This article deals with the rank insignia of the Austro-Hungarian Army, as worn by the Austro-Hungarian Army after the reorganisation in 1867 until 1918.
In the Austrian army rank insignia are traditionally called Paroli (pl. Parolis) and are worn as gorget patch or collar tap, appliquéd to the gorget fore-part of the uniform coat, uniform jacket and/or battle-dress.
Austro-Hungarian Army
The rank insignia – so-called Paroli – of the Austro-Hungarian Army (1867–1918) were worn on the fore-part of the sleeves for jackets, but never on shoulder straps of shirts, service jackets, and dress uniforms. This extended to the Common Army as well as to the Imperial-Royal Landwehr. However, the mountain corps wore additionally an edelweiss since 1907 behind the distinction star(s).
The rank or distinction stars of enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers (NCO) were made from white celluloid, those of the ranks Feldwebel and Stabsfeldwebel have been made from white silk since 1914. The rank stars of the junior officer ranks normally consisted of relief metal.Rank stars who consisted of relief metal were officially procured by the military administration Pertaining self procured uniforms, embroidered (from metallic fibre) rank stars might have been selected. The embroidered version was mandatory for staff officer ranks from major (OF3The abbreviation "OF" stands for "officer / officier") onwards.Austro-Hungarian Army staff officer ranks from major (OF3) onwards had to were embroidered rank stars
For all other k.k. badges of the Austrian-Hungarian mountain corps from OR1-rankThe abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф" Jäger (en: hunter/ private) to the OF5-rank Oberst (en: colonel)
Even on the field shirts, officer rank stars showed the button-colour of the uniform jacket.Officer rank stars basically showed the button-colour of the uniform jacket i.g. gold coloured or silver coloured respectively brass coloured or white alloy.
However, staff officers had additionally to wear a galloon on the uniform sleeve. If the galloon colour was silver, the colour of the buttons and the stars had to be golden and vice versa. On the galloon there was a serrated ornament. Generals wore always silver stars on golden galloon. From that derives, that the colour of the rank stars and galloons had nothing to do with the rank.
On coats rank insignias had never been worn. Officers of the so-called Kaiserschützen as well as of the "Landwehr infantry regiments number 4 and 27" (also Mountain infantry regiments 4 and 27) wore on their dress uniforms shoulder straps with the imperator's insignias (not to be mixed up with the particular rank). For any rank description there had to be provided as well an equivalent expression in Hungarian language. Military units, who consisted mainly of Czech, Slovakian, and/ or Polish personal, used unofficially the rank term in their mother language. NCOs were counted to the enlisted personnel, and did not made up a separate rank group.
Cadet The Cadet (), in its position as aspirant to the professional officer career, ranked as well to the enlisted rank group. The cadet ranks counted to the appropriate nominal rank, however, behind the next higher rank. E.g. the "Cadet-gefreiter" was counted for the , however, behind the Corporal, who himself was lower than the "Cadet-corporal".
The characteristic of the cadet ranks was the so-called distinction-galloon on the sleeve ends. It was similar to the feldwebel-galloon, however, from gold colour instead of emperor-yellow. The particular rank was added as well.
Designation Performance 1908–1918Rank insigniacollar Rank description (en: Cadet) (en: Cadet) 1908–1914 1914–1918(with silk stars) 1908–1914mountain infantry 1914–1918(with silk stars) (Hungarian)()
Stabsfeldwebel The ranks , , and were introduced to the k.u.k. armed forces in 1913. Before it was equivalent to the (en: District-Sergeant) of the Gendarmerie (as part of the ; in Austria ). To the Feldwebel–uniform the wore a headgear similar to the officers cap, however, without the characteristic golden officers distinction.
In 1913 the sleeve distinction consisted of a 1.3 cm broad feldwebel-galloon made from imperator-yellow silk. Additionally three white rank celluloid stars were appliquéd. In June 1913 the rank insignia was changed. The galloon was now silver designed, and the rank stars were made from white silk and embroidered.
In 1915 the ranks (en: officer deputy) were summarised to the new rank group higher/ senior NCOs ().
