Pour Le Mérite
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The (; , ), also informally known as the ''Blue Max'' () after German WWI
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...
Max Immelmann, is an
order of merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...
established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. Separated into two classes, each with their own designs, the was awarded as both a military and civil honour. While the military class has been extinct since the abolition of the German Monarchy, the civil honour continues to be awarded by the German state at the oversight of the Minister of State for Culture and discretion of the Federal President. Alongside the extinct Order of the Black Eagle, Order of the Red Eagle, and the House Order of Hohenzollern, the award was one of the
Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...
's most significant, with the ''Pour le Mérite'' itself being the highest order of
bravery Courage (also called bravery, valour ( British and Commonwealth English), or valor (American English)) is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valor is courage or bravery, especially in ...
for officers of all ranks, and the highest recognition of civilian accomplishment awarded by the Prussian Crown. The was awarded as a recognition of extraordinary personal achievement, rather than as a general marker of social status or a courtesy-honour, although certain restrictions of social class and military rank were applied. The order was secular, and membership endured for the remaining lifetime of the recipient, unless renounced or revoked. New awards of the military class ceased with the end of the Prussian monarchy in November 1918. German author
Ernst Jünger Ernst Jünger (; 29 March 1895 – 17 February 1998) was a German author, highly decorated soldier, philosopher, and entomology, entomologist who became publicly known for his World War I memoir ''Storm of Steel''. The son of a successful busin ...
, who died in 1998, was the last living recipient of the military class award. A civil class for merits in sciences, humanities, and arts was established in 1842 by King Frederick William IV. The civil class was revived as an independent organization in 1923 ('' ''). Instead of the King of Prussia, the President of Germany acted as head of the order. After the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the civil class was re-established in 1952. It is this manifestation of the ' that remains active. The ' is an order into which a person is admitted, like the United Kingdom's
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
, and is not simply a
medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...
or state decoration.


Military class

The was founded in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. It was named in French, which was the leading international language and the favoured language at Frederick's court. The French name was retained, despite the rising tide of nationalism and increasing hostility between the French and Germans during the 19th century, and indeed many of its recipients were honoured for acts performed in wars against France. The insignia of the military award was a blue-enameled Maltese Cross with golden
eagle Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
s between the arms (which is based on the symbol of the Johanniter Order) and the Prussian
royal cypher In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram or monogram-like device of a country's reigning Monarch, sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a Crown (heral ...
and the words ("For Merit" in French) written in gold letters on the body of the cross. The ribbon was black with edge stripes of silver-white. The order consisted of only one class, both civil and military, until 1810. Only a few civilians were honored: Pierre Louis Maupertuis (1747), Francesco Algarotti (1747) and
Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778), known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' Voltaire (, ; ), was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, philosopher (''philosophe''), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit ...
(1750). In January 1810, during the
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
, King Frederick William III decreed that the award could be presented only to actively-serving military officers.


Higher Grades


Oak Leaves

In March 1813, the King added an additional distinction, a spray of gilt oak leaves attached above the cross. Award of the oak leaves originally indicated extraordinary achievement in battle, and was usually reserved for high-ranking officers. The original regulations called for the capture or successful defence of a fortification, or victory in a battle. By
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the oak leaves often indicated a second or higher award of the , though in most cases the recipients were still high-ranking officers (usually distinguished field commanders fitting the criteria above; the few lower ranking recipients of the oak leaves were mainly general staff officers responsible for planning a victorious battle or campaign). In early 1918, it was proposed to award the oak leaves to Germany's top
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...
, Manfred von Richthofen, but he was deemed ineligible under a strict reading of the regulations (he had already received his without oak leaves in January 1917). Instead of the oak leaves Prussia awarded von Richthofen a slightly less prestigious honor, the Order of the Red Eagle, 3rd Class with Crown and Swords. This was still a high honour, as the 3rd Class was normally awarded to colonels and lieutenant colonels and as a captain he would usually have received the 4th Class. The 3rd Class with Crown and Swords awarded to Von Richtofen was one of only two that were awarded during the entire course of World War I.


Crown

In 1844, another mark of distinction was established: a crown above the cross. A total of 147 awards are documented. Rather than being for additional merit, the crown was a 50 year jubilee recognition.


