Orders, decorations, and medals of the German Empire covers those decorations awarded by the states which came together under Prussian leadership to form the

German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

in 1871. For convenience's sake, this category also covers the decorations of the various German states which were no longer in existence in 1871, mainly because they had been annexed by Prussia during the Wars of Unification or before.

German Empire

The German Empire consisted of 25 states: four kingdoms, six grand duchies, five duchies, seven principalities and three

Hanseatic cities The Hanseatic League (; gml, Hanse, , ; german: label= Modern German, Deutsche Hanse) was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe. Growing from a few North German tow ...

. In addition, the house order of the Hohenzollern principalities, although the states themselves had been annexed by Prussia, continued to be awarded in the imperial era. Each state awarded decorations for civil or military merit. The following is a list of the principal civil and military decorations of each state.

Kingdom of Prussia

;Orders *

Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King i ...

* Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown *

Order of the Red Eagle The Order of the Red Eagle (german: Roter Adlerorden) was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful se ...

* Order of the Crown * Royal House Order of Hohenzollern *

Pour le Mérite The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Order of the Red Eag ...

* Johanniter Order *

Order of Louise The Order of Louise (German: ''Luisen-Orden'') was founded on 3 August 1814 by Frederick William III of Prussia to honor his late wife, the much beloved Queen Louise (''née Luise Auguste Wilhelmine Amalie, Herzogin zu Mecklenburg-Strelitz''). ...

Wilhelm-Orden The Imperial and Royal Order of Wilhelm (''English language, in English'' "William-Order") was instituted on 18 January 1896 by the German Emperor and King of Prussia William II, German Emperor, Willhelm II as a high civilian award, and was dedi ...

;Civil decorations * Life Saving Medal * Red Cross Medal * Merit Cross in Gold or Silver * Cross of the General Honor Decoration * General Honor Decoration *

Jerusalem Cross The Jerusalem cross (also known as "five-fold Cross", or "cross-and-crosslets") is a heraldic cross and Christian cross variant consisting of a large cross potent surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses, one in each quadrant. It was used as t ...

* Cross of the Mount of Olives, established in 1909 ;Military and war decorations *

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...

* Military Merit Cross * Military Honor Medal 1st Class and Military Honor Medal 2nd Class *

Merit Cross for War Aid The Merit Cross for War Aid (german: Verdienstkreuz für Kriegshilfe) was a war decoration of Prussia awarded during World War I. Instituted 5 December 1916, the cross was awarded for patriotic war aid service, without regard to status or rank. A ...

* Duppel Storm Cross * Alsen Cross * Warrior Merit Medal * War Commemorative Medal of 1813/15 *

War Commemorative Medal of 1870/71 The War Commemorative Medal of 1870-1871 (german: Kriegsdenkmünze für die Feldzüge 1870–1871) is a campagian medal presented by German Emperor, Kaiser William I, German Emperor, William I in his capacity as List of monarchs of Prussia, King of ...

* 1866 Commemorative Cross * War Commemorative Medal of 1864 *

Colonial Medal The Colonial Medal (french: "Médaille Coloniale") was a French decoration created by the "loi de finances" of 26 July 1893 (article 75) to reward "military services in the colonies, resulting from participation in military operations, in a colon ...

* China Medal * South West Africa Medal *

Centenary Medal The Centenary Medal is an award which was created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the centenary of the Federation of Australia and to recognise "people who made a contribution to Australian society or g ...

Kingdom of Bavaria

* ''Orders'' ** Order of St. Hubertus ** Royal Order of Saint George for the Defense of the Immaculate Conception ** Military Order of Max Joseph **

Merit Order of the Bavarian Crown The Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown (german: Verdienstorden der Bayerischen Krone) was an order of merit of the Kingdom of Bavaria established by King Maximilian Joseph I on 19 March 1808. The motto of the order is Virtus et Honos ('Courage ...

Merit Order of St. Michael Merit may refer to: Religion * Merit (Christianity) * Merit (Buddhism) * Punya (Hinduism) * Imputed righteousness in Reformed Christianity Companies and brands * Merit (cigarette), a brand of cigarettes made by Altria * Merit Energy Company, ...

** Military Merit Order and its associated Military Merit Cross ** Maximilian Order for Science and Art ** Ludwig Order ** Military Medical Order **

Order of Saint Elizabeth The Order of Saint Elizabeth was an all-female chivalric and charitable order in the Kingdom of Bavaria. The following excerpt is from ''The Orders of Knighthood, British and Foreign'' (1884): History The first Consort of the Elector Charles T ...

