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![[Admiral flag]](../images/a/ah~1730.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
The oldest Austrian naval flags regulations, the See-Articuli
of 1730, introduced a special flag for use by the highest naval officers -
the admirals. That was the yellow flag with the black double-headed eagle and
bordered all around with black triangles ("wolf-teeth"). This was to be hoisted at main-mast when Admiral was on board, on
the fore-mast for a Vice-Admiral and on the rear-mast for a Rear-Admiral. [Lehnert;
Baumgartner, 1977]
The subsequent regulations of 1749 do not seem to
have anything to say on this (possibly the wolf-teeth flag was retained? or
there was no need for such distinctive flags?) The same is true for the
regulation introducing the red-white-red flags of Josephinian pattern in 1786. [Lehnert;
Baumgartner, 1977]
Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
![[Admiral standard]](../images/a/ah~1828a.gif)
image by Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
The new distinctive flag for admirals was regulated in 1828, at the same time
as when the distinctive flags for members of the imperial house were
established. [Lehnert, p. 19; Baumgartner, 1977, pp. 31-32] This was a square
form of the red-white-red Josephinian ensign of 1786, with the crowned coat of
arms set in the middle of the flag. The position of the flag on the masts (main,
fore, rear) denoted the admiral's rank, as was still usual in this period in all
navies.
After a relatively short period (for the Austrian flags), after
the revolutionary 1848, Archduke Ferdinand Max (the latter Emperor of Mexico, as
Maximiliano I) took over the command of the Navy. He introduced two new rank
flags: the Groß-Admiral flag and Admiral's flag. [Lehnert, p. 19; Baumgartner,
1977, pp. 31-32; USNavy, 1862]
Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
![[Admiral standard]](../images/a/ah~1853g.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
The Groß-Admiral flag (Großadmirals-Flagge) was square a red-white-red
triband with the crowned shield in the middle and bordered with black and yellow
triangles in the border all around. As it happened, this flag was never hoisted
in this function, but this pattern was in 1880 determined to be used as the
Command flag for Admiral.
Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
![[Admiral standard]](../images/a/ah~1853a.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
15:17, red-white-red with crowned shield, black-yellow-black canton. Vice-admiral and Rear Admiral hoisted the same flag on different
places.
Željko Heimer, 11 October 2000
The other flag introduced by Archduke Ferdinand Max is the Admiral's flag, a
square red-white-red triband with the crowned shield in the middle and with a
horizontally divided triband black-yellow-black jack in the canton as high as
the red stripe. (Even if the English term "Jack" is used in German literature
for this black-yellow-black emblem in the canton, there is no indication that
this triband was ever used as a Gösch [= bow flag] of its own, as the
term might suggest to English reader!) This flag would be placed atop the main
mast, the fore mast or the rear mast depending on the Admiral's rank (full
Admiral, Vice Admiral, Rear Admiral, respectively). One such flag used was by
Rear Admiral Tegetthoff in the glorious Battle by Lissa (Vis) in 1866 - that
original flag is today preserved in the Military History Museum in Vienna. After
1880 this same design was used as a Distinction flag for General.
The two
distinction flags introduced by Archduke Ferdinand Max in 1853 were in 1880
reused in different function, as noted above. The previous Groß-Admiral flag was
installed as the Command flag for Admiral (Commando-Flagge für Admirale), still
used on the appropriate mast depending on the admiral's rank. The previous
Admiral flag was installed as the Distinction flag for a General of the
Imperial-Royal Army (Distinctions-Flagge für Generale der k.k. Armee). [Lehnert,
p. 19; Baumgartner, 1977, pp. 31-32; USNavy, 1899; Heyer]
Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
See also: AT THE MAIN in Dictionary of Vexillology
From 1874-23 December 1894, the Großadmiralflagge became the flag for admirals, while the
previous Admiralflagge became the flag for Generals in the Army.
Norman Martin, 10 October 2000
The British 1889 edition of Flags of All Nations shows all Austro-Hungarian admirals using a flag of the same pattern as that adopted
in 1894, but without stars. Relative grade was indicated by hoisting on main, fore, or mizzenmast.
