Flags of Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary (often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire) did not have a common flag (a "national flag" could not exist since the Dual Monarchy consisted of two sovereign states). However, the black-gold flag of the ruling Habsburg Dynasty was sometimes used as a de facto national flag and a common civil ensign was introduced in 1869 for civilian vessels. Until 1918, the k.u.k. War Fleet continued to carry the Austrian ensign it had used since 1786; and the regiments of the k.u.k. Army carried the double-eagle banners they had used before 1867, as they had a long history in many cases. New ensigns created in 1915 were not implemented due to the ongoing war. At state functions, the Austrian black-yellow and the Hungarian red-white-green tricolor were used.

Kaisers Dank by Ludwig Koch from 1915. Visible various flags used in Austria-Hungary

Austria was represented by the black-yellow flag. The Hungarian half of the state, on the other hand, legally had no flag of its own.[1] According to the Croatian–Hungarian Settlement (art. 62 and 63), in all joint Croatian and Hungarian affairs, symbols of both Croatia and Hungary respectively had to be used. For instance, whenever the joint Hungarian-Croatian Parliament held its session in Budapest, both the Croatian and Hungarian flags were hoisted on the parliament building in Budapest.[1][2][3] In Vienna, in front of Schönbrunn Palace, the black and yellow flag was flown for Cisleithania (Austrian half), while both Croatian and Hungarian flags were flown for Transleithania (Hungarian half).[3] Hungary proper used a red-white-green tricolor defaced with the Hungarian coat of arms, sometimes used to represent the entirety of the Lands of the Hungarian Crown. The "double" civil ensign, as a symbol of "corporate identity", was also used as the consular flag, as decreed on 18 February 1869. It came into use on 1 August 1869. Legations, however, flew the black-and-yellow flag of Austria alongside the red-white-green flag of Hungary, while embassies flew the two national flags alongside the imperial standard.[4]

National/state symbols

Imperial and military standards
  • Emperor's imperial standard (until 1915)
    Emperor's imperial standard (until 1915)[5]
  • Empress's imperial standard (until 1915)
    Empress's imperial standard (until 1915)[6]
  • Emperor's and Empress's imperial standard(1915–1918)
    Emperor's and Empress's imperial standard
    (1915–1918)[7]
  • Archduke's and Archduchess's standard (1915-1918)
    Archduke's and Archduchess's standard (1915-1918)
  • Military standard (example of many variants)
    Military standard (example of many variants)[8]

Ensigns

Civil ensigns
  • Civil ensign 1786–1869
    Civil ensign 1786–1869[9]
  • Civil ensign 1869–1918
    Civil ensign 1869–1918[10]
  • Unofficial hungarian civil ensign used on Transleithania inland waters
    Unofficial Hungarian civil ensign used on Transleithania inland waters[11]

Regional flags

Additionally, several flags were in use within the local territories of Austria-Hungary.

Cisleithania
LocationRegion nameFlag
Archduchy of Austria
(Lower Austria)
Archduchy of Austria
(Upper Austria)
Kingdom of Bohemia
Kingdom of Dalmatia
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
(1849–1890)

(1890–1918)
County of Tyrol
Duchy of Bukovina
Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia
Duchy of Carinthia
Duchy of Carniola
Duchy of Salzburg
Duchy of Styria
Margraviate of Moravia
Austrian Littoral, including:

Imperial Free City of Trieste

Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca

March of Istria
(Austrian Littoral)


(Imperial Free City of Trieste)


(Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca)


(March of Istria)

