5 Kronen Sigmundsherberg; PoW Camp

Sigmundsherberg, in Lower Austria, held one of the largest officer prisoner-of-war camps operated by the Austro-Hungarian military during the First World War. Camp scrip of this type was issued specifically to replace standard currency within the compound — officers were legally entitled to pay under the Hague Conventions, and a closed internal currency prevented that pay from funding escape attempts or black-market dealings with guards.

The Offiziersabteilung designation is precise: this is officer-section scrip, not general camp issue. A meaningful distinction — officer camps operated under different conditions and with different administrative structures than enlisted camps at the same site.