Austrian Comradeship Federation

The Österreichischer Kameradschaftsbund (ÖKB) is an Austrian federation whose roots lie in the Krieger- und Veteranenvereine (warriors' and veterans' associations) that emerged after the battles of 1866 at Königgrätz and Custozza and after the 1878 occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1895 the independent associations joined in the 'k. k. österreichischen Militär-Veteranen-Reichsbund', known as the Kameradenbund. After the Second World War the associations were re-founded as a 'Heimkehrerbund', and from the 1960s the first soldiers of the Second Republic were admitted, giving rise to the Kameradschaftsbund. The ÖKB uses the Leopoldskreuz, a cross type first used in the design of the Leopold-Orden created by Emperor Franz I in 1808. It issues a range of decorations, including the Großes Bundesehrenzeichen in Gold and Silber, the Bundesehrenkreuz in Gold and Silber, the Bundesverdienstkreuz in Gold and Silber, the Bundesverdienstmedaille in Gold, and the Kriegserinnerungskreuz 1939–1945; the Ehrenmitgliedschaft is its highest award. An Auszeichnungsordnung was adopted in Enns in 1993.

The origins of the Österreichischer Kameradschaftsbund lie in the Krieger- und Veteranenvereine, most of which arose after the battles of 1866 at Königgrätz and Custozza and after the occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878. Initially focused on the care of invalids and survivors, the associations soon devoted themselves to commemorating the fallen. In 1870 the first all-Austrian veterans' day took place, and in 1895 all independently acting associations joined in the 'k. k. österreichischen Militär-Veteranen-Reichsbund', known as the Kameradenbund. Besides participating in church festivities, the Kameradenbund above all organized commemorations for fallen, missing and deceased comrades and maintained war memorials and graves. From 1900 members were even permitted to wear uniform. After the Second World War the associations were re-founded as a 'Heimkehrerbund'; in the 1960s the first soldiers of the Second Republic were admitted, and thus the Kameradschaftsbund was born. So-called 'Weiße Jahrgänge' were the first non-serving persons integrated into the Kameradschaftsbund, and in the mid-1990s under President DDr. Felix Ermacora the federal association resolved that women could also be admitted as full members of the ÖKB.

1. 1OKBoekb.net
2. 2Leopoldskreuzoekb.net
3. 3Auszeichnungenoekb.net
4. 4Ursprung und Werteoekb.net
5. 5Österreichischer Kameradschaftsbundwikidata.org