Vorarlberg
Transleithania
LocationRegion nameFlag
Kingdom of Hungary
Principality of Transylvania
Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar
Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
Kingdom of Croatia
Kingdom of Slavonia
City of Fiume and its District
Condominium
LocationRegion nameFlag
Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Examples of using flags in the era
  • Visit of Emperor Franz Joseph I in Zagreb, red-white-blue (Croatian) flags, 1895
    Visit of Emperor Franz Joseph I in Zagreb, red-white-blue (Croatian) flags, 1895
  • Civil ensign and Austrian pennants on a French illustration advertising the Hungarian pavilion during Exposition Universelle in Paris, 1900
    Civil ensign and Austrian pennants on a French illustration advertising the Hungarian pavilion during Exposition Universelle in Paris, 1900
  • Emperor Franz Joseph I in Merano (black-yellow flag), 1900
    Emperor Franz Joseph I in Merano (black-yellow flag), 1900
  • Bohinj tunnel opening ceremony (two-color flags), 1906
    Bohinj tunnel opening ceremony (two-color flags), 1906
  • Military base of Austro-Hungarian Army (two-color flag), 1910
    Military base of Austro-Hungarian Army (two-color flag), 1910
  • SS Carniola - Austro-Hungarian civilian steamship with civil ensign, 1912
    SS Carniola - Austro-Hungarian civilian steamship with civil ensign, 1912
  • Military parade in Vienna (two-color flags), 1913
    Military parade in Vienna (two-color flags), 1913
  • Imperial Standard on the car of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 1914
    Imperial Standard on the car of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 1914
  • Soldiers of Infanterieregiment Nr. 17 with two-color flag, 1914
    Soldiers of Infanterieregiment Nr. 17 with two-color flag, 1914
  • Austro-Hungarian propaganda poster encouraging to buy war bonds
    Austro-Hungarian propaganda poster encouraging to buy war bonds
  • World War I-era propaganda postcards depicting the flags of the Central Powers. The Austro-Hungarian flag shown as black-yellow
    World War I-era propaganda postcards depicting the flags of the Central Powers. The Austro-Hungarian flag shown as black-yellow
  • A propaganda postcard commemorating the release of the Przemyśl fortress. Austria-Hungary represented by the black-yellow and red-white-green flags , 1915
    A propaganda postcard commemorating the release of the Przemyśl fortress. Austria-Hungary represented by the black-yellow and red-white-green flags , 1915
  • Another Central Powers propaganda, with Austria-Hungary being represented by a mix of both Habsburg and Hungarian flags
    Another Central Powers propaganda, with Austria-Hungary being represented by a mix of both Habsburg and Hungarian flags
  • Copy of the naval ensign taken by the Italian army from the submarine U12 at the Piave river mouths on 5 August 1915 (exposed in Museo Storico Navale, Venice).
    Copy of the naval ensign taken by the Italian army from the submarine U12 at the Piave river mouths on 5 August 1915 (exposed in Museo Storico Navale, Venice).
  • Emperor Charles I visiting Pergine (two- and three-color flags), 1917
    Emperor Charles I visiting Pergine (two- and three-color flags), 1917
  • Vienna Praterstrasse, 1917
    Vienna Praterstrasse, 1917
  • Emperor Charles I visiting troops in Ozhydiv (two- and three-color flags), 1917
    Emperor Charles I visiting troops in Ozhydiv (two- and three-color flags), 1917
  • Emperor Charles I in front of the Hungarian flag, 1917
    Emperor Charles I in front of the Hungarian flag, 1917
  • Emperor Charles I visiting one of the villages in South Tyrol (two-color flag), 1917
    Emperor Charles I visiting one of the villages in South Tyrol (two-color flag), 1917
  • SMS Gäa - Austro-Hungarian torpedo carrier with naval ensign, World War I period
    SMS Gäa - Austro-Hungarian torpedo carrier with naval ensign, World War I period
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Austro-Hungarian flags in art.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Austro-Hungarian flags on photographs.

See also

References
  1. The official version prescribed the Crown of St. Stephen, the same as on the Hungarian flag, to be used. See Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia: Symbols
  1. "Habsburg | H-Net". www.h-net.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012.
  2. Austria. Reichsrat. Abgeordnetenhaus (1903). Stenographische protokolle über die sitzungen ...: 1. (eröffnungs-) bis [485.] sitzung ... Aus der K.-k. Hof -und staatsdruckerei. p. 20714.:
    Der § 63 spricht auch von einer kroatisch-slavonisch-dalmatinischen vereinigten Fahne auf Reichstagsgebäude. Diese Fahne war bis anno domini 1902 allen Dimensionen nach gleich ungarische Fahne.
  3. Pliverić, Josip (1907). Spomenica o državnopravnih pitanjih hrvatsko-ugarskih. Zagreb: Hartman (Stjepan Kugli)., p. 50
  4. Rudolf Agstner, Austria(-Hungary) and Its Consulates in the United States of America since 1820 (LIT Verlag, 2012), p. 45.
  5. "Imperial Standard of Austria, Flags of the World".
  6. "Imperial Standard of Austria, Flags of the World".
  7. "Imperial Standard of Austria, Flags of the World".
  8. "Austro-Hungarian Empire: Military Flags".
  9. The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era
  10. Album of standards, flags and pennants of the Russian Empire and foreign states. 1890. p. 39.
  11. The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era
  12. The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era
  13. The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era
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