The Bavarian Military Merit Order (german: Militär-Verdienstorden) was established on 19 July 1866 by

King Ludwig II of Bavaria King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ti ...

. It was the kingdom's main decoration for bravery and military merit for officers and higher-ranking officials. Civilians acting in support of the army were also made eligible for the decoration. The Military Merit Order ranked below the

Military Order of Max Joseph The Military Order of Max Joseph (german: Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden) was the highest military order of the Kingdom of Bavaria. It was founded on 1 January 1806 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, the first king of Bavaria. The order came in t ...

(''Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden''), which was Bavaria's highest military honor for officers (and conferred a patent of non-hereditary nobility on officers who were not already nobles).

Description and Wear

The design of the order was a

Maltese cross The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four " V" or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically. It is a heraldic cross variant which developed ...

of blue enamel with a center medallion. Between the arms of most classes (and all classes after 1905) were golden flames (silver flames for the 4th Class after the 1905 revisions of the order). The obverse of the center medallion had a gold crowned "L" cipher (for the founder King Ludwig II) on the black-enameled center and the word "MERENTI" on a ring of white enamel edged in gold (later silver-gilt). The reverse had a gold Bavarian lion on black enamel with the date of founding, "1866", on the white-enameled ring (the Officer's Cross, a class created in 1900, had a plain flat reverse). Most of the various classes of the order were of different sizes and worn differently, as sash badges over the shoulder, as neck badges, or as breast badges suspended from a ribbon. The Officer's Cross was a pinback cross worn on the lower left chest, as were the breast stars associated with various classes.

Classes

By World War I (after a wholesale revision of the order statutes in 1905 published in the ''Verordnungs-blatt des Königlich bayerischen Kriegsministeriums 1905'', Nr. 27, 6. Dez. 1905), the order had evolved into the following classes: * Grand Cross (''Großkreuz'') - Cross worn from a sash with a breast star * 1st Class (''1. Klasse'') - Smaller cross worn from a sash with a breast star * 2nd Class (''2. Klasse'') - Smaller cross worn from a ribbon around the neck * Officer's Cross (''Offizierskreuz'') - Pinback cross worn on the lower left chest; the cross had an elongated lower arm. * 3rd Class (''3. Klasse'') - Smaller cross worn from a ribbon on the upper left chest. * 4th Class (''4. Klasse'') - Same cross as the 3rd Class, except with silver flames and, where applicable, crown and swords The order could be awarded with or without swords (which generally indicated wartime or combat awards). The Grand Cross and 1st Class always came with a breast star, but the 2nd Class could be awarded with or without the breast star. The 3rd and 4th Classes could be awarded with or without a crown. Generally, these distinctions were based on rank, but in certain cases were used to permit a second award for further acts of bravery or military merit. During World War I, the order was typically awarded as follows: * Grand Cross with Swords (''Großkreuz mit Schwertern'') - Field marshals, colonel generals, generals * 1st Class with Swords (''1. Klasse mit Schwertern'') - Generals, some lieutenant generals * 2nd Class with Star and with Swords (''2. Klasse mit dem Stern und mit Schwertern'') - Lieutenant generals, major generals who already had the 2nd Class with Swords * 2nd Class with Swords (''2. Klasse mit Schwertern'') - Major generals * Officer's Cross with Swords (''Offizierskreuz mit Schwertern'') - Colonels, some lieutenant colonels * 3rd Class with Crown and Swords (''3. Klasse mit der Krone und mit Schwertern'') - Colonels, lieutenant colonels * 3rd Class with Swords (''3. Klasse mit Schwertern'') - Lieutenant colonels, majors * 4th Class with Crown and Swords (''4. Klasse mit der Krone und mit Schwertern'') - Majors, captains (and a few lieutenants) who already had the 4th Class with Swords * 4th Class with Swords (''4. Klasse mit Schwertern'') - Captains, lieutenants In addition, there was an associated Military Merit Cross, which was open to non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers.

