Blasi, Walter Soldiers on Two Wheels. Motorcycles in the Austrian Federal Army of the First Republic (1920-1938)

This 320-page illustrated work is dedicated to an unexplored chapter in Austrias vehicular history, namely the use of motorcycles in the military. The time span reaches from 1903 and the first deployment of two-wheeled vehicles on manoeuvres in the k.u.k. Army, through the Federal Army of the First Republic and the Austrian motorcycles deployed between 1938 and 1945, right up to the demise of the despatch rider in 2008 in Austrias Second Federal Army. The text is complemented by numerous contemporary photographs as well as graphics and colour photographs of historical motorcycles related to the military from private collections. Here the reader can discover new and hitherto unknown facts about the testing and purchasing of motorcycles such as, for example, the background of the development of the Puch 800 and the 350 GS. This means that this work on military motorcycles is at the same time a valuable source of information on the civilian models produced by the Puch Works in Graz. The varied perception of Puch motorcycles by their users is particularly significant. Other Austrian brands (LAG and Delta-Gnom) were unable to make their mark in the Federal Army of the First Republic. In an era of economic hardship and political upheaval, the occasional foreign brand also reached the Federal Army, for example NSU, James, Harley-Davidson and Moto Guzzi. The German motorcycle manufacturer BMW enjoyed unchallenged popularity in Austrias military, Police and Gendarmerie forces but Austrias motor industry should not be underestimated in its role in the motorisation of the Federal Army. Government policies dictated that domestic production be supported by commissions from the authorities, although it was not unusual for these measures to be circumvented by individual public departments. After 1920 financial straits initially hampered the acquisition of motorcycles for the new Federal Army. Although purchasing despatch motorcycles was relatively unproblematic, the circuitous path to finding a suitable, domestically-produced motorcycle and sidecar combination for military use extended almost as far as Germanys annexation of Austria in 1938. In preparation for the writing of this book, the author spent several years researching sources in the Austrian State Archives and the Archives of the Republic, bringing to light some surprising facts. Based on these records a number of deep-seated rumours can now be dispelled. This book offers many new insights into a neglected chapter of Austrian military and motor-vehicle history.

The reader learns new and often previously unknown facts about the testing and procurement of motorbikes, such as the background to the development of the Puch 800 and the 350 GS. This book on military motorbikes is therefore also a valuable source of information on the civilian models produced by the Puch works in Graz. The different perceptions of the Puch two-wheelers among their users is particularly striking. Other domestic brands (LAG and Delta-Gnom) were not successful in the army of the First Republic. Occasionally, foreign brands, such as NSU, James, Harley-Davidson and Moto Guzzi, also found their way into the army at a time of economic hardship and political upheaval.
The German motorbike manufacturer BMW was undisputedly highly favoured by the Austrian military - but also by the police and gendarmerie, among others. However, the Austrian motor vehicle industry was a factor that should not be underestimated in the "motorcycleisation of the army", which was to be supported by orders from the authorities at the instigation of politicians. This measure was often undermined by the government departments concerned.
Financial bottlenecks had initially hindered the procurement of motorbikes by the young army from 1920 onwards. While the purchase of so-called "messenger bikes" was relatively unproblematic, the search for a domestic, powerful, militarily usable sidecar motorbike, accompanied by missteps, dragged on until the "Anschluss" to the German Reich in 1938.
This book was preceded by several years of source study by the author in the Austrian State Archives / Archives of the Republic, which brought some surprises to light. On the basis of the files, however, many a persistent rumour can now be relegated to the realm of fantasy. This book provides a wealth of new insights into a neglected chapter of Austrian military and motor vehicle history.