(for Women) **

Order of Theresa The Order of Theresa was an order for noble ladies in the Kingdom of Bavaria. It continues to function today as an honorary society to which belong the princesses of the House of Wittelsbach as well as other ladies from Bavarian noble families. H ...

(for Women) * ''Civil decorations'' ** Civil Merit Medal ** Ludwig Medal for Science and Art ** Ludwig Medal for Industry ** Prince Regent Luitpold Medal * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Golden and Silver Military Merit Medals ** Military Medical Decoration ** Merit Cross for Volunteer Medical Personnel ** Jubilee Medal for the Bavarian Army ** King Ludwig Cross

Kingdom of Saxony

* ''Orders'' **

Order of the Rue Crown The Order of the Rue Crown (german: Hausorden der Rautenkrone) or Order of the Crown of Saxony was a dynastic order of knighthood of the Kingdom of Saxony. The order takes its name from the green floral crown of rue ('' crancelin'') found in th ...

** Military Order of St. Henry **

Civil Order of Saxony The Civil Order of Saxony, also known as the Saxon Order of Merit, was established on 7 June 1815 by King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony. It was a general order of merit for the royal subjects of the Kingdom of Saxony The Kingdom of Saxony (ge ...

(also called the Civil Merit Order) ** Albert Order ** Order of Sidonia (for women) ** Order of Maria-Anna (for women) * ''Civil decorations'' ** Honor Cross and Honor Cross with Crowns (also a military decoration with swords) ** Lifesaving Medal ** Medal "Virtuti et Ingenio" ** Medal "Bene Merentibus * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Friedrich August Medal **

War Merit Cross The War Merit Cross (german: Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was a state decoration of Nazi Germany during World War II. By the end of the conflict it was issued in four degrees and had an equivalent civil award. A " de-Nazified" version of the War Meri ...

Kingdom of Württemberg

* ''Orders'' **

Order of the Crown (Württemberg) The Order of the Württemberg Crown (''Orden der Württembergischen Krone'') was an order of chivalry in Württemberg. History First established in 1702 as the St.-Hubertus-Jagdorden (Order of St Hubert), in 1807 it was renamed the "Ritterorden ...

** Military Merit Order ** Friedrich Order **

Order of Olga The Order of Olga (Württemberg) (German: ''Olga-Orden'') was created by Karl I, King of Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of ...

(for women) * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Medal ** Merit Cross ** Gold Medal for Art and Science ** Lifesaving Medal ** * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Golden Military Merit Medal ** Silver Military Merit Medal ** Merit Cross with Swords ** Wilhelm Cross ** Charlotte Cross

Grand Duchy of Baden

* ''Orders'' **

House Order of Fidelity The House Order of Fidelity (german: Hausorden der Treue) is a dynastic order of the Margraviate of Baden. It was established by Charles III William, Margrave of Baden-Durlach as a reward for merit and to mark the laying of the foundation ston ...

Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order The Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order (german: Militär Karl-Friedrich-Verdienstorden) was a military order of merit of the Grand Duchy of Baden. Established 5 October 1805 by Charles Frederick, Elector and later Grand Duke of Baden, the ord ...

and the Merit Medal of the Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order (Karl-Friedrich Military Merit Medal) **

Order of Berthold the First The Order of Berthold the First was a dynastic order in the Grand Duchy of Baden. It was established on 29 April 1877 by Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of his accession as an additional class above the gra ...

** Order of the Zähringer Lion * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Medal ** 1902 Jubilee Medal ** Friedrich-Luisen Medal ** 1906 Commemorative Medal ** Lifesaving Medals ** Medals for Art and Science * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Merit Medal on the ribbon of the Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order ** Field Service Decoration ** Commemorative Cross for Volunteer Medical Personnel 1870-71 ** Cross for Volunteer War Aid **

Grand Duchy of Hesse

* ''Orders'' ** Order of the Golden Lion **

Ludwigsorden The Ludwig Order (german: Großherzoglich Hessischer Ludwigsorden), was an order of the Grand Duchy of Hesse which was awarded to meritorious soldiers and civilians from 1807 to 1918. History The order was founded by Louis I, Grand Duke of Hess ...

