Austria-Hungary KuK Soldiers wearing medals - show your photos

[Markgraf]

Nice pictures! The third gentleman is probably the member of the Habsburg family. The last picture is a Royal Hungarian Army Lt. Col between 1929-1940.

[erikscollectables]

One of the favorites in my collection Lt Edelsbrunner with his impressive collection of medals including the Golden Bravery medal when he was an aspirant officer..

[erikscollectables]

Award of an EKII to an AH cavalry officer

[erikscollectables]

AH machine gun unit NCO with the Bravery medals and an EK ribbon so for a prussian kriegerverdienstmedaille,or an EK if he was just promoted to officer...

Edited January 3, 2015 by erikscollectables

[erikscollectables]

Edelweiss stormtrooper with bravery medals

[erikscollectables]

NCO with the Prusian Kriegerverdiensmedaille (equivalent of an EK for ranks below officer in the AH army)

[erikscollectables]

Golden bravery medal or large silver?

[erikscollectables]

Machine gun unit NCO

[Odulf]

A nice portrait of a decorated Austrian telegraphist.

[Markgraf]

It seems, the sergeant's lace painted by the photographer. Nice photo!

[Odulf]

Thanks for your reaction Markgraf.

I like my small collection of Austrian uniform photos, when looking at them I cannot escape the quote, recorded by the writer/journalist Philip Roth, of an Austrian pensioned general, who said: "Sir, we had the finest looking Army in Europe, the most colourful and best cut uniforms, excellent horses and riders, the most beautiful military music, and what did they do with it.... they send it all to war!"

Another thing to know is this. Until the mid-19th century the design of uniforms of the Dutch Army was based on the French uniforms. Understandable, because the Netherlands were incorporated in the French Empire 1811-1813. Around 1855 a Commission was ordered to advice about another style of uniforms. The Commission looked around in Europe for inspiration, and at that time the Austrian Army showed (indeed) a beautiful display of style. Thus, it was suggested to copy (with some adaptions) the style of Austrian uniforms (unaware, that few years later the Austrian troops were beaten by Prussia and its allies). But when you see Dutch Army uniforms from the 1860s and onwards, it is easy to recognize the 'Austrian touch'. Until 1940, the Dutch Army held on to the principle of officer's ranks (in stars and bars) on the standing collar, and stiff kepis, etc. It went so far, that King William III, in 1865 (the year of great uniform reforms) ordered that all General Staff officers should wear the (impressive) Austrial style Attila, probably also because the Staff was all mounted.

[Von Thronstahl]

Here are some of my photos.  

 

 

[IrishGunner]

Nice photo with the Order of the Iron Crown with swords...along with the Military Merit Cross with war decoration and swords.

[Von Thronstahl]

More...

[Leo]

This is my grandfather Johan Trochim (1890-1978). He fought in the WWI, K.u K. 4 Horse artillery battalion (Reitende Artilleriedivision №4, RAD4), battery №3

 

Photo №1: 1914, Lviv (Lemberg) (J.Trochim on the left)

 

 
Photo №2: 18 july 1918, Barkarota, Italian front

Please describe his medals and his rank.

Edited December 2, 2015 by Leo

[Ian]

Hi Leo,

Your Grandfathers rank is Feldwebel (3 stars and lace on the front and bottom edges).  Although his is not wearing his rank insignia the 'normal' way with the stars on the lace.

Small silver bravery with a 2nd award = 2 x small silver

Bronze bravery with two additional awards = 3 x bronze

Karl troop cross

1912-1913 Mobilisation cross

Regards,

Ian

[Leo]

Thank You a lot

Here are some more pictures.

№3 - signed by the other side - Dolinkiewich, obviously grandfather colleague:

№4 - grandfather colleagues:

№5 - another colleages:

 

 

Edited December 2, 2015 by Leo

[Christian1962]

On ‎08‎.‎12‎.‎2013 at 11:03, Odulf said:

Thanks for sharing your observations guys!

