Legitimisation sheet for identifying fallen soldiers: A historical identification marker of the imperial and royal Army

Duty and content of the legitimisation sheet
From the start of mobilisation, all the groups mentioned had to carry the legitimation sheet with them until demobilisation. Personal data such as name, address, troop body, immunisations and religion were recorded. The data content was even more extensive for officers in particular. There were different versions of the sheet, adapted to the respective troop and rank.

In the event of death, death dates and witness statements were noted on the legitimisation sheet. Wills could also be recorded here. The legitimisation sheet could only be taken from a deceased soldier and only immediately before the funeral. The empty capsule was placed with the deceased for possible later exhumation.

Significance in the First World War
During the First World War, the legitimisation sheet was often the only way to identify fallen soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian army. Without this identification, soldiers were considered missing and no death certificate could be issued. This led to considerable personal and material problems for the relatives.

The legitimisation sheet was kept in a special legitimisation sheet capsule - a two-part, flat brass box with an eyelet for a string. This design largely protected the document from the weather, but it was not waterproof. Therefore, the document had to be filled in with a black pencil. The use of writing instruments that did not comply with the regulations often led to difficulties in identifying the fallen soldier.