Flags of Austria-Hungary

*Kaisers Dank* by Ludwig Koch from 1915. Visible various flags used in Austria-Hungary

During its existence, Austria-Hungary did not have a common flag – a "national flag" could not exist since the Dual Monarchy consisted of two sovereign states. However, the black-gold flag of the ruling Habsburg Dynasty was sometimes used as a de facto national flag and a common civil ensign was introduced in 1869 for civilian vessels. Until 1918, the k.u.k. War Fleet continued to carry the Austrian ensign it had used since 1786 and the regiments of the k.u.k. Army carried the double-eagle banners they had used before 1867, as they had a long history in many cases. New ensigns created in 1915 were not implemented due to the ongoing war. At state functions, the Austrian black-gold and the Hungarian red-white-green tricolor were used.

Austria was represented by the black-gold flag. The Hungarian half of the state, on the other hand, legally had no flag of its own.^[1] According to the Croatian–Hungarian Settlement (art. 62 and 63), in all joint Croatian and Hungarian affairs, symbols of both Croatia and Hungary respectively had to be used. For instance, whenever the joint Hungarian-Croatian Parliament held its session in Budapest, both the Croatian and Hungarian flags were hoisted on the parliament building in Budapest.^[1]^[2]^[3] In Vienna, in front of Schönbrunn Palace, the black and gold flag was flown for Cisleithania (Austrian half), while both Croatian and Hungarian flags were flown for Transleithania (Hungarian half).^[3] Hungary proper used a red-white-green tricolor defaced with the Hungarian coat of arms, sometimes used to represent the entirety of the Lands of the Hungarian Crown. The "double" civil ensign, as a symbol of "corporate identity", was also used as the consular flag, as decreed on 18 February 1869. It came into use on 1 August 1869. Legations, however, flew the black-and-gold flag of Austria alongside the red-white-green flag of Hungary, while embassies flew the two national flags alongside the imperial standard.^[4]

National and state flags

Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy (including Austrian and Austro-Hungarian Empire), also used to represent Cisleithania

Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary also used to represent Transleithania
Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary (coat of arms variant without supporters)
Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary (civil flag)

Flag of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
Unofficial,^[a] but common flag of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
Flag of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (civil flag)

Imperial and military standards

Emperor's imperial standard (until 1915)^[5]
Empress's imperial standard (until 1915)^[5]
Emperor's and Empress's imperial standard
(1915–1918)^[5]
Archduke's and Archduchess's standard (1915-1918)
Military standard (example of many variants)^[6]

Ensigns

Civil ensigns

Civil ensign 1786–1869^[7]
Civil ensign 1869–1918^[8]
Unofficial Hungarian civil ensign used on Transleithania inland waters^[7]

Naval ensigns

Naval ensign 1786–1915
(de facto until 1918)^[7]
Naval ensign 1915–1918
(not implemented)^[9]

Regional flags

Additionally, several flags were in use within the local territories of Austria-Hungary.

Cisleithania
Location	Region name	Flag
	Archduchy of Austria (Lower Austria)
	Archduchy of Austria (Upper Austria)
	Kingdom of Bohemia
	Kingdom of Dalmatia
	Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria	(1849–1890) (1890–1918)
	County of Tyrol
	Duchy of Bukovina
	Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia
	Duchy of Carinthia
	Duchy of Carniola
	Duchy of Salzburg
	Duchy of Styria
	Margraviate of Moravia
	Austrian Littoral, including: Imperial Free City of Trieste Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca March of Istria	(Austrian Littoral) (Imperial Free City of Trieste) (Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca) (March of Istria)
	Vorarlberg
Transleithania
Location	Region name	Flag
	Kingdom of Hungary
	Principality of Transylvania
	Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar
	Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
	Kingdom of Croatia
	Kingdom of Slavonia
	City of Fiume and its District
Condominium
Location	Region name	Flag
	Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Examples of using flags in the era

