WWI Austrian Karl-Truppenkreuz

The Karl-Truppenkreuz (Karl-Troops Cross), named for the newly enthroned Emperor Karl I of Austria-Hungary (see last post), was awarded to all troops who served in the field against the enemy for a minimum of 12 months and participated in at least one battle. The cross was instituted on 13 December 1916. By the end of the war, well over a half million were struck. The front of the grey metal cross reads "GRATI / PRINCEPS ET PATRIA / CAROLVS / IMP. ET REX" (Thanks - Sovereign and Fatherland - Karl, Emperor and King). The back depicts the two crowns of the dual monarchy and the letter "C" (for the Emperor’s Latin name, Carolus). Below that is "VITAM ET SANGVINEM / MDCCCCXVI" (with life and blood - 1916).

Since I am not pairing this with another medal, I thought I might post some shots of the tri-fold ribbon mount. This method of folding the ribbon is often called Austrian style, but there are other countries in that part of Europe that adopted it too. The ribbon is folded to create a flap on the back with a hook and eyelet fastener. The hook passes through both the suspension ring of the medal and eyelet in the ribbon to hold it all together. Austrian tri-folds could be hung from a loop attached to the uniform and slipped under the flap, or in the case of multiple medals, on a metal strip that slid under the flaps.

The medal itself came home as a souvenir with an American Doughboy who fought on the Italian front in WWI. The ribbon is correct for the medal but came off another Karl Cross that was badly corroded. This particular kind of medal gets a lot of white oxidation that eventually harms the surface. I dismount this one and give it an occasional rub down with vinegar.