While mustaches are now a subject of choice ( and occasionally outwear tongue - in - cheek ) , a century ago a man ’s facial hair was serious line of work . moustache and beards conveyed virility , age , and experience , not to cite the personalities of their wearers . Of course , the best complement to punctilious facial barbering was an elaborate uniform instinct with medals , medal , sashes , epaulettes , daggers , and other military accoutrements . Here are a few of the finest .
1. Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf
The war-ridden promontory of Austria - Hungary ’s United States Army had evenly warring facial hair . Like a Valkyrie ’s wings , the upswept ends warn of dreadful retribution .
2. Wilhelm II
The fickle German monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II encourage Austria - Hungary to attack Serbia in 1914 . Another case of the upswept Teutonic look .
3. Mahmud Shevket Pasha
One of many Ottoman Empire officials to be assassinated , Minister of War Mahmud Shevket Pasha was gunned down in Constantinople on June 11 , 1913 . A full byssus afforded no protection .
4. Enver Pasha
The pastor of war who led the Ottoman Empire into World War I in 1914 , Enver Pasha was a great admirer of all thing German , as chew over in his grooming choices .
5. Franz Josef I
By the offset of World War I in 1914 , Franz Josef had been emperor of Austria and king of Hungary for 66 years , and he had the side-whiskers to gibe .
6. Aleksandr Izvolsky
Russia ’s embassador to France , Count Aleksandr Izvolsky , was a Germanophobe who urge France to plunk for Russia ’s standstill against Germany in July 1914 . His moustache seconded the motion .
7. Alfred Redl
Redl was main of Austrian military intelligence for long time before beingblackmailedinto becoming a spy for Russia and then come out of the closet as homophile , causing a scandal . After bring out his perfidy , military officials suggested that Redl die by self-annihilation , which he did .
8. George I
George I was a Danish prince who became magnate of Greece in 1863 . He was assassinate in Salonika in March 1913 . This portrait enshrines his pilot handlebar mustache for posterity .
A version of this storey was published in 2013 ; it has been updated for 2023 .
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