Grand Cross

In 1866, a special military ''Grand Cross'' class of the award was established. This grade of the award was given to those who, through their actions, caused the retreat or destruction of an army. As a result, the Grand Cross would be the highest class of the highest distinction awarded by the Prussian Crown. The Grand Cross adds a portrait of Frederick the Great to the center of the cross, and also adds a crown to the head of each eagle between the arms of the cross. Furthermore, the Grand Cross came with a breast star to be worn in addition to the Grand Cross itself. ''Grand Cross with Oak Leaves''
The Grand Cross could, like the regular grade of the ''Pour le Mérite'', be enhanced with its own set of oak leaves. The accompanying breast star would then also have a set of oak leaves added to it
see image courtesy of German Historical Museum
. There were only five recipients of the ''Grand Cross of the Pour le Mérite''. *this date being the 60th anniversary of his having won the ''Pour le Mérite'', von Moltke was also granted the Crown (normally given on the 50th), along with -- in a unique distinction for this award -- Diamonds (to signify the 60th).


World War I prominence

The gained international fame during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Although it could be awarded to any military officer, its most famous recipients were the pilots of the German Army Air Service (
Luftstreitkräfte The ''Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte'' (, German Air Combat Forces)known before October 1916 as (The Imperial German Air Service, lit. "The flying troops of the German Kaiser’s Reich")was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-langu ...
), whose exploits were celebrated in wartime
propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...
. In aerial warfare, a fighter pilot was initially entitled to the award upon downing eight enemy aircraft. Aces Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke were the first airmen to receive the award, on 12 January 1916. It was awarded to Germany's highest-scoring ace, Manfred von Richthofen, in January 1917. The number of aerial victories necessary to receive the award continued to increase during the war; by early 1917, it generally required destroying 16–20 enemy airplanes, and by war's end the approximate figure was 30. However, other aviation recipients included
zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp. 155â ...
commanders, bomber and observation aircrews, and at least one balloon observer. Recipients of the "Blue Max", a nickname of the order, were required to wear the award whenever in uniform. Although many of its famous recipients were junior officers, especially pilots, more than a third of all awards in World War I went to generals and admirals. Senior officer awards tended to be more for outstanding leadership in combat than for individual acts of bravery. Junior officers (army captains and lieutenants and their navy equivalents) accounted for only about a fourth of all awards. Several famous
U-boat U-boats are Submarine#Military, naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the World War I, First and Second World Wars. The term is an Anglicization#Loanwords, anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the G ...
commanders, including Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière (), Walther Schwieger () Otto Hersing () and Otto Weddigen, received the . The became extinct as a result of
Kaiser Kaiser ( ; ) is the title historically used by German and Austrian emperors. In German, the title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (). In English, the word ''kaiser'' is mainly applied to the emperors ...
Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until Abdication of Wilhelm II, his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as th ...
's abdication as king of Prussia and German Emperor on 9 November 1918. This marked the end of the Prussian monarchy and it was never awarded thereafter; however the honour continued to be recognized for, and worn by, previous recipients.


Notable recipients of the military class


1740 to 1871

* Henning Alexander von Kleist. Prussian general, awarded in 1741 by Frederick II for actions during Battle of Mollwitz during War of Austrian Succession. * Isaac de Forcade de Biaix, Prussian
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
and later Hofmarschall to the Prince of Prussia Frederick William II, heir to the throne of Prussia, awarded on 11 June 1742, as a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
with the 18th Prussian Infantry Regiment (von Derschau) for his actions during the First Silesian War. * Friedrich Wilhelm Quirin von Forcade de Biaix, Prussian
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
, awarded on 6 January 1746 as a
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
for his actions in the Second Silesian War on the battlefield during the Battle of Soor, the victory of which Frederick the Great attributed to him. * Carl Heinrich von Wedel, awarded the 1752 * Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz, awarded 1757, during the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
. * Charles-Emmanuel de Warnery. Major General. Cavalry. In October 1756 for actions at the Battle of Lobositz. * Peter III of Russia, who received the in 1762 when he withdrew Russia from the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
and made peace with Prussia. * Gebhard von Blücher, awarded on 4 June 1789, Napoleonic-era Prussian field marshal who led Prussian forces at the
Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...
*
Alexander Suvorov Count Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov-Rymniksky, Prince of Italy () was a Russian general and military theorist in the service of the Russian Empire. Born in Moscow, he studied military history as a young boy and joined the Imperial Russian ...
, Russian
generalissimo ''Generalissimo'' ( ), also generalissimus, is a military rank of the highest degree, superior to field marshal and other five-star ranks in the states where they are used. Usage The word (), an Italian term, is the absolute superlative ...
, awarded on 28 December 1794 * Gerhard von Scharnhorst, Napoleonic-era Prussian general. * Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow, Napoleonic-era Prussian general; also received the oak leaves. * Karl Friedrich von dem Knesebeck, Napoleonic-era Prussian general (later field marshal); first decorated in 1807, received the oak leaves in 1814. * Karl Wilhelm Georg von Grolman, Napoleonic-era Prussian general; also received the oak leaves. * Ludwig Graf Yorck von Wartenburg, Napoleonic-era Prussian general (later field marshal); also received the oak leaves. * August von Gneisenau, Napoleonic-era Prussian general (later field marshal); first decorated in 1807, received the oak leaves in 1814. * Hermann von Boyen, Napoleonic-era Prussian general and Minister of War; simultaneously received the and the oak leaves. * Ernst von Pfuel, Prussian
general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
and Prime Minister of Prussia; decorated in 1814 during the
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
, received the oak leaves in 1831. * Helmuth Graf von Moltke, known as "Moltke the Elder"; first decorated in 1839 as a junior officer; he received the oak leaves in 1871 and the Grand Cross in March 1879. Also inducted into the civil class of the order in 1874. * Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal, Prussian general (later field marshal) decorated with the in the 1864 German-Danish War and the oak leaves in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War.


