Paroli (uniform)

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Broad Parolis on battle-dress blouse before 1916 Landesschutze.png
Broad Parolis on battle-dress blouse before 1916
Broad Paroli with silke stars and special badge after 1913 Stabsfeldwebel K.u.k. Eisenbahnregiment.png
Broad Paroli with silke stars and special badge after 1913

The Paroli (pl. Parolis; en: gorget patch, collar tab, or patch) was initially the designation for the coloured gorget patches of the Austro-Hungarian Army. It is applied on the gorget of a uniform coat or jacket and the battle-dress blouse. The Parolis indicated the egalisation colour and served as discrimination criteria of the 102 infantry regiments of the Austro-Hungarian Army, as well as dragoon regiment (mounted infantry) and the regiment of the uhlans (light cavalry). In other German-speaking armed forces, the designation was called Kragenpatte, Kragenspiegel, or Arabesque.

Contents

Paroli in the Austro-Hungarian Army

In the Austro-Hungarian Army, two Parolis (on the left and right side) were applied to the front part of the uniform gorget on the coat, Waffenrock (en: service uniform, dress uniform and/or battle-dress blouse), as indicated below. Rank stars and special badges could be attached as appropriate and indicated below.

The rank stars of the rank groups gemeine, charges, and Unteroffiziere (NCOs) were made from white celluloid. However, since the year 1913 Paroli rank stars to Stabsfeldwebel and Kadett were made from white silk. Offiziersstellvertreter (officer deputy) rank stars were made from brass, and the rank stars designated for Fähnrich and officers were metallic gold-plated or silver-plated. In cases of self-procurement, metal embroidered rank stars were allowed.

Examples

The galleries below show examples of Parolis:

Paroli in Austria today

Paroli on coat of an Austrian fire fighter Mantelparoli 1652.jpg
Paroli on coat of an Austrian fire fighter

The system of rank insignia on military uniforms remains almost unchanged since the Austro-Hungarian Empire was established. Slight changes in wording has occurred, such as changing "paroli with distinction star" to "distinction insignia". However, today only the curved tongue on the coat with the upwards directed point is designated as Paroli.

The gallery below shows some examples of the today's Austrian Bundesheer.

Bundesheer
Rank Zugsführer Korporal Gefreiter
InsigniaShoulder board Zgf-aut-feldanzug.gif Kpl-aut-feldanzug.gif Gefr-aut-feldanzug.gif
Suit 75/3 Zgf Anzug 75 03 AT.jpg Kpl Anzug 75 03 AT.jpg Gefr Anzug 75 03 AT.jpg
Jacket gorget Zgf Rockkragen AT.jpg Kpl Rockkragen AT.jpg Gefr Rockkragen AT.jpg
Corps colourEngineersSkirmishing patrolNBC-Defence

Paroli in Hungary today

Paroli on a jacket of a Hungarian Officer Military of Hungary-welcome.jpg
Paroli on a jacket of a Hungarian Officer

The system of rank insignia on military uniforms remains almost unchanged since the Austro-Hungarian Empire was established except the Soviet occupation. In 1990 when Hungary became a sovereign country again, the HDF took on heritage rank insignia of the Royal Hungarian Army with slight changes. Today these gorget patches are still called Paroli.

Major General Tamas Sandor Sandor Tamas vezerornagy.jpg
Major General Tamás Sándor

The gallery below shows an example of the today's Hungarian Defence Forces.

Hungarian Defence Forces
Rank Chief Warrant Officer
InsigniaJacket gorget Rank Army Hungary Color 4 OR-10.svg

Branch colours

ColourBranch [1]
Carmine Logistics
Scarlet Artillery, Air defence and General Officers
Cornflower blue Signals and Electronics
Black Armoured and Chaplains
Steel greenTechnical, Chemical protection and Financial
Light blue Air Force
Rifle green Infantry
White Reconnaissance and Special Forces
Dark blue River Flotilla

Sources

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References

  1. "9/2005. (III. 30.) HM rendelet a Magyar Honvédség Öltözködési Szabályzatának kiadásáról". njt.hu/ (in Hungarian). Hungarian National Legal Repository. Retrieved 27 January 2023.