr", in an upgrading of his former title. While promoted to the new rank of Colonel-General, he had become convinced of the inevitability of defeat by the beginning of 1918 and was forced to withdraw some seven front-line divisions to maintain internal order in the early part of 1918.
Through the course of 1918, the situation deteriorated further as ration increases to the army could not prove possible and interruptions to supply of foodstuffs to the cities of industrial Austria led to increasing strikes, which only served to further undermine war production.
On 30 October 1918, as Stöger-Steiner traveled to the last meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Empire, a mob surrounded his car, smashed its windows, tore off the passenger's headgear and ripped off the Royal Cockade - an act not directed against him but symptomatic of the decline of law and order in the Imperial capital itself in the last days of the empire.
Rudolf Stöger-Steiner von Steinstätten