1871 to 1914

*
Otto von Bismarck Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (; born ''Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck''; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898) was a German statesman and diplomat who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as ...
, Prussian minister president and German chancellor during the unification period; decorated in 1884 with the with oak leaves. Also inducted into the civil class of the order in 1896. *
Leo von Caprivi Georg Leo Graf von Caprivi de Caprara de Montecuccoli (English language, English: ''Count George Leo of Caprivi, Caprara, and Montecuccoli''; born Georg Leo von Caprivi; 24 February 1831 – 6 February 1899) was a German general and statesman. He ...
, Prussian general, decorated in 1871 for merit in the Franco-Prussian War. * Alfred Graf von Waldersee, German field marshal, decorated August 1901 with the with oak leaves for his services as Allied Supreme Commander in China 1900–1901


1914 to 1918 (World War I)


= German air force

= * Max Immelmann, German flying ace with 15 aerial victories, one of the first aviator recipients along with Oswald Boelcke and namesake of the "Blue Max" and
Immelmann turn The term Immelmann turn, named after German Empire, German World War I Eindecker fighter ace Leutnant Max Immelmann, refers to two different aircraft maneuvers. In World War I aerial combat, an Immelmann turn was a maneuver used after an attack ...
. * Oswald Boelcke, German flying ace with 40 aerial victories, one of the first aviator recipients along with Max Immelmann. * Wilhelm Frankl, German flying ace with 20 victories, one of the first German Jewish recipients in World War I. *
Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 â€“ 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...
, decorated as an ace pilot for continuous courage in action in June 1918, finishing World War I with 22 air victories and later the third and final commander of Jagdgeschwader I * Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the "Red Baron", the top-scoring ace of World War I with 80 aerial victories and the first commander of Jagdgeschwader I. * Lothar von Richthofen, German flying ace with 40 victories. Younger brother of Manfred Von Richthofen. * Ernst Udet, second-highest-scoring German ace of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
with 62 victories. * Erich Loewenhardt, third-highest-scoring German ace of World War I with 54 victories. * Werner Voss, fourth-highest-scoring German ace of World War I, credited with 48 victories. * Josef Jacobs, German flying ace with 48 victories. His total tied him with Werner Voss. * Kurt Wintgens, the first military aviator ever to down an enemy aircraft with a synchronized machine gun. Credited with 22 aerial victories. *
Bruno Loerzer Bruno Loerzer (22 January 1891 – 23 August 1960) was a German air force officer during World War I and World War II. Credited with 44 aerial victories during World War I, he was one of Germany's leading flying aces, as well as commander of ...
, German flying ace with 44 victories. * Julius Buckler, German flying ace with 36 victories. * Gotthard Sachsenberg, German flying ace with 31 victories. * Kurt Wolff, German flying ace with 33 victories. * Heinrich Kroll, German flying ace with 33 victories. * Rudolf Berthold, high-ranking German ace with 44 victories, Was shot to death by German communists in 1920. * Robert Ritter von Greim, World War I ace with 28 victories and World War II field marshal. * Eduard Ritter von Schleich, better known as the "Black Knight", destroyed 35 enemy aircraft. * Carl Menckhoff, fighter ace, with 39 confirmed victories. * Paul Bäumer, fighter ace with 43 confirmed victories. * Ernst von Hoeppner, Commanding General of the Air Service. * Josef Veltjens, German fighter ace, with 35 confirmed victories as lieutenant (reserve). * Fritz Pütter, German flying ace with 25 victories. * Franz Büchner, German flying ace with 40 victories. * Friedrich Ritter von Röth, flying ace with 28 confirmed victories, was Germany's top Balloon buster of World War I with 20 observer balloons shot down. * Heinrich Gontermann, Ace pilot credited with shooting down 21 aircraft and 18 observation balloons. He was Germany's second best Balloon buster of World War I. * Hans Joachim Buddecke, German fighter ace in World War I, credited with thirteen victories. He was the third ace, after Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke, to earn Pour le Mérite. He fought in Gallipoli to fly the Halberstadt D.II and Fokker E.III with Ottoman FA 6 against the Royal Naval Air Service. The Turkish campaign was successful, with four confirmed victories and seven unconfirmed, and Buddecke was personally awarded the Gold Liakat Medal by Enver Pasha.


