Wound Medal (Austria-Hungary)
Austro-Hungarian decoration for combat wounds and disabilities.
The Wound Medal, known in multiple languages including German and Hungarian, was an Austro-Hungarian honor. Emperor Karl created it on August 12, 1917, making it the empire’s final official medal. It went to armed forces members and those attached to them who were wounded, disabled, or had their health severely harmed by combat.
Quick Facts
- Campaign
- World War I
- Established
- August 12, 1917
- Higher
- Karl Troop Cross
- Lower
- War Medal 1873
- Country
- Austria-Hungary
Facts from the source article.
Description
The medal was struck in zinc, 38 mm in diameter, with a dull gray surface, though polished examples are known. The obverse bears a bust of Emperor Karl, the Latin inscription "CAROLUS" above, and a laurel wreath below; between bust and wreath appears the designer's name, R. PLACHT, with his birth and death years. The reverse carries the words LAESO MILITI and the date MCMXVIII. It hangs from a 39 mm trifold ribbon of gray-green with 4 mm red edge stripes. Narrower 2 mm red stripes edged in black, centered on the ribbon, indicate the number of wounds; no stripes signify an award for invaliding.
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