^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Austria - Federal State, 1934 - 1938

Österreich

Civil Flag
State Flag and War Ensign
State Ensign
Jack
High Officials Flag
War Pennant
Fatherland's Front (Kruckenkreuz)

Civil Flag

2:3

by Željko Heimer

In use: since 12 September 1918
Adopted: 21 October 1919
Abandoned: 1938
Source: Staatsgesetzblatt Nr. 484/1919, Art. 6.
Peter Diem (1995): Die Symbole Österreichs.

The civil flag continued to be used without any change with the introduction of the Federal State.

State Flag and War Ensign

2:3

by Željko Heimer

Adopted: 1 May 1934
Abandoned: 13 March 1938
Source: Bundesgesetzblatt für die Bundesstaat Österreich 1.5.1934, Nr. 1, Art. 3
Ausbildungsvorschrift für die Pioniertruppe, XII. Teil, 1936.

With the establishment of the Federal State a new coat of arms was adopted to replace the previous one.

State Ensign

2:3

by Željko Heimer

Adopted: 1 May 1934
Abandoned: 13 March 1938

The coat of arms was changed on 1st May 1934, and though there is no known document changing it, presumably the state ensign was adapted, too.

Jack

4:5 by Željko Heimer

Adopted: 1936
Abandoned: 13 March 1938
Source: Militaria Austriaca: Ausbildungsvorschrift für die Pioniertruppe, XII. Teil, 1936.

The jack with the new coat of arms and new proportions is shown in Handbook for Pioneers, according to Militaria Austriaca.

High Officials Flag

15:17 by Željko Heimer

Adopted: 1936
Abandoned: 13 March 1938
Source: Militaria Austriaca: Ausbildungsvorschrift für die Pioniertruppe, XII. Teil, 1936.

The flag indicating the presence of high officials on Federal Army vessels was the state flag edged with a border of red and white triangles.

War Pennant

1:15~ by Željko Heimer

Adopted: 1936
Abandoned: 13 March 1938
Source: Militaria Austriaca: Ausbildungsvorschrift für die Pioniertruppe, XII. Teil, 1936.

The war pennant on Federal Army vessels was prescribed only for patrol boats.

Fatherland's Front

Vaterländische Front

(1)

(2)

2:3 by Željko Heimer

In use: since 11 September 1933
Adopted: 28 December 1936
Abandoned: 13 March 1938
Source: Bundesgesetz über die Flagge des Bundesstaates Österreich (BGBl. 444/1936), Art. 2 u. 3
Peter Diem (1995): Die Symbole Österreichs.
Information kindly provided by: Jan Oskar Engene

The flag of the ruling party, the Fatherland's Front, was the Austrian triband with white disk containing a red crutch-cross (Kruckenkreuz) and with a green chevron by the hoist. The green chevron was prescribed, though often not present in practice. In the law on flags of 1936 "in Austria it could be used side-by-side with the state flag".

Images and page lay-out thanks to Željko Heimer and FAME, 14 October 2001

The Kruckenkreuzflagge could not be used abroad.
Peter Diem, 16 August 2002

I came across an article in the Leeuwarder Courant of 16 May 1936. It described the '"Coup d'etat' in Austria', with chancellor Schuschnigg taking over leadership of the Fatherland's Front, and announcing that for services rendered by the Heimatschutz, the Heimatschutz colours, green-white, would be incorporated in the flag of the Fatherland's Front. This suggests that the flag as in use since 1933 was the version without the green chevron, which would then have been introduced by the adoption in 1936.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 14 December 2013