The Standschützen (singular: StandschützeThe German noun Standschütze is a so-called nominal composition, composed of the nouns Stand- (en = social position, standing, status) and -Schütze (en = rifle man). In the Imperial-Royal Austria (e.g. Vorarlberg and Tirol) it referred to members of the Schützenstand (en = rifle guild) or a Schützenverein (en = shooting club). Standschützen were skilled in precision shooting and often volunteered for deployments in a k.k. Standschützen units.) were originally rifle guilds and rifle companies that had been formed in the 15th and 16th centuries, and were involved time and again in military operations within the borders of the Austrian County of Tyrol. A Standschütze was a member of a Schützenstand ("shooting club"), into which he was enrolled,enrolliert is the Austrian military jargon for "enrolled" (from the Old French enroller). which automatically committed him to the voluntary, military protection of the state of Tyrol (and Vorarlberg). In effect they were a type of Tyrolean local militia or home guard.
Even though the regular army was already stationed in the Tyrol and Vorarlberg, voluntary Standschützen were often called up, for example in the War of the First Coalition of 1796–1797, the revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire, the Austro-Sardinian War of 1859 and the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The highlights of their military involvement, however, were undoubtedly their struggle for freedom under Andreas Hofer against their Bavarian and French occupiers, culminating in the Battles of Bergisel, and their mobilization during the First World War.
The origins of the Standschützen are found in the Landlibell, a deed issued by Emperor Maximilian I dating to 1511, and a decree by Archduchess Claudia de' Medici of 1632, in which each Tyrolean judicial district had an obligation to provide volunteers, capable of acting as fighting men, the number to be determined in each case depending on the threat, to form of a Landwehr for the defence of the state.
Development In the late 19th century, the hitherto independent militia rifle companies were placed under command of the military and sponsored and supported as sources of manpower that could be used for the territorial defence of the state. The now officially titled Standschützen were given the opportunity to practise shooting under better conditions than before to be prepared to defend their homeland in a crisis.
The National Defence Act of 1887 specified that organizations formed for territorial defence were henceforth to be regarded as part of the armed forces, and were to be divided into the Standschützen, supplemented by new firing ranges, and the Landsturm.
With the enactment of regulations (§ 17) in the National Defence Act for Tyrol and Vorarlberg on 25 May 1913. (online at ALO). and the law relating to firing range regulations (same date), the Schießstände (literally "firing ranges" but referring to the shooting clubs with their enrolled members) and all other entities of a military character (veterans and military societies) became liable for Landsturm service. From this point on, every registered Standschütze was committed to Landsturm duty; he was no longer regarded as a volunteer. Only those Standschützen enlisting after mobilization retained the title of "volunteer". Discharge from the militia was prevented by law from August 1914. From that date, the Standschützen were regarded as regular troops by the Hague Convention.Ludwig Wiedemayr: Weltkriegschauplatz Osttirol. Die Gemeinden an der Karnischen Front im östlichen Pustertal. Nearchos, Archäologisch-militärhistorische Forschungen, Vol. 2. Osttiroler Bote Medienunternehmen, Lienz, 2007, . They could only be deployed in their own country and used to defend the country's borders. However, this stipulation was not observed in the last years of the war.
Formation The formation of a Schießstand or shooting club could be carried out if there were at least 20 eligible men from one or more neighbouring villages or districts. Every Tyrolese and Vorarlberg male over 17 years of age who was physically and mentally fit to shoot was eligible. It was mandatory for every member to participate in at least four exercises per year and to fire at least 60 shots on each occasion as part of a proper training plan. These shooting clubs had no military importance in peacetime.
The Standschützen had the right to elect their own officers (which, to many serving officers, was a thorn in the side). The men first elected all the officers, initially to the rank of lieutenant. The officers then elected, from amongst themselves, the captains and the company commander and they, in turn, elected the major as battalion commander. The highest rank was major because Andreas Hofer was only a Standschützen major and no one was intended or allowed to be placed above him. The result of the election had to be notified to the military chain of command and confirmed by "His Majesty". Only in the rarest cases, was this rejected, as in the case of Standschützen officer who had been convicted and demoted years before to six months imprisonment.
