Hausner Gábor - Kincses Katalin Mária - Veszprémy László szerk.: A Hadtörténeti Múzeum Értesítője. Acta Musei Militaris in Hungaria. 4. „Kard és koszorú”. Ezer év magyar uralmi és katonai jelképei. (Budapest, 2001)

KATONAI JELKÉPEK - SZOLECZKY EMESE: A végelbocsátás jelképei

gedient, den Feldzug im Jahre 1866 mitgemacht, während desselben keine Verwundung erhalten, ist wegen seiner Gefechte bewiesenen Tapferkeit mit ausgezeichnet worden und ist berechtigt, die Kriegs Medaille zu tragen. Nachdem Obbbenannter der gesetzlichen Wehrpflicht vollkommen genügt hat, so wird derselbe mit 31-ten Dezember 1874 aus dem Verbände S. M. Kriegs-Marine entlassen, und ihm im Grunde des §. 39 des Wehrgesetzes /XI. Gesetzartikels, 1868 die gegenwärtige Urkunde ertheilt. [,,K. K. Matrosen Corps Commando" bélyegzőlenyomat] S. k. k. Majestät wirklicher Linienschiffs-Capitän und Matrossen-Corps-Commandant J. G. v. Nauta Gegeben zu Pola am lten Jänner 1875 SYMBOLS OF MILITARY DISCHARGE Throughout the centuries the military veteran and his discharge letter was a tangible conceptual element in Hungarian public opinion. For the original and official goal - proving that one's military service was done - the 'Abschied' in German, then with the Royal Hungarian Army having been established (1868), the Hungarian language version, the 'final release' was provided and certified by the military authorities. This printed document, with the development of typography and as a result of a certain popular demand, besides keeping its basic function, became more and more embellished in the second half of the 19

th century. At that time, for several reasons, this special recognition of military service was proudly displayed for the public viewing on the room walls of the discharged soldier's domicile. On the one hand the display announced one's initiation into society, moreover one's enlightenment and stability. On the other hand the document represented one's ideological commitment to the more private community. At last but not least, intentionally or not, it communicated the military's positive role in society. Besides the ornamented 'Abschied', which could only be personalised through its contents, from the 1880s the use of colour printed wall pictures, immortalising time in service, were widespread. With the attachment of a small photograph portrait, amidst full military pomp and associated with the branch of service the individual had served with, it was a memory to the discharged warrior. Just like the final discharge, the commemorative leaf of service had been renewed many times by the end of World War II. In the case of the discharge document the certificatory and decorative functions had almost completely been divided by the end of the era, with the commemorative leaf of service taking over the latter role.