Visit of Emperor Franz Joseph I in Zagreb, red-white-blue (Croatian) flags, 1895
Civil ensign and Austrian pennants on a French illustration advertising the Hungarian pavilion during Exposition Universelle in Paris, 1900
Numismatic postcard designed by German businessman (Hugo Semmler) from 1900 with the Civil Ensign
Emperor Franz Joseph I in Merano (black-yellow flag), 1900
Bohinj tunnel opening ceremony (two-color flags), 1906
Military base of Austro-Hungarian Army (two-color flag), 1910
Poster from Österreichischer Lloyd showing the civil ensign and the company's logo on a navy blue flag, 1910
SS Carniola - Austro-Hungarian civilian steamship with civil ensign, 1912
Military parade in Vienna (two-color flags), 1913
Imperial Standard on the car of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 1914
Soldiers of Infanterieregiment Nr. 17 with two-color flag, 1914
Austro-Hungarian propaganda poster encouraging to buy war bonds
World War I-era propaganda postcards depicting the flags of the Central Powers. The Austro-Hungarian flag shown as black-yellow
A propaganda postcard commemorating the release of the Przemyśl fortress. Austria-Hungary represented by the black-yellow and red-white-green flags, 1915
Another Central Powers propaganda, with Austria-Hungary being represented by a mix of both Habsburg and Hungarian flags
Copy of the naval ensign taken by the Italian army from the submarine U12 at the Piave river mouths on 5 August 1915 (exposed in Museo Storico Navale, Venice).
Emperor Charles I visiting Pergine (two- and three-color flags), 1917
Vienna Praterstrasse, 1917
Emperor Charles I visiting troops in Ozhydiv (two- and three-color flags), 1917
Emperor Charles I in front of the Hungarian flag, 1917
Emperor Charles I visiting one of the villages in South Tyrol (two-color flag), 1917
SMS Gäa - Austro-Hungarian torpedo carrier with naval ensign, World War I period

References

^ The official version prescribed the Crown of St. Stephen, the same as on the Hungarian flag, to be used. See Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia: Symbols

^ ^a ^b "Habsburg | H-Net". www.h-net.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012.
^ Austria. Reichsrat. Abgeordnetenhaus (1903). Stenographische protokolle über die sitzungen ...: 1. (eröffnungs-) bis [485.] sitzung ... Aus der K.-k. Hof -und staatsdruckerei. p. 20714.:
Der § 63 spricht auch von einer kroatisch-slavonisch-dalmatinischen vereinigten Fahne auf Reichstagsgebäude. Diese Fahne war bis anno domini 1902 allen Dimensionen nach gleich ungarische Fahne.
^ ^a ^b Pliverić, Josip (1907). Spomenica o državnopravnih pitanjih hrvatsko-ugarskih. Zagreb: Hartman (Stjepan Kugli)., p. 50
^ Rudolf Agstner, Austria(-Hungary) and Its Consulates in the United States of America since 1820 (LIT Verlag, 2012), p. 45.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Imperial Standard of Austria, Flags of the World".
^ "Austro-Hungarian Empire: Military Flags".
^ ^a ^b ^c The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era
^ Album of standards, flags and pennants of the Russian Empire and foreign states. 1890. p. 39.
^ The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era

[5] The official version prescribed the Crown of St. Stephen, the same as on the Hungarian flag, to be used. See Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia: Symbols

[auto-1] "Habsburg | H-Net". www.h-net.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012.

[2] Austria. Reichsrat. Abgeordnetenhaus (1903). Stenographische protokolle über die sitzungen ...: 1. (eröffnungs-) bis [485.] sitzung ... Aus der K.-k. Hof -und staatsdruckerei. p. 20714.:
Der § 63 spricht auch von einer kroatisch-slavonisch-dalmatinischen vereinigten Fahne auf Reichstagsgebäude. Diese Fahne war bis anno domini 1902 allen Dimensionen nach gleich ungarische Fahne.

[frank-3] Pliverić, Josip (1907). Spomenica o državnopravnih pitanjih hrvatsko-ugarskih. Zagreb: Hartman (Stjepan Kugli)., p. 50

[4] Rudolf Agstner, Austria(-Hungary) and Its Consulates in the United States of America since 1820 (LIT Verlag, 2012), p. 45.

[fotw.info-6] "Imperial Standard of Austria, Flags of the World".

[7] "Austro-Hungarian Empire: Military Flags".

[zeljko-heimer-fame.from.hr-8] The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era

[Album_of_standards,_flags_and_pennants-9] Album of standards, flags and pennants of the Russian Empire and foreign states. 1890. p. 39.

[10] The Flags & Arms of the Modern Era

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[a]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]