** Order of Philip the Magnanimous ** Order of the Star of Brabant * ''Civil decorations'' ** General Honor Decoration ** Lifesaving Medal ** Merit Medals for Science, Art, Industry, and Agriculture * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Military Merit Cross 1870/71 ** General Honor Decoration for Bravery or for War Merit ** Warrior Honor Decoration in Iron ** Military Medical Cross, 1870/71 and 1914 ** War Honor Decoration

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

* ''Orders'' **

House Order of the Wendish Crown The House Order of the Wendish Crown (german: Hausorden der Wendischen Krone) was an Order of the House of Mecklenburg, jointly instituted on 12 May 1864 by Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duke Friedrich Wilhelm of ...

** Order of the Griffon * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Medal ** Friedrich Franz Medal ** Medal "For Arts and Sciences" * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Military Merit Cross ** Friedrich Franz Cross ** Friedrich Franz Alexandra Cross

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

* ''Orders'' **

** Order of the Griffon * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Medal * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Cross for Distinction in War

Grand Duchy of Oldenburg

* ''Orders'' **

House and Merit Order of Peter Frederick Louis The House and Merit Order of Duke Peter Frederick Louis (German: ''Haus und Verdienstorden von Herzog Peter Friedrich Ludwig'') or proper German Oldenburg House and Merit Order of Duke Peter Frederick Louis (German: ''Oldenburgische Haus- und Verdi ...

* ''Civil decorations'' ** Civil Merit Medal ** Medal for Merit in the Arts * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Friedrich August Cross ** War Merit Medal

Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

* ''Orders'' ** House Order of Vigilance or the White Falcon * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Medal (to 1902) ** General Honor Decoration (from 1902) ** Lifesaving Medal * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Wilhelm Ernst War Cross ** General Honor Decoration with Swords Clasp ** Honor Cross for Homeland Merit

Duchy of Anhalt

* ''Orders'' **

Order of Albert the Bear The House Order of Albert the Bear (German: ''Hausorden Albrechts des Bären'' or ''Der Herzoglich Anhaltische Hausorden Albrechts des Bären'') was founded in 1836 as a joint House Order by three dukes of Anhalt from separate branches of the fa ...

** Order of Merit for Science and Art * ''Civil decorations'' ** 1896 Jubilee Medal * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Friedrich Cross

Duchy of Brunswick

* ''Orders'' ** House Order of Henry the Lion * ''Civil decorations'' ** Lifesaving Medal * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Peninsula Medal **

Waterloo Medal The Waterloo Medal is a military decoration that was conferred upon every officer, non-commissioned officer and soldier of the British Army (including members of the King's German Legion) who took part in one or more of the following battles: Li ...

, 1st and 2nd Classes

Duchies of Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Saxe-Meiningen

* ''Orders'' ** Order of the Saxe-Ernestine and its associated merit crosses and medals (the medals were different for each duchy) * ''Civil decorations'' ** Decoration of Honour of the Saxe-Ernestine (Decoration of three grades for women) ** Medal for Art and Science (each duchy had its own version) ** Lifesaving Medal (each duchy had its own version) ** Duke Carl Eduard Medal (Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Duke Ernst Medal (Saxe-Altenburg) ** Duke Ernst Medal 1st Class with Swords (Saxe-Altenburg) ** Oval Silver Duke Carl Eduard Medal with Crown (Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) ** Carl Eduard War Cross (Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) **

Cross for Merit in War The Cross for Merit in War (german: Kreuz für Verdienste im Kriege) was a military decoration of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen established by Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen on 7 March 1915. Criteria The Cross for Merit in War was awarded to o ...

and Medal for Merit in War (Saxe-Meiningen)

Principalities of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern-Hechingen

* ''Orders'' ** Princely

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 ...

** ''Bene merenti'' Order

Principality of Lippe-Detmold

* ''Orders'' ** House Order of the Honor Cross ** Order of Leopold ** Lippish Rose Order for Art and Science * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Medal ** Lifesaving Medal * ''Military and war decorations'' ** War Honor Cross for Heroic Deeds **

** Military Merit Medal ** War Honor Medal

Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe

* ''Orders'' ** House Order of the Honor Cross ** Order for Art and Science * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Medal ** Lifesaving Medal * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Military Merit Medal ** Cross for Loyal Service

Principalities of Reuss, Elder Line and Younger Line

* ''Orders'' ** Princely Reuss Honor Cross * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Cross ** Merit Medal ** Lifesaving Medal * ''Military and war decorations'' ** War Merit Cross "1914" ** Medal for Sacrificial Activity in Wartime

Principalities of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

* ''Orders'' ** Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross * ''Civil decorations'' ** Merit Medals for Art and Science, Trade and Industry, and Agriculture * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Gold Medal for Merit in War ** Silver Medal for Merit in War ** Bronze Medal for Merit in War ** Medal for Faithful Labour ** Medal for rescue from danger

Principality of Waldeck

* ''Orders'' **

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 ...