Notable recipients

Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria ''Leopold Charles Joseph William Louis'' , image_size = , image = Luitpold Wittelsbach cropped.jpg , succession = Prince Regent of Bavaria , reign = 10 June 1886 – 12 December 1912 , reign-type = Tenure , regent = Ludw ...

- Received the Grand Cross in the

Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War, also by many variant names such as Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), (; "German war of brothers") and by a variety of other names, was fought in 186 ...

of 1866. * King

Ludwig III of Bavaria Ludwig III (Ludwig Luitpold Josef Maria Aloys Alfried; 7 January 1845 – 18 October 1921) was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 to 1918. Initially he served in the Bavarian military as a lieutenant and went on to hold the rank of Oberl ...

- Received the Knight's Cross 1st Class (after 1905 the 3rd Class) as a lieutenant in the

. * Leopold, Prince of Bavaria - Field marshal in World War I; received the Knight 2nd Class with Swords (after 1905 the 4th Class) in the

; prewar recipient of the Grand Cross, he received Swords to the Grand Cross in 1917. *

Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria, Duke of Bavaria, Franconia and in Swabia, Count Palatine by (the) Rhine (''Rupprecht Maria Luitpold Ferdinand''; English: ''Robert Maria Leopold Ferdinand''; 18 May 1869 – 2 August 1955), was the last hei ...

- Field marshal in World War I; prewar recipient of the Grand Cross, he received Swords to the Grand Cross in 1917. * Martin Chales de Beaulieu - Prussian general; received 3rd Class with Swords *

Otto von Below Otto Ernst Vinzent Leo von Below (18 January 1857 – 15 March 1944) served as a Prussian general officer in the Imperial German Army during the First World War (1914–1918). He arguably became most notable for his command, along with the Aus ...

- Prussian general; received 1st Class with Swords in 1915 * Karl Bodenschatz - Adjutant to Manfred von Richthofen in World War I, liaison officer between Hermann Goering and Adolf Hitler as ''Luftwaffe'' General in World War II, received 4th Class with Swords. * Jakob Ritter von Danner - Bavarian officer; received a 4th Class with Swords for the

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, the Boxer Insurrection, or the Yihetuan Movement, was an anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising in China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by ...

, and the 3rd Class with Swords, 3rd Class with Crown and Swords, and Officer's Cross with Swords in World War I. *

Max von Fabeck Herrmann Gustav Karl Max von Fabeck (6 May 1854 – 16 December 1916) was a Prussian military officer and a German '' General der Infantarie'' during World War I. He commanded the 13th Corps in the 5th Army and took part in the Race to the Sea o ...

- Prussian General *

Erich von Falkenhayn General Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn (11 September 1861 – 8 April 1922) was the second Chief of the German General Staff of the First World War from September 1914 until 29 August 1916. He was removed on 29 August 1916 after ...

- Prussian general and Chief of the General Staff; received the 1st Class with Swords in 1914 and the Grand Cross with Swords in 1915. *

Robert Ritter von Greim Robert ''Ritter'' von Greim (born Robert Greim; 22 June 1892 – 24 May 1945) was a German field marshal and First World War flying ace. In April 1945, in the last days of World War II, Adolf Hitler appointed Greim commander-in-chief of the ''L ...

- Bavarian pilot, later ''

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegera ...

'' field marshal in World War II; received the 4th Class with Swords in 915and the 4th Class with Crown and Swords in 1917. *

Wilhelm Groener Karl Eduard Wilhelm Groener (; 22 November 1867 – 3 May 1939) was a German general and politician. His organisational and logistical abilities resulted in a successful military career before and during World War I. After a confrontation wi ...

- Prussian officer, Defense Minister of Germany 1928-32; received the Officer's Cross with Swords in 1914. *

Franz Halder Franz Halder (30 June 1884 – 2 April 1972) was a German general and the chief of staff of the Army High Command (OKH) in Nazi Germany from 1938 until September 1942. During World War II, he directed the planning and implementation of Operati ...

