German illustration of the second Siege of Przemyśl, from January 13, 1915 Illustrated War News. The Siege of Przemyśl was the longest siege of the First World War,[1] and a crushing defeat for Austria-Hungary in the face of a Russian onslaught. Przemyśl was a fortress town on the River San and a Galician stronghold. The investment of Przemyśl began on September 24, 1914, and was briefly suspended on October 11 due to an Austro-Hungarian offensive. The siege resumed again on November 9 and the Austro-Hungarian garrison surrendered on March 22, 1915, after holding out for a total of 133 days.