Hechtgraue sappeure leutnant

[foersterBerlin]

Don´t know the english term for this shade of red, but in germnan it is "krapprot".
Cherry red (kirschrot) is a dark red shade.
I konow the colours of A-H army are confusing and sometimes You will not be able to tell the real colour.
But with this tunic it is quite clear.

There is a very good book (unfortunately in italian): "Le armi e gli equipaggiamenti dell´esercito austro-ungarico dal 1914 al 1918" by Siro Offelli

In the first volume are colour charts for the different facing colours of the regiments and for the officials,

Regards
Stefany

[Chip M]

Charles,

Krapprot translates as Madder or Madder red, which is a natural red dye color coming from the Madder root. It has been in use since ancient times. It is described as a "moderately dull violet red.....darkening to a dull magenta red.

Chip

[flik]

You dont have to be confused ccj
It is very simple ... the colour is 99% cherry red and the material is velvet. Both branches mentioned, Militarbauingenieure" of Landwehr and "Technische Beamte des Technischen Militarkomitees" have cherry red velvet "waffenfarbe" and gold buttons (so gold rossets). So it is 50/50 betwen this two branches. To say witch one is imposible from the tunic alone, we would need his waffenrock, name or some other info from the first source.
It is still IMO a nice untuched pike gray combat jacket of a most tipical 1908 cut and IMO war time manufactured. If you dont have another one like this I would keep it. You can still sell it when you get something better

[ccj]

I'm convinced it's Beamte.

I'm convinced it's either "Militarbauingenieure" of Landwehr or "Technische Beamte des Technischen Militarkomitees " because of the velvet and I don't think veterinary wore velvet. Chips drawing that was posted shows a Militarbauingenieure having a star, not a rosette so that confuses me.

What type of decorations would a Beamte have been awarded? He has Loops for two awards.
•Die Milit******228;rverdienstmedaille (Signum Laudis)
Miltary Merit Medals
•Das Verdienstkreuz
Merit Cross
•Die Jubil******228;ums-Kreuze 1908
The Crown Jubilee Crosses of 1908
•Die bosnisch-herzegowinische Erinnerungsmedaille 1909
The Bosnian-Herzegovina Commemorative Medal 1909

[foersterBerlin]

Hi,
from the "Judex", a publication on the A-H uniforms published first in 1884, and reprinted and expanded with the 1904, 1909 and 1911 regulations in 1993, it is clearly a "Technische Beamte des technischen Militär-Komitees"
These wore golg coloured buttons and Rosettes.
The Militärbauingenieure had white buttons and SILVER STARS.

But whatever this guy was, the uniform tunic is an excellent Original and as Flik wrote keep it until You will find a more matching one for fighting troops.

Regards
Stefany

[flik]

I would put on a silver merit cross on red or red-white"war" band, on second place 1908 jubille cross or 1913 mobilization medal. Try to get some rangliste from 1913-1916 and check it out, there will be numerous examples what a beamte would have.

What foersterBerlin wrote made me think ... I didnt check if Militarbauingenieure had a star or rossete but presumed they have a rossete ... but i did dugg out the already mentioned Offeli book and Militarbauingenieure have silver buttons only in the KUK army and Honved, in Landwehr they have gold buttons. The book doesent say rossete or star unfortunately.

So foersterBerlin is probably wright. "Technische Beamte des technischen Militär-Komitees" is the wright one.

[ccj]

I need to start researching these fellows to see what they actually did, especially with this rank. I wouldn't think there would be many "Technische Beamte des technischen Milit******228;r-Komitees" serving at one time.

[ccj]

Close up of star on Hechtgraue tunic