150 years - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 1999 - 7 Shilling

The gendarmerie is in its origin a French institution. From 1791, the gendarmerie in France was responsible for the security service. The head badge of the gendarmerie - ¿the flaming grenade '- still today dates back to this period. The institution was introduced throughout Europe during the Napoleonic Wars. On June 8, 1849, Emperor Franz Josef I granted the establishment of a gendarmerie for the whole of Austria-Hungary. In the postwar period, the gendarmerie was one of the few state organizations of the young republic of Austria, which did not collapse under the impact of change. The end of the occupation, the peaceful conditions in Austria and the growing prosperity gave the gendarmerie the opportunity for constant development. With the east opening new challenges came to them. The organization of the gendarmerie was redesigned and adapted to modern requirements. Through many measures, such as the presence of the gendarmes in the field, the crime could be reduced. In the context of the accession of Austria to the European Union, a "border guarding" was established, which guarantees the protection of the EU external borders. In the anniversary year, the Austrian Federal Gendarmerie has a staff of almost 15,000 employees. These are responsible for the safety of about two-thirds of all Austrians to 98 percent of Austria's national territory.