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Remembered Today:

What's my greatgranpa's rank?


Loosekannon

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This is my great-grandfather. Born in 1870, a pole from Galicia, lived in Lwow/Lemberg at the time of the GW. I would like to know if his rank can be guessed from the photo. The collar is a bit obscured by his amazing beard, but I'd say there are one or two stars or rosettes, and there is a dark vertical band. In 1901 he was a "Titular-Wachtmeister-Postenführer", K.u.K. Gendarmerie based in Lemberg, and before the GW he held an office job at the ministry of the interior in Lemberg. 

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It’s difficult to be positive because the photo is blurred and his beard obscures much of the view of his collar rank markings, but I think he might be an “offizierstellvertreter” (cadet officer/officer cadet), or alternatively he might perhaps be a lieutenant.  His cap is of fine quality and so is his tunic and high boots, and the sword suggests his status is above a junior enlisted man.  He has two badges on the side of his cap that are significant but difficult to discern.  One of them might be an Edelweiss of the KuK Mountain Corps, although a distinctive feather plume was usually worn and that’s not seen here.

I haven’t seen him here for a while, but forum member @Tymkomight have a useful opinion too.   Also @Gabelou.

NB.  I think that the black armband (brassard) is for official mourning.

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Edited by FROGSMILE
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Thanks so much, @FROGSMILE. Here is the reverse of the photo, a postcard that he sent to his son while he was out at war. I tried to find out his location from the info I can see on the stamps but I failed. Do you see any hints as to where he would be when the postcard was sent (and presumably the photo was taken)?

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1 hour ago, Loosekannon said:

Thanks so much, @FROGSMILE. Here is the reverse of the photo, a postcard that he sent to his son while he was out at war. I tried to find out his location from the info I can see on the stamps but I failed. Do you see any hints as to where he would be when the postcard was sent (and presumably the photo was taken)?

774979260_IMG-20190404-WA0002(2).jpg.44c74d278fda4fff57d63cac28a4797d.jpg

I can see that his unit seems to have been a part of the 17th Corps Command of the KuK and the card was sent from Field Post Office Number 200.  I don’t know if the list of locations of these Post Offices has survived, but perhaps @AOK4or @JWKmight be able to advise.

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Can't find a list of Feldpost offices, but if I'm not mistaken the 17th Korps was part of the 4th KuK Armee? If so, then they were fighting west of Biala Podlaska (Now Poland. West of Brest)

Quote

Advance to the Bug Summer 1915

For the Bug offensive that continued at the end of June, the 4th Army of Army Group Mackensen remained assigned to cover the left flank. The attack stalled from 3 July onwards after a Russian counter-offensive was launched. The 4th Army, advancing on the left wing, was thereby thrown back in the Kraśnik area on 6 July. While the Russian 3rd Army maintained its position against the 4th Army until 9 July, the breakthroughs of the German troops in the centre of the attack front forced the Russians to retreat once again. The XVII and VIII Corps of the 4th Army crossed the Krzna west of Biala, while the Woyrsch Army Division on the left closed in on Klukowka. On August 17, the XXII and X. Reserve Corps attacked the new Russian positions between Krzna and Bug. The 4th Army and the German 105th Infantry Division crossed the Bug at Janow. West of Janow, the 4th Army with the XVII and VIII Corps also crossed the Bug on 19 August and reached the Koterka section between Wołczyn and Tokary.

 

https://austria-forum.org/af/AustriaWiki/4._Armee_(Österreich-Ungarn)

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