Austria-Hungary Austrian Ribbon Bars

[Paul R]

I am feeling pretty scan happy and would like to share you some of my Austrian Ribbon Bars.

The first one is a nice 8 place WW1/2 bar. I find it interesting because of the many Austrian awards. He must have been one brave soldier to receive all of these. The sad part is that because so many Austrian awards have the same ribbon, I dont think that I will ever know for sure what he was awarded. The ribbon on the back of the bar is a KVK2 button hole ribbon that was removed from a tunic. This was the way I received the bar.

[Paul R]

reverse

[Stogieman]

Here's a rather spectacular Officer's ribbon bar, heavily overlapped to cram them all in!

[Stogieman]

Yep, 15 awards. Read 'em & weep!

[Stogieman]

One of the fun things with Austrian Bars (apart from deciphering multiple awards on the same ribbon)(improbable at best)...... they occasionally used some rather unique mountings, styles, etc. This one looks like it was made on a Popsicle stick of all things!!

[Stogieman]

Reverse shows the simple hooks often used to attach to the uniform!

[Guest Rick Research]

Paul-- Well! That looks like Luftwaffe badge cloth backing, so chances are he was indeed a Luftwaffe officer.

Officer because while everything EXCEPT the Austro-Hungarian Bravery Medals (4 classes so theoretically could have four of THOSE ribbons) could have swords on the ribbon after Dedember 1916 for a combat frontline award--

in 5th place you have such a plain bravery medal ribbon. Could be a bronze, a silver 2nd Class, a Silver 1st Class-- unlikely to be a Gold (their Medal of Honor, basiaclly).

After the 1914 Prussian EK2 (itself usually a fairly good indiactor that THIS ex-Austrian had been an officer) are three bravery ribbons with swords--

the "normal progression" for an officer would have been, from #4 up to #2-- Bronze Signum Laudis Medal on the war ribbon with Xs, Silver Signum Laudis Medal otwrwXs, and then their Military Merit CRoss 3rd Class with war decoration and Xs-- the "?M3K" of our endless ribbon bar threads from its MUCH shorter Rank List abbreviation. Oddly enough, even when WITH swords, GERMAN recipients seem to have preferred to use the round gold wreath of the "war decoration," while Austrians almost always preferred the Xs.

So this guy started his WW1 service as an Officer Candidate, made Leutnant during the First World War, and was probably a Hauptmann der Reserve (no long service ribbons unless they were on the always possible SECOND row!!! ). Probably a flak retread.

[Paul R]

Here are my next bars.

The three piece Hindenburg bar is actually ONE ribbon.

[attachmentid=16004]

[Paul R]

back

[Paul R]

Some other bits and pieces.

[Paul R]

backs

[Paul R]

Rick(stogie)

Those are some very unique bars. I cannot believe that he managed to fit 15 ribbons on that single bar! One day, I would like to have a bar with a wound ribbon. Those really speak to me. What is the highest number of wounds that they made a ribbon for?

Rick L.

Thank you for that observation. I never thought of it being a LW bar!!! Thank you for the information as well! Austrian bars are my favorite for some reason. They are not the most colorful, but I like them!

Warm regards

Paul Reck

[Deruelle]

Hi,

My only Austrian's ribbon bar

Regards

Christophe

[Stogieman]

Hi Paul, I've seen wound medal ribbon with 5 stripes!

[Paul R]

Five stripes!!?? I would not want to be the awardee of that one!

Edited November 17, 2005 by Paul Reck

[Stogieman]

Paul's post of the backs is interesting. Many of these bars are all individual ribbons with snaps that could be slipped on/off and added to very easily. Quite different from the German sewn/tabbed style of bar where every time you were decorated you's have to get a new bar!!

Some awards are very rare on ribbon bars. Any group with an Order of The Iron Crown is especially nice.... some times, like the examples above, you'll see the ribbon with just swords. Very occassionally, one will find a bar with a miniature KD Laure Leaves wreath in gold & enamels........

The real Pot of Gold......... a Leopold Order. One of Austria's highest awards for strictly Officers. Perhaps a member has one to show??

[landsknechte]

My lone contribution, the ribbon bar of a rather naughty Austrian...

[Paul R]

My lone contribution, the ribbon bar of a rather naughty Austrian...

landsknechte,

That is a beautiful Wurttemberg/Austrian bar! Thank you for putting it up!

Rick,

Thank you for your comments on the snap on bars. Were these types widely used? The reason that I ask is that I have only seen one completed bar that was constructed in this manner. Do you have one of these bars to post?

Very nice bars!! But I know that there have to be more out there. I know. I can be a bit greedy sometimes

Keep 'em coming!

Edited November 18, 2005 by Paul Reck

[Guest Rick Research]

No, that's the Austrian long service ribbon, not W?rttemberg bravery. He's naughty because he's wearing one of the First Republic's decorations banned under the Third Reich. I've often seen those entered in Wehrpasses etc so they must have figured everything was going to be OK'd "someday."

The Austrians were late to ribbon bars, so ther is quite a variety. One way they kept things under control was to reduce the size from their usual 40mm widths. Here are 40, 20, German 15 and even 10 mm sizes:

[attachmentid=16126]

[Deruelle]

Hi,

I have bought recently this beauty but I don't know all the ribbons. Thanks for your help. As soon as I receive it I will post better scans.

Christophe

[Daniel Krause]

Did somebody mention a Leopold knight?

Here is one:

Best regards

Daniel

[Stogieman]

Allright. That makes 2 that I know of. I will take the liberty of posting one I recently sold.

[Guest Rick Research]

THAT being the OTHER ex-Austrian Third Reich alternative--

multiple rows.

[David S]

Some of mine

[Paul R]

David,

Eye catching bars! Are any of them ID'ed?

Paul