= German army

= * Erwin Rommel, decorated as an ''Oberleutnant'' in December 1917 for service in Italy *
Paul von Hindenburg Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg (2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a German military and political leader who led the Imperial German Army during the First World War and later became President of Germany (1919†...
, German field marshal and later President of Germany; awarded the in September 1914 and the oak leaves in February 1915. * Erich Ludendorff, German general of World War I; awarded the in August 1914, one of the earliest World War I awards, for the Siege of Liège, Belgium; received the oak leaves in February 1915. * Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria, German field marshal; awarded the in August 1915 and the oak leaves in December 1916. * Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, German field marshal; awarded the in August 1915 and the oak leaves in February 1918. *
Werner von Blomberg Werner Eduard Fritz von Blomberg (2 September 1878 – 13 March 1946) was a German general and politician who served as the first Minister of War in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1938. Blomberg had served as Chief of the ''Truppenamt'', equivalent ...
, decorated as a major in June 1918 and later a Field Marshal General in the Wehrmacht. * Fedor von Bock, Awarded in 1918 for efforts of leading his battalion at the Somme and Cambrai. Later Field Marshal and commander of Army Group North, Polish campaign, 1939. Commander Army Group B in conquest of Western Europe 1940. Commander Army Group Centre in Russia 1941. Commander Army Group South in Russian Ukraine and Caucasus 1942. * Erich von Falkenhayn, Chief of the German General Staff from 1914 to 1916; awarded the in February 1915 and the oak leaves in June 1915. * Oskar von Hutier, German general awarded the in September 1917 and the oak leaves in March 1918. * Georg Bruchmüller, German colonel and artillery officer in von Hutier's 8th Army. * Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, German general who led the German Schutztruppe in the guerrilla campaign in German East Africa; awarded the in November 1916 and the oak leaves in October 1917. * Otto Liman von Sanders, German general who served as adviser and commander of Ottoman forces in World War I; awarded the and the oak leaves simultaneously in January 1916 for his role in the Battle of Gallipoli. * Fritz von Lossberg, World War I master-strategist; expert in the
Defence in depth Defence in depth (also known as deep defence or elastic defence) is a military strategy that seeks to delay rather than prevent the advance of an attacker, buying time and causing additional casualties by yielding space. Rather than defeating a ...
. Awarded 21 September 1916 (Somme); oak leaves on 24 April 1917 (Arras). * August von Mackensen, German general (later field marshal) of World War I; awarded the in November 1914 and the oak leaves in June 1915. * Helmuth Johann Ludwig von Moltke, Chief of the German General Staff at the outbreak of World War I. Nephew of Moltke the Elder. * Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein, German officer in the Near East campaigns of World War I. * Otto von Garnier, German General of the Cavalry awarded the in October 1916. * Max Hoffmann, German staff officer; awarded the in October 1916 and the oak leaves in July 1917. * Hans von Seeckt, German staff officer in World War I; awarded the in May 1915 and the oak leaves in November 1915. *
Ernst Jünger Ernst Jünger (; 29 March 1895 – 17 February 1998) was a German author, highly decorated soldier, philosopher, and entomology, entomologist who became publicly known for his World War I memoir ''Storm of Steel''. The son of a successful busin ...
, Army Lieutenant and later novelist, the last living holder of the at the time of his death in 1998. * Ferdinand Schörner, decorated as a ''Leutnant'' in December 1917, later a field marshal in World War II. * Heinrich Kirchheim, Company Commander of Jäger-Bataillon Number 10 and a Generalleutnant in World War II. Awarded in October 1918. *
Johann von Ravenstein Johann "Hans" Theodor von Ravenstein (1 January 1889 – 26 March 1962) was a German general (''generalleutnant'') in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He commanded the 21st Panzer Division from May 1941 until being made a prisoner of war in la ...
, German officer. In May 1918 his battalion broke through the opposing line at Soissons. After capturing the notorious Chemin des Dames, he succeeded, with 10 soldiers, in capturing the bridge over the Aisne at Bourg intact. His troops took 1500 prisoners and captured 32 cannons. Later served in the Afrika Korps. * Alexander von Falkenhausen, German colonel, for victories in two battles in Jordan on March and May 1918 against Allied troops.


