GERMAN-AUSTRIA

HUGE BANKNOTES OF THE SHORT-LIVED GERMAN-AUSTRIAN REPUBLIC

 German-Austria (Deutsch-Österreich) was a short-lived republic that was created after World War I after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  It claimed sovereignty over the German speaking portions of the former Hapsburg Empire.  Not seeing itself as a viable nation, having lost the agricultural lands of Hungary and the industrial areas of Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) it planned to join Germany as part of the Weimar Republic. However the treaties forced upon Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire following their defeat prevented this.  The Treaty of Versailles prohibited its unification with Germany, and the Treaty of Saint Germain prohibited the it from calling itself German-Austria.  The modern Republic of Austria was created out of the central core of the German-Austrian Republic. Other areas claimed by German-Austria became parts of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Italy.  The banknotes of German-Austria utilized the plates used for the banknotes of the Austria-Hungarian Empire, however the notes were overprinted with the word “DEUTSCHÖSTERREICH”.  The 1000 Kronen notes of German-Austria was created in 1919 using the plates from the older Austro-Hungarian banknotes and still bears the 1902 date.  The front of note depict a crowned double-headed eagle in the center and a vignette of a young woman with garlands of flowers in her hair at the right.  The note has similar intricately engraved back featuring two vignettes of the same young woman.  The note measures approximately 194mm x 129mm  (approx. 7.6” x 5”).  They are attractive and historic large banknote.

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