Fire 25 Years Service Medal Questions

[1812 Overture]

Dear collectors, I recently purchased a medal for the 25th anniversary of the Austro-Hungarian firefighting, but I can find very little information, and I can't find any relevant discussions in the forum. So far I can only find a picture of the medal wearing it, does anyone have pictures of other winners? Also, are firefighters in the Austro-Hungarian Empire civil servants?

 

 

The actual winner is an old grandpa who doesn't look too happy

[Christian1962]

Firefighters were and still are volounteers in Austria. There are only few professional organisations in bigger cities like Vienna, Graz, Linz,... which are part of the city government.

 

The medal was re-established in 1922 and again in 1949 for 25 and 40 years volounteer service.

 

A similar medal was created for the Hungarian part of the empire too.

 

Regards

 

Christian

[Farkas]

On 01/09/2022 at 14:41, 1812 Overture said:

Dear collectors, I recently purchased a medal for the 25th anniversary of the Austro-Hungarian firefighting, but I can find very little information, and I can't find any relevant discussions in the forum. So far I can only find a picture of the medal wearing it, does anyone have pictures of other winners? Also, are firefighters in the Austro-Hungarian Empire civil servants?

 

 

The actual winner is an old grandpa who doesn't look too happy

Always nice to know something of the recipient.

 

On 02/09/2022 at 07:25, Christian1962 said:

Firefighters were and still are volounteers in Austria. There are only few professional organisations in bigger cities like Vienna, Graz, Linz,... which are part of the city government.

 

The medal was re-established in 1922 and again in 1949 for 25 and 40 years volounteer service.

 

A similar medal was created for the Hungarian part of the empire too.

 

Regards

 

Christian

 

Overture,

Do you know if he received it post 1922?

 

He might look a bit happier if he knew he would survive the war… 😁

 

tony 🍻

[Christian1962]

7 hours ago, Farkas said:

Always nice to know something of the recipient.

 

 

Overture,

Do you know if he received it post 1922?

 

He might look a bit happier if he knew he would survive the war… 😁

 

tony 🍻

 

He could not have received it after the war because in 1922 the medal was re-established and showing the heraldic eagle of the Austrian seal of state instead of the Kaiser.

 

You can see two different examples here. The medal with the one-headed eagle was in use from 1922 until 1934 and the double-headed eagle from 1934 until 1938.

 

Both medals are silver for 40-years-service.

 

Regards

 

Christian

Edited July 31, 2023 by Christian1962

[Christian1962]

In 1949 the medals for 25 and 40 years service were re-established again with a different eagle. In 1951 the Austrian constitutional court abolished this law. From there on the federal states could establish medals with their own heraldic shields. Some did immedately - others later. So there are nine different features of this medal now.

Here the 1949 - 1951 issue:

 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Christian1962

[Christian1962]

I will start displaying different examples for issues of the federal states.

 

Burgendland

 

Until 1971 the medal was bestowed with the 1949 - 1951 eagle. Then they changed to the state eagle.

 

left: fontside

right: backside

 

The ribbon was changed in 2008 from single yellow to red-yellow (half and half).

Edited August 1, 2023 by Christian1962

[Christian1962]

I can add some more examples now.

 

Vorarlberg: left frontside (25 years), right backside (40 years).

 

Regards

 

Christian

 

 

Tirol: 50 years (front and backside)

 

Salzburg:

25 years first model (heraldic shield in old curved shape)

40 years second model (heraldic shield in straight shape)

Edited August 2, 2023 by Christian1962