The Düppel Storm Cross (german: Düppeler-Sturmkreuz) was a military medal of the

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Re ...

. The cross was awarded to Prussian participants in the

Battle of Dybbøl The Battle of Dybbøl ( da, Slaget ved Dybbøl; german: Erstürmung der Düppeler Schanzen) was the key battle of the Second Schleswig War, fought between Denmark and Prussia. The battle was fought on the morning of 18 April 1864, following ...

(''Düppeler Schanzen'') which took place on 18 April 1864, during the

Second Schleswig War The Second Schleswig War ( da, Krigen i 1864; german: Deutsch-Dänischer Krieg) also sometimes known as the Dano-Prussian War or Prusso-Danish War was the second military conflict over the Schleswig-Holstein Question of the nineteenth century. T ...

. Established by

Wilhelm Wilhelm may refer to: People and fictional characters * William Charles John Pitcher, costume designer known professionally as "Wilhelm" * Wilhelm (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname Other uses * Mount ...

King of Prussia The monarchs of Prussia were members of the House of Hohenzollern who were the hereditary rulers of the former German state of Prussia from its founding in 1525 as the Duchy of Prussia. The Duchy had evolved out of the Teutonic Order, a Roman C ...

on 18 October 1864, the cross was initially awarded to combatants and noncombatants who directly participated in the battle. The following year, versions were created for those troops held in reserve at the battle and members of the Johanniter Orden who participated in the battle.

Appearance

Medal

The Düppel Storm Cross was designed by Friedrich Wilhelm Kullrich, a Prussian court

medalist A medalist (or medallist) is an artist who designs medals, plaquettes, badges, metal medallions, coins and similar small works in relief in metal. Historically, medalists were typically also involved in producing their designs, and were usually e ...

. It was the first of three commemorative crosses awarded during the 1860s with similar designs. The medal is in the shape of a

cross pattée A cross pattée, cross patty or cross paty, also known as a cross formy or cross formée (french: croix pattée, german: Tatzenkreuz), is a type of Christian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre, and often flared in a curve or straight ...

. Visible between the arms of the cross is a laurel wreath. Superimposed in the center of the cross is a round medallion. On the

obverse Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''o ...

, the medallion bears the left-facing effigy of King Wilhelm I circumscribed are the words ''WILHELM KOENIG VON PREUSSEN'' (William King of Prussia). The medallion on the reverse depicts a crowned

Prussian eagle The state of Prussia developed from the State of the Teutonic Order. The original flag of the Teutonic Knights had been a black cross on a white flag. Emperor Frederick II in 1229 granted them the right to use the black Eagle of the Holy Roman Empi ...

perched upon a Danish cannon. The top arm of the cross has the word ''DÜPPEL'', the left arm of the cross has ''18'', the right arm has ''APR.'', and the bottom arm of the cross bears the year ''1864''. A version for members of the Johanniter Orden was identical in design but made of

niello Niello is a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver, and lead, used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. It is added as a powder or paste, then fired until it melts or at least softens, and flows or is pushed ...

ed iron.

Ribbons

The combatants ribbon (''Kämpferband''), was a 32 mm wide blue silk ribbon, in the color of the

Prussian Crown Order The Royal Order of the Crown (german: Königlicher Kronen-Orden) was a Prussian Order (decoration), order of chivalry. Instituted in 1861 as an honour equal in rank to the Order of the Red Eagle, membership could only be conferred upon commissio ...

ribbon. At the edges were a black stripe and white stripe, with a very thin white stripe on the outside edge. The non-combatants ribbon (''Nichtkämpferband'') was of orange silk, the edges were thin stripes of white, black and white. The orange was divided into thirds by two thin blue stripes. The ribbon for troops held in reserve (''Band für Reservetruppen'') was blue with thin white edges. In the center were wide stripes of white, black and white. The ribbon for Johanniter Orden recipients was suspended from the ribbon of the

House Order of Hohenzollern The House Order of Hohenzollern (german: Hausorden von Hohenzollern or ') was a dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Hohenzollern awarded to military commissioned officers and civilians of comparable status. Associated with the various ...

(''Bande des Hausordens von Hohenzollern''). This ribbon is white, with a black central stripe and black stripes near the edge.

References

{{reflist Military awards and decorations of Prussia 1864 establishments in Prussia Awards established in 1864