The
rank insignia – so-called
Paroli – of the
Austro-Hungarian Army (1867–1918) were worn on the fore-part of the sleeves for jackets, but never on
shoulder straps of shirts, service jackets, and dress uniforms. This extended to the
Common Army as well as to the
Imperial-Royal Landwehr. However, the mountain corps wore additionally an
edelweiss since 1907 behind the distinction star(s). The rank or distinction stars of enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers (NCO) were made from white
celluloid, those of the ranks
Feldwebel and
Stabsfeldwebel have been made from white silk since 1914. The rank stars of the junior officer ranks normally consisted of relief metal. Pertaining self procured uniforms, embroidered (from metallic fibre) rank stars might have been selected. The embroidered version was mandatory for staff officer ranks from
major (OF3) onwards. For all other k.k. badges of the Austrian-Hungarian mountain corps from OR1-rank
Jäger (en: hunter/ private) to the OF5-rank However, staff officers had additionally to wear a galloon on the uniform sleeve. If the galloon colour was silver, the colour of the buttons and the stars had to be golden and vice versa. On the galloon there was a serrated ornament. Generals wore always silver stars on golden galloon. From that derives, that the colour of the rank stars and galloons had nothing to do with the rank. On coats rank insignias had never been worn. Officers of the so-called
Kaiserschützen as well as of the "Landwehr infantry regiments number 4 and 27" (also Mountain infantry regiments 4 and 27) wore on their dress uniforms shoulder straps with the imperator's insignias (not to be mixed up with the particular rank). For any rank description there had to be provided as well an equivalent expression in Hungarian language. Military units, who consisted mainly of Czech, Slovakian, and/ or Polish personal, used unofficially the rank term in their mother language. NCOs were counted to the enlisted personnel, and did not made up a separate rank group.
Cadet The
Cadet (), in its position as aspirant to the professional officer career, ranked as well to the enlisted rank group. The cadet ranks counted to the appropriate nominal rank, however, behind the next higher rank. E.g. the "Cadet-gefreiter" was counted for the , however, behind the
Corporal, who himself was lower than the "Cadet-corporal". The characteristic of the cadet ranks was the so-called distinction-galloon on the sleeve ends. It was similar to the feldwebel-galloon, however, from gold colour instead of emperor-yellow. The particular rank was added as well.
Stabsfeldwebel The ranks , , and were introduced to the k.u.k. armed forces in 1913. Before it was equivalent to the (en: District-Sergeant) of the
Gendarmerie (as part of the ; in Austria ). To the Feldwebel–uniform the wore a headgear similar to the officers cap, however, without the characteristic golden officers distinction. In 1913 the sleeve distinction consisted of a 1.3 cm broad feldwebel-galloon made from imperator-yellow silk. Additionally three white rank celluloid stars were appliquéd. In June 1913 the rank insignia was changed. The galloon was now silver designed, and the rank stars were made from white silk and embroidered. In 1915 the ranks (en: officer deputy) were summarised to the new rank group
higher/ senior NCOs ().
One-year volunteer The
officer aspirant ( (OA)/ ) of the reserve undertook military training as a
One-year volunteer ( (EF)/ ). The distinguishing badge was an imperator-yellow silk square-galloon on the upper part of the cuff. In 1915 the galloon was removed after passing the final examination. It was replaced by the so-called bright "EF-button" to be worn on the collar. The EF-button was fixed behind the nominal rank stars, and was removed on promotion to first officer grade.
Ensign The rank "Cadet officer-deputy" () was renamed to
Ensign () in 1908. The service insignia was a map case, made from black coloured leather, and to be worn on the waist belt. More characteristics were the black officer's cap, however with imperator-yellow side ornament (instead from gold). The white celluloid star was replaced by a silver coloured star. Also in this year, the old term (rank) "" was replaced by the new one Cadet ( / ).
Shako In addition to the gorget rank insignias, the so-called distinction, the individual rank was indicated by the yellow distinction-galloon on the parade headgear, called
shako (, ) a special version of helmet. • Gefreiter: Was to be identified with a yellow, black-carved 0.5 Austrian inch (~0.5 cm) thick round cord • Corporal: Wore a 1.5 Austrian inch (~4 cm) broad the yellow distinction-galloon (with zigzag trim ornament) • , , and Cadet officer-deputy (Ensign): As to the corporal, however, concentric divided by a 1/24 Austrian inch (~1 mm) small black stripe The distinction galloons and pipings for enlisted ranks and NCOs were made from yellow sheep's wool, for Ensigns since 1908 from yellow silk, and for officers from gold yarn. Pertaining private procured special editions to enlisted ranks and NCOs, silk trims have been allowed as well. The (en: corps colour) had to be in correlation to the appropriate military unit, branch, or branch of service. Tschako der k.u.k. Husaren-Regimenter 4, 5, 8 und 14.png||alt=k.u.k. Hussars(brick-red corps colour) Tschako der k.u.k. Husaren-Regimenter 1 und 13.png||alt=k.u.k. Hussars(dark-blue corps colour) Tschako der k.u.k. Husaren-Regimenter 7 und 10.png||alt=k.u.k. Hussars(light-blue corps colour) Tschako der k.u.k. Husaren-Regimenter 6, 11, 15 und 16.png||alt=k.u.k. Hussars(ash-grey corps colour) Tschako der k.u.k. Husaren-Regimenter 2, 3, 9 und 12.png||alt=k.u.k. Hussars(white corps colour) K.u.k. Artillerietschako.png||alt=k.u.k Artillery(black corps colour)
Enlisted men, NCOs, officer aspirants, and officer-deputies (RK means the Rangklasse (Rank classification. As the k.u.k. Army was never a member of NATO, it did not use NATO Rank Codes) == Officers and officials ==