IR 32

The 32nd Infantry regiment was the house-regiment of Budapest with long historic traditions. The permanent owner of the regiment (Regimentsinhaber) was Empress Maria Theresia. Her portrait is featured by the most popular and well known badge of the regiment. The script “Vitam et sanguinem!” recalls an event of 1741 when the young empress called for the help of the Hungarian nobility during the 7 years war. She made an outstanding impression on the otherwise very reluctant Hungarian noblemen who promised their support with these words “Our lives and blood!”. Gossips stated that they continued less loudly with another sentence: “But no grains!”

The badge features the portrait of the empress with the well known promise of the nobility, and the regiment banner. The post card depicts the original plate that served as a master copy for the badge. The badge was prepared either from black metal or from silver plate like the one on this picture.