Page 287 - Il 1919. Un’Italia vittoriosa e provata in un’Europa in trasformazione. Problematiche e prospettive - Atti 11-12 novembre 2019

IV Sessione - L’Italia a Versailles. Aspetti di politica internazionale 285

for the great mass of professional officers left over from the Imperial and Royal
Army, as there only were 1,500 posts authorized by the table of organisation.
Commissions established in the federal states were to classify the applicants –
approximately 8,000 officers – according to qualification, whereby their function
during the war was to receive particular appreciation but social aspects were more
important. It was assumed that young officers would have an easier transition to
civilian life including employment opportunities and that the older age groups
would soon be retired and taken care of that way in any case. Therefore, an ex-
traordinarily large number of middle-aged staff officers (approx. 900) were hired,
but only 271 captains, 123 first lieutenants and only a single [!] second lieutenant.
The idea was that future junior officers would subsequently rise from the NCO
corps (with and without high school diploma). This however led to a substantial
age gap which in turn led to a quickly ageing population of staff officers in the
following years. Officers were mainly posted to the units to save authorized of-
ficer positions in the table of organization, all other duties such as army admin-
istration, medical and supply services, etc. were to be filled with civilian
employees, thereby reducing the number of officers necessary. This temporarily
led to a strong increase of personnel at the newly founded or rather re-named
Ministry of Defence. These circumventions of the clauses of Saint Germain
were eventually ruined by measures taken to reduce the number of civil servants
within the framework of restructuring the national budget, whereby the military
department had to make extraordinarily large sacrifices. 40
The outer appearance of Volkswehr and Bundesheer soldiers, clearly expressed
by their respective uniforms, reflected the self-image of the “armed forces.” After
the already mentioned dress regulations of the Volkswehr, manifested in a total
breakaway from Austrian traditions, the National Defence Act of 1920 brought
a new system. This consisted of the retention or rather a new introduction of
German pieces of uniform in the form of a peaked cap with a cockade and na-
tional coat of arms. Silver collar badges were introduced after the Prussian and
Reichswehr model. Rank insignia were styled with similarities to those of the Volk-
swehr and consisted of braids from different materials (depending on rank groups)
attached to the sleeves. There were some small changes to the peaked caps in
1923 and the tunics were tailored after a new cut the same year. The rank system
was changed as well. Officers and NCOs received German rank insignia in the

40 Kristan, Geschichte Generalstabes, p. 68 ff.