Pin worn by Jewish citizens of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to express their support for the Empire during World War I
“Austria, 1914-1918
Brass, enamel
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Must Know
The pin, worn by Jews that were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, features a star of David and the Empire’s coat of arm: a crowned double-headed eagle holding a sword. The patriotic pin is believed to be made and worn between 1914 to 1918 during World War I.
There were about 2 to 2.5 million Jews within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 900,000 of which were orthodox Jewish and practiced. The Jewish people of Austria-Hungary were supportive of the Empire and the army as they were given equal civil rights and more freedom to practice Judaism.
More Info
The Austria-Hungary military forces were almost the only army that enlisted Jews and promoted them to positions of power during World War I. Around 40,000 Austro-Hungarian Jews were killed in action during World War I.
The outbreak of World War I was accompanied by a general wave of nationalism across Europe. Likewise, Austrian-Hungarian Jews were often patriotic towards the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. This was not only because they served in the fronts. The Jewish integration spanned beyond the military, Jews being granted equal civil rights like any other other Austrian-Hungarian citizens.
On a broader sense, Jews were more welcomed and respected among Austrian and Hungarian troops than Jews within the Russian troops. It is believed Russian Jews were often punished or blamed because of their Judaism, which may have been the reason Jews were more cooperative with Austrian and Hungarian ‘liberators’ against the Russians.
