Last modified: 2022-12-27 by martin karner
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There is no general flag for the fire-brigades in Austria, no "fire-brigade service flag". This is mainly due to the fact that they are not centrally, but locally organized, and all organizational levels above the local level are only umbrella organizations.
However, there are umbrella organizations on district, state and federal level. The organization on the federal level is the
Österreichischer Bundesfeuerwehrverband (Austrian Federal Fire-Brigade
Federation), the state level organizations are called
Landesfeuerwehrverband (State Fire-Brigade Federation).
The symbol commonly used by the Austrian fire brigades is a shield-shaped emblem:
Gules, a bend sinister Argent, over all a cogwheel Or under a torch Or, all surrounded by a bordure Or.
The Bundesfeuerwehrverband and the Landesfeuerwehrverbände use flags of a common pattern, namely the
national flag or the state flags, respectively, charged with the fire-brigade symbol. These are,
as far as I know, only used as vertical, hanging flags.
Also the youth organization, the Jugendfeuerwehr has a similar symbol, that is used on the flags like the general fire-brigade symbol.
The symbol is similar to the general symbol described above, but adds a golden "J" (for
Jugend = youth).
for the emblem see (middle)
https://ssl.fahnenfabrik.at/dateien/2844_FF-Korpsabzeichen%20FF-Jugend%20FF-Bundesleistungsabzeichen.jpg
The fire-brigades frequently have competitions among them in several categories. After successfully
absolving these competitions one gets a Feuerwehrleistungsabzeichen (fire-brigade achievement medal). This medal is also used as a badge on
the particular competition flags, however in colour. As with the other flags described above this is usually placed on the respective state flag.
for the emblem see (bottom)
https://ssl.fahnenfabrik.at/dateien/2844_FF-Korpsabzeichen%20FF-Jugend%20FF-Bundesleistungsabzeichen.jpg
The local voluntary fire-brigades (Freiwillige Feuerwehren) do have their own standard (or parade flag), heavily embroidered and in some cases from the early times of their organization. As with other standards of associations in Germany and Austria, they also feature streamers (Fahnenbänder).
In addition to the standard, the fire-brigades have triangular pennants as well. As far as I understand, these are (more or less) exclusively given to the youth organizations, the Jugendfeuerwehr. These pennants are of a simpler design, usually horizontal bicolours, with some arms and inscriptions.
M. Schmöger, 2 October 2007
See also:
