Grand Merit Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany
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The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellectual or honorary fields. It was created by the first
President of the Federal Republic of Germany The president of Germany, officially the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: link=no, Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland),The official title within Germany is ', with ' being added in international corres ...
, Theodor Heuss, on 7 September 1951. Colloquially, the decorations of the different classes of the Order are also known as the Federal Cross of Merit (). It has been awarded to over 200,000 individuals in total, both Germans and foreigners. Since the 1990s, the number of annual awards has declined from over 4,000, first to around 2,300–2,500 per year, and now under 2,000, with a low of 1752 in 2011. Since 2013, women have made up a steady 30–35% of recipients. Most of the German federal states (''Länder'') have each their own
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 ...
as well, with the exception of the
Free Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procur ...
and Hanseatic Cities of
Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state consis ...
and Hamburg, which reject any orders (by old tradition their citizens, particularly former or present senators, will refuse any decoration in the form of an order, the most famous example being former
Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
Helmut Schmidt).


History

The order was established on 7 September 1951 by the decree of Federal President Theodor Heuss. Signed by Heuss, German
Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
Konrad Adenauer, and
Minister of the Interior An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
Robert Lehr Robert Lehr (20 August 1883 – 13 October 1956) was a German politician (DNVP, CDU). He served as Federal Minister of the Interior from 1950 to 1953 under chancellor Konrad Adenauer. Early life Robert Lehr was born on 20 August 1883 in Celle ...
, the decree states: In 2022 Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier introduced a gender quota which demands a minimum of 40% of nominees to the order to be women.


Classes

The Order comprises four groups with eight regular classes and one special (medal) class (hereafter enumerated in English): * Grand Cross (german: Großkreuz) ** Grand Cross special class (); the highest class of the Order reserved for heads of state. ** Grand Cross 1st class, special issue (); equivalent to Grand Cross 1st class, but with laurel wreath design (awarded only twice in history, to Konrad Adenauer and Helmut Kohl) ** Grand Cross 1st class (); Grand Cross * Great Cross of Merit () ** Grand Cross (); Great Cross with Star and Sash ** Knight Commander's Cross (); Great Cross with Star ** Commander's Cross (); Great Cross of Merit * Cross of Merit () ** Officer's Cross (); Cross of Merit 1st Class ** Cross (); Member * Medal of Merit () ** Medal () The President of the Federal Republic holds the ''Grand Cross special class''
ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...
. It is awarded to him in a ceremony by the President of the Bundestag, attended by the
Chancellor of Germany The chancellor of Germany, officially the federal chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,; often shortened to ''Bundeskanzler''/''Bundeskanzlerin'', / is the head of the federal government of Germany and the commander in chief of the Ge ...
, the President of the Bundesrat, and the Supreme Court President. Other than the German president, only a foreign head of state and their spouse can be awarded with this highest class. There is also the provision of awarding the ''Grand Cross 1st class'' in a "special issue" with laurel wreath design (), in which the central medallion with the black eagle is surrounded by a stylized laurel wreath in relief. This ''Grand Cross 1st class, special issue'' has been awarded so far only twice, to former German chancellors Konrad Adenauer and Helmut Kohl.


Insignia

Except for the lowest class, the medal, the badge is the same for all classes, but with slightly different versions for men and women (slightly smaller badge and ribbon for women): The badge for the Member and Officer classes however are only enamelled on one side, and flat on the reverse. The ''badge'' of the Order is made up of a golden four-armed cross enamelled in red, with a central gold disc bearing a black enamelled German federal eagle ( Bundesadler). The ''star'' is a golden star with straight rays, its size and points vary according to class, with the badge superimposed upon it. An interesting fact about the stars, of which no less than four grades use one, is that they all have the same basic shape as various other breast stars from German history. * 8-pointed golden Star: Grand Cross special class - the same shape as the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle * 6-pointed golden Star: Grand Cross 1st class (and ''special issue'' design if golden oak crown between the cross branches around the medallion) - the same shape as the Third Reich Order of the German Eagle * 4-pointed golden Star: Grand Cross (Grand Cross of Merit with Star and Sash) - the same shape as the Third Reich Social Welfare Decoration * silver Square-upon-point: Knight Commander (Grand Officer) - the same shape as the Grand Cross of the Pour le Mérite The reasoning behind this is not clear. It is not known if this is deliberate or coincidence, as the tools used to make the stars were in short supply after the war, and using stamping dies that were readily available and could be reused or acquired from other manufacturers would have been a good way of cutting costs and simplifying production in a Germany only just starting to experience the '' Wirtschaftswunder''. It is of course possible that this could have been deliberate, and a way to celebrate German history in the design of the new honour for the Federal Republic. This is unlikely however as two stars represent decorations awarded during the Third Reich, and the other two are of Prussian origin. Prussia itself had only been recently abolished and the legacy of so called "
Prussian militarism Militarism is the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values. It may also imply the glorification of the mili ...
" was not something openly celebrated in the new Federal Republic of Germany. The '' riband'' of the Order is made up of the colours of the German flag. The pattern is a large central band of red, edged on both sides in a smaller band of gold-black-gold.Hieronymussen, P. O., ''Orders and Decorations of Europe in Color'' ( London: Macmillan Publishers, 1967).


Gallery

File:German order merit with special sash.jpg, File:German Order of Merit Grand Cross First Class.jpg, File:Bundesverdienstkreuz mit Schulterband.jpg, File:Bundesverdienstkreuz Stern.jpg, File:Saksan liittotasavallan ansioristikunnan suurristin rintataähti.png, File:Gr Verdienstkreuz BVK.jpg, File:Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.jpg, File:OĞUZ MADALYA 003.jpg, File:Bundesarchiv Bild 199-1992-089-29, Britische Königin Elisabeth II. in Brühl.jpg, File:Bundesadler on the inner lid of the German Order of Merit.png, The gold foil German Bundesadler found on the inner lid of the Order File:Bundesverdienstkreuz Grand Cross with Star and Sash.png, Grand Cross with Star and Sash File:Bundesverdienstkreuz Grand Cross badge.png, Grand Cross with badge File:Bundesverdienstkreuz Grand Cross with Star and Sash in case.png, Grand Cross with Star and Sash in case File:Bundesverdienstkreuz Grand Cross with Star and Sash set.png, Grand Cross with Star and Sash set File:Bundesverdienstkreuz Grand Cross Star.png, Grand Cross Star File:Bundesverdienstkreuz Commander Class.png, Commanders Cross set File:Bundesverdienstkreuz Commander.png, Commanders Class in case File:Commander Class set of the German Bundesverdienstkreuz.png, Commanders Class


Recipients


See also

* Iron Cross * Order of Karl Marx * Pour le Mérite *
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...
* Awards and decorations of the German Armed Forces


References


External links

*
Classes of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany with their official French, English, Spanish and Russian translations

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany brochure


{{DEFAULTSORT:Order Of Merit Of The Federal Republic Of Germany 1951 establishments in West Germany Awards established in 1951 Civil awards and decorations of Germany Orders, decorations, and medals of Germany Merit Of The Federal Republic Of Germany, Order of Orders of merit