Legitimation sheet

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Part of a legitimation sheet, issued before January 1917 (a non-conforming ink pen was used!)

The legitimation sheet was the personal identifier of the soldiers in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and the predecessor of the dog tag .

General

It had to be worn by members of the soldiers of the Austro- Hungarian Army , the Austrian and Hungarian Landwehr , the military officials as well as civilians belonging to the military. The obligation to wear began with mobilization and ended when demobilization took place .

Contrary to the prevailing Kurrent script , the legitimation sheet had to be filled out in Latin script. In addition to the usual personal data such as name and address, other important data such as troop bodies, vaccinations or religion were recorded. In the case of officers , the data to be filled in was even more detailed. The sheet was available in different versions.

In the event of death, the identification sheet was supplemented with death dates and the data of the witnesses. Any wills could also be noted here.

The legitimation sheet was only allowed to be removed from a dead person and only immediately before the burial . Only the empty capsule was allowed to be added to the deceased in the event of a possible later burial.

While the German soldiers already wore identification tags, the legitimation sheet was often the only way of identifying a fallen soldier in the Austro-Hungarian Army during the First World War . If this identification was not possible, a soldier was considered missing and a death certificate could not be issued, which often not only increased the personal tragedy of the relatives, but was also often associated with material loss.

The identification tag of the German soldiers was largely unknown in Austria-Hungary, which led to the fact that numerous fallen German soldiers were initially buried as unknown and could only be identified after reburial work, if the identification tag was still present, after research in the Central Proof Office in Berlin .

Privately procured legitimation leaf capsule

Legitimation leaf capsule

The legitimation sheet was carried in a metal capsule, so that the form was largely protected from the weather or other influences. However, the capsule was not waterproof, which is why the lettering had to be done with a black pencil . (No ink or pen) (The use of improper writing implements later often led to considerable difficulties in identifying fallen people.)

The legitimation sheet capsule for storing the legitimation sheet was a two-part, flat box made of brass with an eyelet for the cord. Both parts were connected with a hinge, inside there was a spring clip at the fold to fix the folded sheet. Officers and gagists could, however, procure the capsules themselves, material and equipment or decorations were free, only the size was standardized. After the onset of material shortages during the war, the capsules were then only made from sheet iron.

The capsule itself could also be scratched with a sharp object and the land register sheet number in abbreviated form, or stamped , such as IR49 1915/945 . It already had the function of a dog tag.

The capsule was kept in a small additional pocket that was in the right pocket of the uniform trousers. In addition, it was secured with the capsule cord.

Remarks

  1. ↑ This means the division of the individual labeling fields
  2. ↑ This only made sense if identification features were attached to the capsule
  3. ↑ An ink pen was a pencil whose lead was heavily enriched with ink and which wrote in a light purple color. If the paper got wet, the writing ran.
  4. ↑ This, however, only on one's own initiative, it was not provided for in the regulations

literature

  • Adjustment regulation for the kuk army part I - VII. "Published by the kk war ministry Vienna 1867 (adapted and extended editions) Vienna 1912

Web links