The officers of the Standschützen had the same ranks as the regular army and a Standschützen command was the equivalent of a command in the army, even if it was commanded by an officer of lower rank. The officers of the Standschützen wore as rank badges the star rosettes of military officers in goldwork on grass-green gorgets in the same pattern as that of the other members of their arm of service.
Overall, there were 65,000 riflemen (Standschützen) in 444 Schießständen in North, East, South and Welsch Tyrol.
Garrison and recruiting locations The following tables show the location of the garrison and recruiting areas for the various Standschützen units. The abbreviation "k.k." stands for "Imperial-Royal". BattalionsCompanies k.k. Standschützen Battalion No. IX, Auer 1 Coy, Auer/Aldein/Radein – 2 Coy, Leifers/Branzoll – 3 Coy, Neumarkt/Salurn – 4 Coy, Deutschnofen/Petersberg – 5 Coy, Montan/Truden k.k. Standschützen Battalion No. I, Bozen 1 Coy, Bozen – 2 Coy, Bozen – 3 Coy, Ritten k.k. Standschützen Battalion No. IV, Brixen 1 Coy, Brixen – 2 Coy, Brixen/St. Andrä – 3 Coy, Neustift/Vahrn/Natz – 4 Coy, Lüsen/Afers k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Enneberg 1 Coy, Bruneck – 2 Coy, Enneberg – 3 Coy, St.Leonhard/Abtei – 4 Coy, Buchenstein/Ampezzo k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Glurns 1 Standschützen Company, – 2 Standschützen Company, – 3 Standschützen Company, – 4 Standschützen Company, k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Gries 1 Coy, Gries – 2 Coy, Jenesien/Afing – 3 Coy, Terlan/Andrian/Vilpan/Mölten/Flaas k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Gröden 1 Coy, St. Ulrich – 2 Coy, Wolkenstein – 3 Coy, St. Christina k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Imst 1 Standschützen Company, – 2 Standschützen Company, – 3 Standschützen Company, k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Innsbruck I 1 Coy, Innsbruck – 2 Coy, Innsbruck – 3 Coy, Innsbruck – 4 Coy, Innsbruck – 5 Coy, Hötting k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Innsbruck II 1 Coy, Hall – 2 Coy, Stubaital – 3 Coy, Wipptal k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Innsbruck III (Telfs) 1 Coy, Telfs – 2 Coy, Inzing k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Kaltern I 1 Coy, Eppan – 2 Coy, Kaltern k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Kaltern II 1 Coy, Margreid an der Weinstraße – 2 Coy, Kurtatsch – 3 Coy, Tramin k.k. Standschützen Battalion No. II, Kastelruth 1 Coy, Kastelruth – 2 Coy, Seis am Schlern – 3 Coy, Völs – 4 Coy, Barbian k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Kitzbühel 1 Coy, Kitzbühel – 2 Coy, Hopfgarten – 3 Coy, Brixen im Thale – 4 Coy, Fieberbrunn k.k. Standschützen Battalion No. III, Klausen 1 Coy, Klausen/Villanders – 2 Coy, Feldthurns/Latzfons – 3 Coy, Lajen – 4 Coy, Gufidaun/Villnöss/Theis k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Kufstein 1 Coy, Kufstein – 2 Coy, Ellmau/Scheffau – 3 Coy, Langkampfen/Kirchbichl – 4 Coy, Thiersee/Ebbs k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Lana 1 Coy, Lana/Villanders – 2 Coy, Völlian/Tisens/Nals k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Landeck 1 Coy, Landeck/Villanders – 2 Coy, Stanzertal – 3 Coy, Paznauntal k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Lienz 1 Coy, Lienz/Villanders – 2 Coy, Nußdorf – 3 Coy, Matrei – 4 Coy, Huben k.k. Standschützen Battalion No. X, Meran I 1 Coy, Meran/(main shooting range) – 2 Coy, Meran (reservists) – 3 Coy, Dorf Tirol – 4 Coy, Meran (veterans) k.k. Standschützen Battalion No. VI, Meran II 1 Coy, Schenna/ Riffian /Tall – 2 Coy, Algund – 3 Coy, Partschins – 4 Coy, Naturns k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Meran III 1 Coy, Obermais/ Untermais – 2 Coy, Marling/Tscherms – 3 Coy, Burgstall/Gargazon/Hafling/Vöran k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Nauders-Ried 1 Coy, Ried – 2 Coy, Reschen – 3 Coy, Graun k.k. Standschützen Battalion No. VII, Passeier 1 Coy, St. Martin – 2 Coy, St. Leonhard – 3 Coy, Moos – 4 Coy, Platt/Pfelders k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Prad 1 Coy, Prad – 2 Coy, Laas – 3 Coy, Tschengls – 4 Coy, Lichtenberg k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Rattenberg 1 Coy, Alpbach/Brixlegg – 2 Coy, Brandenberg k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Reutte I 1 Coy, Reutte – 2 Coy, Berwang/Bichlbach – 3 Coy, Lermoos/Ehrwald k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Reutte II 1 Coy, Steeg/Bach – 2 Coy, Häselgehr/Forchach – 3 Coy, Nesselwängle/Jungholz k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Sarnthein 1 Coy, Sarnthein – 2 Coy, Pens k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Schlanders 1 Coy, Schlanders – 2 Coy, Kortsch – 3 Coy, Martello – 4 Coy, Latsch – 5 Coy, Tartsch – 6 Coy, Kastelbell – 7 Coy, Tabland – 8 Coy, Schnals k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Schwaz 1 Coy, Schwaz – 2 Coy, Jenbach k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Sillian 1 Coy, Sillian – 2 Coy, Lesachtal – 3 Coy, Sexten – 4 Coy, Toblach k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Silz 1 Coy, Silz – 2 Coy, Oetz – 3 Coy, Umhausen – 4 Coy, Haiming (Tirol) k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Sterzing 1 Standschützen Company, – 2 Standschützen Company, – 3 Standschützen Company, – 4 Standschützen Company, k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Ulten 1 Coy, St. Pankraz/ Pawigl – 2 Coy, St. Walburg/Proveis – 3 Coy, St. Nikolaus/St. Gertraud k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Welsberg 1 Coy, Vintl – 2 Coy, Sand in Taufers – 3 Coy, Welsberg k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Welschnofen 1 Coy, Welschnofen – 2 Coy, Tiers/Karneid – 3 Coy, Ritten/Rentsch – 4 Coy, St. Nikolaus in Eggen k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Zillertal 1 Coy, Mayrhofen/Brandberg – 2 Coy, Mittleres Zillertal/Stummk.k. Standschützen Company Stilfs k.k. Standschützen Company Taufers
Welschtirol BattalionsCompanies k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Cavalese 1 Coy, Predazzo – 2 Coy, Cavalese – 3 Coy, Altrei – 4 Coy, Primör k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Cles 1 Coy, Cles – 2 Coy, Taio – 3 Coy, Fondo – 4 Coy, Flavon – 5 Coy, Brez – 6 Coy, Proveis/Laurein k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Malè 1 Coy, Rabbi – 2 Coy, Caldès – 3 Coy, Malè k.k. Standschützen Battalion, Trient
I. II. k.k. Standschützen Company, Ala (Trentino)-Pilcante k.k. Standschützen Formation, Baselga k.k. Standschützen Formation, Bedolo k.k. Standschützen Company, Borgo k.k. Standschützen Company, Brentonico k.k. Standschützen Formation, Caldonazzo k.k. Standschützen Company, Campitello k.k. Standschützen Formation, Carbonare k.k. Standschützen Formation, Castel Tesino k.k. Standschützen Formation, Cavedine k.k. Standschützen Formation, Cembra k.k. Standschützen Formation, Civezzano k.k. Standschützen Formation, Faedo k.k. Standschützen Formation, Fai k.k. Standschützen Formation, Folgaria-Sebastiano k.k. Standschützen Formation, Lasino k.k. Standschützen Formation, Lavis k.k. Standschützen Formation, Levico k.k. Standschützen Formation, Lusern k.k. Standschützen Company, Mezzolombardo k.k. Standschützen Company, Moena k.k. Standschützen Formation, Nomi k.k. Standschützen Company, Pedemonte-Casotto k.k. Standschützen Formation, Pergine k.k. Standschützen Formation, Peive-Tesino k.k. Standschützen Company, Pozza k.k. Standschützen Section, Riva-Arco (Trentino) k.k. Standschützen Formation, Rovere della Luna