 

@Markgraf, can you please give the number of the Hungarian photo (this gan be found under the left corner, after clicking on the picture).

 

@tifes, below the tekst on the reverse of this photo

Hi, here are some more Details referring Anton Schott:

Schott Anton (*21.04.1878 – 19.01.1941)

ÖBH1:      Oberleutnant

21.06.1923 vers. z. Garnisonswirtschaftsamt Salzburg [VBl. 26/1923]

10.07.1923 Verpflegsoberoffizial (Titel) [VBl. 30/1923]

30.12.1926 Wirtschaftshauptmann (DragSchw 6)

01.08.1932 vers. zum AJB 3 [VBl. 7/1932]

18.01.1933 Wirtschaftsmajor [VBl. 1/1933]

31.01.1933 Ruhestand [VBl. 1/1933]

GTM, STM1, SVK.+K.K, SVK.+K, BTM, KTK, D2, JK1908, preuß. KVM

Regards

Christian

 

[Ian]

On 25/3/2014 at 08:00, Trooper_D said:

These three chaps seem to have done well for themselves! I am particularly interested in the man on the right, wearing what I believe is the Rote Kreuz Ehrenkreuz. Can anyone tell me what this was awarded for, please? Any other information would also be welcome.

The two on the left appear to be postal officials.  See page 178 - The Austro-Hungarian Army 1914-1918. M Christian Ortner and Hermann Hinterstoisser. Verlag Militaria 2013

Edited December 19, 2015 by Ian
Additional information

[Markgraf]

Yes it's possible. One more point, that the postman were eligible the 1898 Jubilee Medal on both (military and civilian) ribbon.

See this:

http://www.erdemrendek-kituntetesek.hu/tartalom/monarchi%C3%A1s-post%C3%A1s

[Trooper_D]

 

On 19 December 2015 at 04:18, Ian said:

The two on the left appear to be postal officials. 

 

54 minutes ago, Markgraf said:

Yes it's possible. One more point, that the postman were eligible the 1898 Jubilee Medal on both (military and civilian) ribbon.

Thank you, Ian and Markgraf, for these further interesting observations.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Trooper_D

[Ian]

Attached is a photo of a Generalmajor wearing what appears to be a Tiroler Matrikelzeichen (second type issued post 1900), as well as an Order of the Iron Crown 2^nd Class (with kriegs decoration), Order of Leopold (knight), 2 Signum Laudis (silver and bronze) and an EK1 and EK 2.  You will notice that there is room for about twice as many medals as he is wearing.

The name accompanying the photo appears to be ‘Muhr’.  I can not locate a Generalmajor, Feldmarschalleutnant or even a General Muhr in any of my Rangliste.  I have tried to identify him by the Tiroler Matrikelzeichen, but so far no luck

Can any one explain to me what the Tiroler Matrikelzeichen would have been awarded for please (there can not have been that many awarded) and does any one recognise the Generalmajor?

I wish everyone on the forum a Happy and Prosperous 2016.

[Jammar]

Can anyone tell me about the order medal that has a full gold chain? It is like the medals worn by the Knights of each class but has a solid gold chain not a ribbon. Would this have been worn by Franz himself? This was after Franz took over Napolean and reinstated the order of the iron crown in 1805.

[Odulf]

On ‎25‎-‎4‎-‎2016 at 22:15, Jammar said:

Can anyone tell me about the order medal that has a full gold chain? It is like the medals worn by the Knights of each class but has a solid gold chain not a ribbon. Would this have been worn by Franz himself? This was after Franz took over Napolean and reinstated the order of the iron crown in 1805.

What springs to mind is the Leopolds-Orden (1808), or the Order der Eisernen Krone (1816).

A Red Cross official, wearing mainly Red Cross decorations: Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um das Rote Kreuz.

 

Also enclosed, the reverse of this cut-out photo. Perhaps to specialists it adds to a context)

Edited May 22, 2016 by Odulf

[Ian]

ID 122 - Could this be Generalmajor Ing. Franz Freiherr von Mor-Merkl zu Sunnegg