Central Powers WW1 Commemorative Medals: Austria

[Rick Research]

This medal was originally created 21 December 1932. It could be bestowed upon members of any of the former wartime Central Powers upon application. In 1933 swords were added to the ribbon to distinguish combatants from noncombatants.

It is often found in German groups, but less so than the Hungarian version--given the political hostility between the Third Reich and Austria 1933-38. It was one of the few 1st Austrian Republic awards authorized for wear after Anschluss 1938, whereupon it--like the other "approved" Austro-Hungarian and Austrian awards-- were assimiliated into the precedence regulations as "German" "state" awards. It normally followed immediately after the Hindenburg Cross.

[Rick Research]

Reverse. (Anyone got award documents to share?)

[Rick Research]

And the Austrian medal in correct post-Anschluss "German state" precedence immediately after the Hindenburg Cross, with reduced sized ribbon swords:

[Rick Research]

and another. In this case, the original owner either didn't want pointy ribbon swords snagging, or he had received the medal in its first months when there were no swords.

[David S]

A clue for the clueless

Rick,

Were these awarded to Austrian veterans automatically, or were they required to apply?

The reason I am asking is that one of my last ribbon bars is lacking this one, he's obviously Austrian why no Commemorative?

Just wondering

[Daniel Krause]

Hi David,

SUUUPER bar!
Maybe he was HUNGARIAN after the breakdown of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; served in WW1, citizen of Hungary, maybe not in Service between the wars to get something from Adm.Horthy and later joined German Army as "Volksdeutscher"

Best regards

Daniel

[Rick Research]

A lot of Austrians seem not to have WORN (if they had, indeed, applied for and received it) this medal... kind of strange considering this officer "self-awarded" himself the 1873 General Campaign Medal which was NOT authorized for 1914-16 (also fairly common).

I suspect there was a lot of confusion about what, exactly, could and could not be worn under the Third Reich from the First Austrian Republic. Their military long service awards, for instance, COULD still be worn-- but not merit awards! (Yet I've seen THOSE entered in Wehrpasses "just in case").

Or the man was an Austrian Nazi in exile in Germany and didn't apply given the political hostility that existed.

I've posted a number of scans for Ted of Saxon St Henry Order winner and later Wehrmacht Generalmajor Christoph Stengel in here, General Wehrmacht Awards, and Individual Research forums... he wore a ribbon bar without the Austrian WW1CMX... and yet wore it on his full medal bar--both versions are shown in photos.

There was actually little REASON for an Austrian combat veteran to bother (except padding out his awards), since he would have already had a Karl Troop Cross, as this officer did. You will sometimes see the medal without swords in noncombatants groups, of course, and it also appears in groups with NO Troop Cross, when the wearer was a returned POW. (Because of ethnic desertions and defections, the Troop Cross statutes denied award to POWs, regardless of blame).

[David S]

Many Thanx !!!

When I received this bar my first mission was to ID the black & yellow ladder. In a previous thread I remember you stating that the 1873 Campaign was not awarded for WW1 . . . that got me to scratching my head.

I guess that if you 'self award' yourself a 1873 Campaign Medal, a Austrian Commemorative is small potatoes.