- Bavarian officer, later Chief of the German General Staff in World War II; received the 4th Class with Swords and the 4th Class with Crown and Swords in World War I. * Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord - Later Chief of the Army Leadership (''Heeresleitung''), the Weimar Republic equivalent of Commander of the Army; received the 4th Class with Swords in World War I. * Franz Ritter von Hipper - Bavarian-born German admiral; received the 2nd Class with Star and Swords in 1915. *

Max Hoffmann Carl Adolf Maximilian Hoffmann (25 January 1869 – 8 July 1927) was a German military strategist. As a staff officer at the beginning of World War I, he was Deputy Chief of Staff of the 8th Army, soon promoted Chief of Staff. Hoffmann, along ...

- Prussian officer and strategist in World War I; received the 3rd Class with Swords, 3rd Class with Crown and Swords, and Officer's Cross with Swords over a period of six months in 1916. *

Max Immelmann Max Immelmann (21 September 1890 – 18 June 1916) '' PLM'' was the first German World War I flying ace.Shores, 1983, p. 10. He was a pioneer in fighter aviation and is often mistakenly credited with the first aerial victory using a synch ...

- German ace pilot; received the 4th Class with Swords in World War I. *

Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein Friedrich Siegmund Georg Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein (also ; 24 April 1870 – 16 October 1948) was a German general from Nuremberg. He was a member of the group of German officers who assisted in the direction of the Ottoman Army duri ...

- Bavarian general and commander of Ottoman forces in World War I; received the 3rd Class with Crown and Swords in 1915 and the Officer's Cross with Swords in 1916. *

Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Wilhelm Josef Franz Ritter von Leeb (5 September 1876 – 29 April 1956) was a German field marshal and war criminal in World War II. Leeb was a highly decorated officer in World War I and was awarded the Military Order of Max Joseph which gr ...

- Bavarian officer, later Field Marshal in World War II; received the 4th Class with Swords in 1914, the 4th Class with Crown and Swords in 1916, and the 3rd Class with Swords in 1917. * Fritz von Lossberg - Prussian officer and strategist; received the 3rd Class with Crown and Swords in 1914. *

August von Mackensen Anton Ludwig Friedrich August von Mackensen (born Mackensen; 6 December 1849 – 8 November 1945), ennobled as "von Mackensen" in 1899, was a German field marshal. He commanded successfully during World War I of 1914–1918 and became one of th ...

- Prussian general, later field marshal; received the Grand Cross with Swords in 1915 *

Hans von Seeckt Johannes "Hans" Friedrich Leopold von Seeckt (22 April 1866 – 27 December 1936) was a German military officer who served as Chief of Staff to August von Mackensen and was a central figure in planning the victories Mackensen achieved for German ...

- Prussian officer and later Chief of the ''Heeresleitung''; received the 2nd Class with Swords in 1915 and the Star to the 2nd Class in 1916. * Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma - Bavarian officer and later World War II general; received the 4th Class with Swords in World War I. *

Gerd von Rundstedt Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (12 December 1875 – 24 February 1953) was a German field marshal in the '' Heer'' (Army) of Nazi Germany during World War II. Born into a Prussian family with a long military tradition, Rundstedt entered t ...

- Prussian officer and later Field Marshal in World War II *

Paul Hausser Paul Hausser also known as Paul Falk after taking his maiden name post war (7 October 1880 – 21 December 1972) was a German general and then a high-ranking commander in the Waffen-SS who played a key role in the post-war efforts by former mem ...

- Prussian officer and later

SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer ''SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer'' () was (from 1942 to 1945) the highest commissioned rank in the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS), with the exception of ''Reichsführer-SS'', which became a commissioned rank when held by SS commander Heinrich Himmler. The r ...

und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS in World War II

References

* Dr. Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann, ''Pour le Mérite und Tapferkeitsmedaille'' (1966) * Jörg Nimmergut, ''Deutsche Orden'' (1979) * Erhard Roth, ''Verleihungen von militärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen des Königreichs Bayern im Ersten Weltkrieg 1914-1918'' (1997)

Description and Wear

Classes

Notable recipients

References

See also