Waffenfarbe (Austria)

This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the German Wikipedia.

Waffenfarbe(n), also Egalisierungsfarbe(n) (en: corps colours, or egalisation colours | i.e. colours to, on, or/and of service uniforms), are traditional used by the Federal Army of the Republic of Austria (de: Bundesheer der Republik Österreich). The collar patches (de: Kragenspiegel) of the Federal Army report traditional the rank and are also used in the police. However, any defined (particualar) corps - or egalisation colour is always in correspondence to the appropriate arm of service, unit or formation.

See also

Introduction

With the formation of the Austrian Federal Army of the first Republic (de: Bundesheer der ersten Republik) in 1920/21 the German Reichswehr uniforms and Waffenfarben (corps colours) were adopted as well. However, slight different were only the Grasgrün (en: grass-green) of the Austrian infantry (Reichswehr – white) and the Gelbgrün (yellow-green) of the Austrian hunter troops (Reichswehr – hunter-green). Late in 1933 a new uniform was introduced by almost close orientation to the Austro-Hungarian Land forces 1867-1914. The so-called k.u.k. "Adjustierungsvorschrift" (en: service dress instruction) contains the colour pattern tables from the year 1912 and regulated the Egalisierungsfarben to be worn.

Austrian corps colour today

In Austria collar patches (de: Kragenspiegel) of the Bundesheer (Federal Army) report traditional the rank and the arm of service. They are also used in the police. The corps colours dominate the basic colours of the rank insignia.

Synoptic table and examples

The table below contains some corps colours and examples, actually used by the Bundesheer.

Troops, unit, appointment Caps colour Example
(Paroli)
Remark
Guards scharlachrot mit weißem Vorstoß
(en: scarlet(-red) with white edging strip)
        Oberstabswachtmeister (OR-8)
       
  • Jagdkommando
    (en: skirmishing command)
  • Heeresportzentrum
    (Army sports centre)
gelbgün (yellow-green)         Korporal (OR-3)
Jäger
(rifleman)
grasgrün (medow green)         Oberleutnant (OF-1a)
  • Panzer (armour)
  • Panzergernadiere
    (panzergrenadiers)
schwarz (black)         Leutnant (OF-1b)
Aufklärer
(reconnaissance)
gelb (yellow)         Stabswachtmeister (OR-7)
Theresian Military Academy rot
(red)
        Fähnrich (OF-D)
  • Artillery
  • Air defence
  • AD academy
rot
(red)
        Offizierstellvertreter (OR-9)
Engineer troops stahlgrün
(steel green)
        Zugsführer (OR-4)
NBC-Defence hechtgrau
(pike grey)
        Zugsführer (OFR-2)
Communicatiors rostbrau
(rust browen)
        Vizeleutnant (OR-9)
Aviators
(e.g. pilots)
violett
(violet)
        Wachtmeister (OR-5)
Technical service brau
(browen)
        Hauptmann (OF-2)
Higher mil. technical service braun mit rotem Vorstoß
(en: browen with red edging strip)
       
       
Higher mil. expert service rot-blau
(en: red blue)
        Major (OF-3)
       
General staff service red-black        
       
Intendance service green deep-red        
       
Logistic deep-blue        
Mil. human medicine service (phycisian) blue black         Oberstabsarzt (OF3)
       
Mil. veterinary service (veterinarian) deep-red black         Oberstveterinär (OF-5)
       
Mil. chemist's service (pharmacist) lilac black        
       
Medical service sky blue         Oberwachtmeister (OR-6)
Wirtschaftsdienst
(admin. service)
light blue         Oberstleutnant (OF-4)
General officers gold (colour) General (OF-9) rank insinia on peaked cap left
basic colors of the uniforms
  • jacket: field grey
  • trousers: stone grey
       
       

Synoptic table and examples to beret colours

One of the features of person in uniform of the Austrian Bundesheer is the beret. Normally, it will be worn to the dress uniform or on special occasions to the field suit. Exempted are only members of the Air Force and the Gebirgsjäger (en: mountain infantry) with an own headgear. The colour of the particular beret corresponds to the appropriate branch of service and/or the particular unit or formation. The colour of the Bundesadler (en: federal eagle) and the eagle double-wing on berets is as follows:

Troops, unit, appointment Caps colour Example Remark, mainly use
jaegergreun (rifleman-green)        
  • Infantrymen (not: Jägerbataillon 25)
  • members of the territorial organization
  • military schools and academy (not: Heereslogistikschule)
schwarz (black)         members of the armored corps, most members of the 3rd - and 4th Mechanized infantry brigade. The image shows an armored officer´s beret with golden federal eagle
Garde (guards) scharlachrot (scarlet-red)         members of the Guards battalion
Red beret rot (red)         members of 25th Jaegerbataillon in Klagenfurt.
Coral-red beret Korallrot (coral-red)         members of the military patrols and military police
Rusty-brown beret Rostbaraun (rusty-brown)         members of the combat support troops
Pike-grey beret Hechtgrau (pike-grez)         members of the NBC-defence school and the "Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit"
Dark-blue beret Dunkelblau (dark-blue)         members of the Army logistics school, Combat support command (with all subordinate elements), and the Military medical centre
Yellow-green beret Gelbgruen (yellow-green)         Federal army top-performance athletes (de: Bundesheer-Leistungssportler) of the Army sports centre (de: Heeres-Sportzentrum)
Olive-green beret
(with federal eagle)
Olivegruen
(olive-green)
        members of the Skirmishing command (basic level – characterised by the federal eagle)
Olive-green beret
(with Skirmishing patrol badge)
members of the Skirmishing command that passed the basic Skirmishing command trainings course (advanced level – the federal eagle is replaced by the Skirmishing command badge)
Blue UN-beret UN-blue         soldiers on duty to -, contract of -, or by order of the United Nations.

Federal Police

The Bundespolizei uses corps colours on the so-called distingtion (en: rank insignia) and peaked cap (de: Tellerkappe):

K.u.k. Egalisation colours

K.u.k. Adjustation instruction (de: Adjustierungsvorschrift), edition 1912.

The so-called "Adjustierungsvorschrift" (en: service dress instruction) contains the colour pattern tables from the year 1912. The name ″Egalisierung″ consists of uniform coloure at the one hand, and corps colour, egalisation colour (de: Waffenfarbe) or badge colour at the other hand. The system was extremely complicated and was called by slang Farbkastel (en: paint boxlet). Ultimately, in the k.u.k. common army it was very difficult to distinguish the 102 infantry regiments from Hussars, Lancers or Dragoons, as well as services, service branches, specialm services, appointments, etc.

See also


See also

References

    Sources

    1997 ISBN 3-7020-0783-0

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