Austro-Hungarian Orders and Decorations 1848-1918

The following orders and decorations were awarded during the period 1848 to Austro-Hungarian servicemen and in some cases to personnel of allied nations during wartime. Most of the decorations had been in existence for many years prior to the outbreak of the First World War and indeed that war saw a proliferation in the number of different grades within specific orders. In particular most decorations were now awarded with the so-called "Kriegsdekoration" or War Decoration which took the form of an oak leaf wreath and the addition of crossed swords. Another fairly recent innovation was the the introduction of so-called "Kleine Dekorationen" literally small decorations which were informal or service dress variations of the more senior and expensive classes of the orders. They took the form of a miniature of the senior order affixed to either the triangular ribbon of a basic order or to the small ribbon when the decoration was not actually worn. The names of individuals who were awarded decorations were published in the various official military gazettes or "Verordnungsblätter" and in the case of the Common Army that was the Heeres-Verordnungsblatt (Personal affairs section). In each case the German language title of the order or decoration will be given followed by an English equivalent. Readers should click on the illustration to move to the relevant page. This section is still under construction and additional pages will be added on a regular basis. Qualification badges such as Marksmanship Lanyards and Aircrew Badges are not considered as decorations and will be dealt with separately:

Orders

 

Der Orden vom Goldenen Vlies - Hausorden der Familie Habsburg bis heute

The Order of the Golden Fleece - House Order of the Habsburg family until the present time

Der Militär-Maria Theresien-Orden

The Military order of Maria Theresa

Königlich ungarischer St. Stephans-Orden

Royal Hungarian order of Saint Stephan

Der österreichisch-kaiserlische Leopolds-Orden

Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold

Der österreichisch-kaiserlische Orden der eisernen Krone

Imperial Austrian Order of the Iron Crown

Der kaiserlich-österreichische Franz Joseph-Orden

Imperial Austrian Order of Franz Joseph

Decorations

Das Militärverdienstkreuz

Military Merit Cross

Das Geistliche Verdienstkreuz

Merit Cross for Military Chaplains

Das Kriegskreuz für Zivildienste

The Civilian Wartime Merit Cross 

Die Militärverdienstmedaille (Signum Laudis)

Miltary Merit Medals

Die Tapferkeitsmedaillen

Bravery Medals

Die Zivilverdienstmedaille

Civilian Merit medals

Das Verdienstkreuz

Merit Cross

Verwundetenmedaille

Wound Medal

Campaign Medals

Die Denkmünzen für die Tiroler Landesverteidiger 1848, 1859 und 1866

The Commemorative Medals for the Defenders of the Tyrol 1848, 1859 and 1866

Die Erinnerungsmedaille an den Feldzug 1864 in Dänemark

The Campaign Medal for Denmark 1864

Die Prager Bürgerwehrmedaille 1866

The Prague Militia Medal 1866

Die Kriegsmedaille 1873

The (General) War Service Medal

Das Mobilisierungskreuz 1912/13

Mobilization Cross 1912/13

Karl Truppen-Kreuz

Karl Troop Cross

Commemorative Medals

Die Jubiläums-Medaillen 1898

The Crown Jubilee Medal of 1898

Das Erinnerungszeichen an FM Erzherzog Albrecht

The Commemorative Badge for FM Archduke Albrecht

Die Jubiläums-Kreuze 1908

The Crown Jubilee Crosses of 1908

Die bosnisch-herzegowinische Erinnerungsmedaille 1909

The Bosnian-Herzegovina Commemorative Medal 1909

Die Erinnerungskreuze an Kaiser Karl Franz Joseph I

The Commemoration Crosses for Kaiser Franz Joseph I

Long Service & Good Conduct Decorations

Die Militärdienstzeichen für Offiziere

Long Service Crosses for Officers

Die Militärdienstzeichen für Unteroffiziere

Long Service Crosses for Non Commissioned Officers

Die Ehrenmedaille für 40jährige treue Dienste

The Medal for 40 years Faithful Service

Die Ehrenmedaille für vieljährige verdienstliche Mitgliedschaft bei einer landsturmpflichtigen Körperschaft

Territorial Honour Medal for Long Service 

Miscellaneous

Die Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um das Rote Kreuz

The Decorations of the Austrian Red Cross

Foreign Awards often bestowed on A-H servicemen
WW1 Commemorative Medals of the Central Powers
Click to move to Heeres-Verordnungsblatt Page The Army Gazette known as the Heeres-Verordnungsblatt was the document which published the awards for all members of the Common Army. Each service had its own Verordnungsblatt and all were produced weekly together in a publication known as Streffleurs Militärblatt. The page shown here is from the edition of 7th July 1917 showing the first sheet of the Common Army Personnel Matters section numbered 125 and dated the 2nd July 1917 (P.V. Bl. f. d. k.u.k. Heer Nr.125 v. 2.Juli). It shows amongst others two awards of the Knights' Cross of the Leopold Order with War Decoration and Swords to Oberst Gustav Seidl  of FeldhaubRgt. Nr.6 and Oberleutnant Béla Szilárd of HonvédInfRgt. Nr.31.

Sources and Further Reading:

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