** Merit Cross ** Military Merit Cross * ''Civil decorations'' ** Medal for Art and Science * ''Military and war decorations'' ** Friedrich-Bathildis Medal

Free and Hanseatic Cities of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck

Hanseatic Cross The Hanseatic Cross (German: ''Hanseatenkreuz'') was a military decoration of the three Hanseatic city-states of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck, who were members of the German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 188 ...

Former German states

The largest state to be annexed by Prussia was the

Kingdom of Hanover The Kingdom of Hanover (german: Königreich Hannover) was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Ha ...

. Other states which had ceased to exist by 1871 include the

Duchy of Nassau The Duchy of Nassau (German: ''Herzogtum Nassau'') was an independent state between 1806 and 1866, located in what is now the German states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse. It was a member of the Confederation of the Rhine and later of the G ...

, the electoral principality of

Hesse-Kassel The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel (german: Landgrafschaft Hessen-Kassel), spelled Hesse-Cassel during its entire existence, was a state in the Holy Roman Empire that was directly subject to the Emperor. The state was created in 1567 when the L ...

(or Hesse-Cassel), the free city of

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...

, and several smaller states. The following is a list of the principal civil and military decorations of these states. *

** ''Orders'' ***

Order of St. George The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...

***

Royal Guelphic Order The Royal Guelphic Order (german: Königliche Guelphen-Orden), sometimes referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent (later King George IV). It takes its name ...

***

Order of Ernst August The Order of Ernst August (german: Ernst-August-Orden) was founded 15 December 1865 by King George V of Hanover in memory of his father Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover. The order was awarded for both civil and military merit. It was divided in fi ...

** ''Civil decorations'' *** Merit Medal *** General Honor Decoration for Civil Merit *** Golden Honor Medal for Art and Science ** ''Military and war decorations'' *** General Honor Decoration for Civil Merit *** Langensalza Medal ***

* Electoral Principality of

** ''Orders'' *** House Order of the Golden Lion *** Order of Wilhelm ***

Order of the Iron Helmet On 18 March 1814 Elector Wilhelm I of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) founded the Order of the Iron Helmet (german: Orden vom Eisernen Helm). Maximilian Gritzner describes the model and the statutes of the order as "influenced by the example of th ...

** ''Civil decorations'' *** Civil Merit Cross and Civil Merit Medal *

** ''Orders'' ***

Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau The Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (french: Ordre du Lion d'Or de la Maison de Nassau, nl, Huisorde van de Gouden Leeuw van Nassau) is a chivalric order shared by the two branches of the House of Nassau (the Ottonian and Walramia ...

*** Military and Civil Merit Order of Adolph of Nassau ** ''Civil decorations'' *** Civil Merit Medal *** Medal for Art and Science ** ''Military and war decorations'' *** Bravery Medal ***

First World War

German decorations of the First World War were those medals, ribbons, and other decorations bestowed upon German soldiers, sailors, pilots and also for civilians, during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. These special awards were awarded by both

Imperial Germany The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

and various German Kingdoms and other states and city-states of the Reich. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, First World War decorations were commonly displayed on

Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...

uniforms of the period with such awards intermixed with the more recent awards and decorations of Nazi Germany.

Imperial German badges

* Pilot's Badge * Observer's Badge * Imperial Zeppelin Commemorative Badge * Air Commemorative Badge * Air Gunner Badge * U-Boat War Badge *

Wound Badge The Wound Badge (german: Verwundetenabzeichen) was a German military decoration first promulgated by Wilhelm II, German Emperor on 3 March 1918, which was first awarded to soldiers of the German Army who were wounded during World War I. Between ...

Non-portable awards included the "Honor Goblet for Victors in the Air" and the "National Motor and Air Travel Commendation".

References

* Medals and decorations of Hitler's Germany (Robin Lumsden) {{Decorations by country