Designation Performance 1913–1914 Rank insigniacollar Rank description Artillery Dragoon Mountain infantry (Hungarian) ()
Designation Performance 1914–1918 Rank insigniacollar Rank description Stabswachtmeister Artillery Railway regiment Mountain infantry (Hungarian) ()
One-year volunteer The officer aspirant ( (OA)/ ) of the reserve undertook military training as a One-year volunteer ( (EF)/ ). The distinguishing badge was an imperator-yellow silk square-galloon on the upper part of the cuff. In 1915 the galloon was removed after passing the final examination. It was replaced by the so-called bright "EF-button" to be worn on the collar. The EF-button was fixed behind the nominal rank stars, and was removed on promotion to first officer grade.
Designation One-year volunteer with EF-button Rank insigniacollar Rank description CadetOne-year volunteer CorporalOne-year volunteer (German) () ()
Ensign The rank "Cadet officer-deputy" () was renamed to Ensign () in 1908. The service insignia was a map case, made from black coloured leather, and to be worn on the waist belt. More characteristics were the black officer's cap, however with imperator-yellow side ornament (instead from gold). The white celluloid star was replaced by a silver coloured star. Also in this year, the old term (rank) "" was replaced by the new one Cadet ( / ).
Designation Cadet officer-deputy until 1908Ensign 1908–1918 Rank insigniacollar Rank description (Hungarian)()()
Shako In addition to the gorget rank insignias, the so-called distinction, the individual rank was indicated by the yellow distinction-galloon on the parade headgear, called shako (, ) a special version of helmet. Gefreiter: Was to be identified with a yellow, black-carved 0.5 Austrian inch (~0.5 cm) thick round cord Corporal: Wore a 1.5 Austrian inch (~4 cm) broad the yellow distinction-galloon (with zigzag trim ornament) , , and Cadet officer-deputy (Ensign): As to the corporal, however, concentric divided by a 1/24 Austrian inch (~1 mm) small black stripe
The distinction galloons and pipings for enlisted ranks and NCOs were made from yellow sheep's wool, for Ensigns since 1908 from yellow silk, and for officers from gold yarn. Pertaining private procured special editions to enlisted ranks and NCOs, silk trims have been allowed as well.
The (en: corps colour) had to be in correlation to the appropriate military unit, branch, or branch of service.
Enlisted men, NCOs, officer aspirants, and officer-deputies (RK means the Rangklasse (Rank classification. As the k.u.k. Army was never a member of NATO, it did not use NATO Rank Codes) + Grade Rank in German / Hungarian, equivalent in English Rank insigniaexample descriptionGemeine / Ulan without rank insignia Infantryman Rifleman Dragoon Uhlan Hussar Gunner Engineer Trainmen MedicalCharges / 1 white star Private 1st class Gunner 1st class Rifleman 1st class / 2 white stars Corporal Gunner-Corporal Machinegun-Corporal Rifles-Corporal Battalion drummer Weapon master 3rd class Battalion bugler / 3 white stars Sergeant - Sgt) Fiscal Sergeant 2nd class Weapon master 2nd classno RK / (only until 1908) 3 white stars, 13mm yellow silk galloon Master-sergeant Cavalry master-sergeant Artillery master-sergeant Rifles master-sergeant Fiscal Sergeant 1st class Weapon master 1st class Master-Blacksmith 1st class Regiment drummer Regiment bugler Feldwebel - volunteer serving one year Kadet-Feldwebelno RK / 3 white stars, 13mm imperial-yellow silk galloon with 2mm broad black middle strap, 3mm above a 6mm braiding since June 1914: silver galloon with silk stars 1st Sergeant Cavalry 1st sergeant Artillery 1st sergeant Rifles 1st sergeant no RK / , cancelled in 1908 Golden galloon as to Feldwebel with 1 silver-plated star Cadet-officer-deputy / established in 1908 3 white stars on 13mm gold galloon since June 1914: 3 stars from white silk on 13mm gold galloon Cadet no RK / since 1915 one 13mm silver galloon, above one 6mm galloon with one brass star Officer deputyno RK / 1 silver star on 13mm on 13mm gold galloon Ensign
Officers and officials