The American 1870 and 1882 Flags of Maritime Nations show the flag
described by Norman Martin. It was the same as the central portion of the 1894 flag, without the border or stars, but with a square
canton 1/3 of the hoist, divided horizontally black-yellow-black. It was also flown at main, fore, or mizzen to denote the grade of the
flag officer represented.
Joe McMillan, 11 October 2000
![[Admiral standard]](../images/a/ah~1894d.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
By the end of 19th century, the system designating admiral's rank by flying the flag from different mast was made obsolete since the modern warships did not have multiple masts any more. This was done by defacing the previous 1880 Admiral's flags with the appropriate number of yellow stars. Unlike the previous square flag, this one was made in ratio 7:8. Different sources show slightly different artwork for the stars, I show here the most complex, although it may well be that actual produced flags used some of the more simplified versions. [Kundmachung, 1869; Baumgartner, 1977; Ruhl; HM Stationery Office, 1907] These flags as a whole were named Kommandoflaggen (and among them was also counted the Commodore- und Anciennetäts-Stander).
The full Admiral (Kommandoflaggen der Admirale) was indicated with three
yellow eight-pointed stars, two in white stripe on each side of the coat of arms
and one in the middle of the lower red stripe.
Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
The crown seen here is the royal crown that is neither St. Stephen's (Hungary)
nor St. Vaclav's (Bohemia). It's the same crown used on the naval and (for the Austrian arms) the merchant ensigns of the
time.
Joe McMillan, 10 October 2000
![[Admiral standard]](../images/a/ah~1894v.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
The flag for Vice Admiral (Kommandoflaggen der Vizeadmirale) was indicated
with two yellow eight-pointed stars in white stripe one on each side of the coat
of arms.
Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
![[Admiral standard]](../images/a/ah~1894k.gif)
image
by Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
The flag for Rear Admiral (Kommandoflaggen der Kontreadmirale) was indicated
with a single yellow eight-pointed star in the middle of the lower red stripe.
Željko Heimer, 7 October 2007
- Josef von Lehnert: "Beiträge zur Geschichte der k. k. Flagge. Vortrag,
gehalten im militär-wissenschaftlichen Verein zu Wien am 13. März 1885", Organ
der militär-wissenschaftlichen Vereine, nr. 31, Mayer, Wien 1886 pp. 4-5
-
Lothar Baumgartner: Die Entwicklung der österreichischen Marineflagge, Militaria
Austriaca, Gesellschaft für Österreichische
Heereskunde, Wien, 1977 p. 29
- "Flags of Maritime Nations, from the Most Authentic Sources", U.S. Department
of the Navy, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, 1862. pl. 5
- Friedrich Heyer
von Rosenfeld: "Die See-Flaggen, National und Provincial-Fahnen sowie Cocarden
aller Laender", Verlag der kaiserlich-königlichen Hof- und Staatsdruckerei,
Wien, 1883 pl. 1
- "Flags of Maritime Nations", U.S. Department of the Navy,
Bureau of Equipment, Washington, 1899. pl. 7
Continued at 1915-End of Empire Flags
![[Commodore]](../images/a/ah-commo.gif)
2:5~ image by Željko Heimer
In use as Commodore's flag, since 1853, but called the Cornette
from 1786 to 1853
Norman Martin, 2 December 2001
The old versions are unclear to me. Norman Martin says quoting Baumgartner
[bmg77] that in 1880 there was no change in
the pennant. In 1894 it was described as a "broad-pennant red-white-red with
coat of arms".
Željko Heimer, 1 December 2001
When flown from the "Querstock", this flag was
used as a seniority pennant. The flag was adopted in 1874 (Lehnert
(1886) says 1880, but is apparently incorrect, at least as far as the date of adoption is
concerned; possibly there was a period before it was actually used). There was no previous version
as far as I know.
Norman Martin, 2 December 2001
The cornette is in the same colour and design as the Ensign since
1786: used as Commando-Signal for the commander of a Schiffabteilung (Siegel
1912)
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 2 December 2001