The mixed deployment of the Austro-Hungarian and German troops took place in several places as early as the end of 1914. A more typical solution was the use of Austro-Hungarian divisions attached to the German army (basically the 11th Army). But it also happened that German troops were commanded to the higher units of the Monarchy. Such was the Bothmer Corps, which was ordered to reinforce the Pflanzer-Baltin Army Group (later the 7th Army) in early 1915. This corps took the name Karpathenkorps in 1916.
The German Karpathenkorps (German Fourth Corps) included the 1st Division with three East Prussian regiments and the newly formed 200th Division. According to the schedule, they fought on the front lines of the 7th Army in Bukovina and in the Eastern Carpathians. In 1916, Emperor Franz Joseph (according to other sources, Charles) donated the Karpathenkorps badge, which is the subject of this post, to the soldiers of the corps for their services in the protection of the Carpathians. In the wearing photo, the badge is worn by an Austro-Hungarian sergeant. According to some sources, the badge was also awarded to Austro-Hungarian troops from December 1916.
