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The Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross was an
The first class cross was a large gold cross enamelled in white and worn around the neck it could be awarded with diamonds, a crown, oak leaves, and swords. of these only one award with diamonds is known, it was suspended from a Necklet. The second class was a slightly smaller design, its main difference being that it was suspended from a ribbon on the breast. It was not awarded a crown but could still be awarded oak leaves and swords. The third class cross was silver and unenamelled, save for the central badge on the obverse and reverse. The 4th class cross was completely unenamelled with both badges being in silver. the medals were identical in design with both gold and silver medals bearing the Schwarzburg lion on the obverse, with two oak sprays on the lower half, and the legend FÜR TREUE UND VERDIENST (for loyalty and merit), the reverse bears the cipher of the reigning monarch with a prince's crown.
Order of merit
The Order of Merit (french: link=no, Ordre du Mérite) is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by K ...
common to the principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.
History
The order was founded in 1853 by Friedrich Günther, Sovereign Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt to reward meritorious service to the Principality. In 1857 the Order became a joint award with the otherSchwarzburg Schwarzburg may refer to:
* Schwarzburg (municipality)
* The House of Schwarzburg
* Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
* Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
* House of Schwarzburg
* 13th-century fortress built by the Teutonic Order in Transylvania, present day Codlea
...
principality of Sonderhausen.
The Order was originally composed of three grades of crosses and a medal. In 1866 the medal was divided into a gold and silver medal. In 1870 with the onset of the Franco-Prussian War, Crossed swords were added for wartime military merit, whilst in 1873 the cross was further expanded to comprise four grades of crosses.
In 1911 with the merging of Rudolstadt and Sonderhausen the crosses and medals of the order were harmonised.
The 1st class cross of the order could awarded with or without a crown, whilst in 1915 with the outbreak of World War I oak leaves were incorporated into both the crosses and the medals which bore the dates 1914 and 1915. During the war, a non-combat medal for soldiers was introduced, which had a blue ribbon with a red stripe.
Description
The first class cross was a large gold cross enamelled in white and worn around the neck it could be awarded with diamonds, a crown, oak leaves, and swords. of these only one award with diamonds is known, it was suspended from a Necklet. The second class was a slightly smaller design, its main difference being that it was suspended from a ribbon on the breast. It was not awarded a crown but could still be awarded oak leaves and swords. The third class cross was silver and unenamelled, save for the central badge on the obverse and reverse. The 4th class cross was completely unenamelled with both badges being in silver. the medals were identical in design with both gold and silver medals bearing the Schwarzburg lion on the obverse, with two oak sprays on the lower half, and the legend FÜR TREUE UND VERDIENST (for loyalty and merit), the reverse bears the cipher of the reigning monarch with a prince's crown.
Notable recipients
1st class
* Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal (with diamonds and swords) * August von Werder * Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg (with crown) *Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
Dietrich Graf von Hülsen-Haeseler (February 13, 1852 – November 14, 1908) was an infantry general of the German Empire.
He attended the War College and was attached to the German General Staff in 1882. In 1889 he was made aide de camp to Kai ...
(with crown)
*Friedrich von Scholl Friedrich may refer to:
Names
*Friedrich (surname), people with the surname ''Friedrich''
*Friedrich (given name), people with the given name ''Friedrich''
Other
*Friedrich (board game), a board game about Frederick the Great and the Seven Years' ...
*Hugo von Radolin
Hugo, Prince of Radolin (german: Hugo Fürst von Radolin; 1 April 1841 – 12 July 1917), born Hugo Julius Raoul Eduard Graf Leszczyc von Radolin-Radolinski, was a Polish-German aristocrat and statesman who served as an ambassador for the King ...
* Karl von Wedel
* Gustav von Alvensleben
2nd class
* Hermann von François3rd class
* Gerd von Rundstedt *Gotthard Heinrici
Gotthard Fedor August Heinrici (25 December 1886 – 10 December 1971) was a German general during World War II. Heinrici is considered as the premier defensive expert of the ''Wehrmacht''. His final command was Army Group Vistula, formed from t ...
* Günther Blumentritt
References
Orders of merit Orders, decorations, and medals of the German Empire Awards established in 1853 Awards disestablished in 1918 {{Orders, decorations, and medals of the German Empire