= German navy

= * Henning von Holtzendorff, German Grand Admiral, decorated in March 1916. *
Alfred von Tirpitz Alfred Peter Friedrich von Tirpitz (; born Alfred Peter Friedrich Tirpitz; 19 March 1849 – 6 March 1930) was a German grand admiral and State Secretary of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperi ...
, German Grand Admiral, decorated in August 1915. * Reinhard Scheer, German admiral and commander of German naval forces in the Battle of Jutland. * Franz Hipper, German admiral. * Nikolaus Burggraf und Graf zu Dohna-Schlodien, German auxiliary cruiser commander; one of only two junior officers to receive the highest military honors of the five main German states. * Karl August Nerger, German auxiliary cruiser commander; one of only two junior officers to receive the highest military honors of the five main German states. * Karl Friedrich Max von Müller, captain of the famous German commerce raider, the light cruiser during the first few months of World War I. * Felix von Luckner, captain of the ''Seeadler'', a sailing ship used as a commerce raider. * Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, German U-boat commander during the First World War, awarded the in the autumn of 1916 for sinking 200,000 tonnes of Allied shipping. * Walther Forstmann, successful German
U-boat U-boats are Submarine#Military, naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the World War I, First and Second World Wars. The term is an Anglicization#Loanwords, anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the G ...
Ace and later staff officer in the
Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official military branch, branche ...
. * Walther Schwieger, German
U-boat U-boats are Submarine#Military, naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the World War I, First and Second World Wars. The term is an Anglicization#Loanwords, anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the G ...
commander who sank the British liner . * Wilhelm Anton Souchon, German Vice Admiral serving in the Black Sea in World War I. * Theo Osterkamp, Naval observer and later a fighter pilot who claimed 32 victories in World War I. He also scored six victories in World War II and became an air force general. * Otto Weddigen, German U-boat commander of World War I. * Friedrich Christiansen, decorated as Naval Pilot with 13 victories and 8 shared, ''Oberleutnant'' on 11 December 1917. * Otto Hersing, commander of U-21, the first U-boat to sink an enemy ship using a self-propelled locomotive torpedo. Awarded on 5 June 1915. * Paul Behncke, German admiral.


Civil class

In 1842, King
Frederick William IV of Prussia Frederick William IV (; 15 October 1795 – 2 January 1861), the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III of Prussia, was King of Prussia from 7 June 1840 until his death on 2 January 1861. Also referred to as the "romanticist on the th ...
, appointed
Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 1769 – 6 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, natural history, naturalist, List of explorers, explorer, and proponent of Romanticism, Romantic philosophy and Romanticism ...
as Chancellor of the Order of Merit with powers to recommend candidates to this new civil class of the Order Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts (''Orden Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste''), with the three sections:
humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture, including Philosophy, certain fundamental questions asked by humans. During the Renaissance, the term "humanities" referred to the study of classical literature a ...
,
natural science Natural science or empirical science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer ...
and
fine arts In European academic traditions, fine art (or, fine arts) is made primarily for aesthetics or creativity, creative expression, distinguishing it from popular art, decorative art or applied art, which also either serve some practical function ...
. When a vacancy occurred the Academy of Arts and Sciences nominated three candidates, one of whom the king appointed. In November 1918 the Kingdom of Prussia came to an end, and with it that state's sponsorship of the . However, unlike the military class of the order, the class of the order for achievements in
the arts The arts or creative arts are a vast range of human practices involving creative expression, storytelling, and cultural participation. The arts encompass diverse and plural modes of thought, deeds, and existence in an extensive range of m ...
and sciences did not come to an end. The members re-established their order as an autonomous organization, with revised rules and processes for nomination. The awarding of new memberships resumed in 1923. Recipients included
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein (14 March 187918 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence f ...
(1923), Käthe Kollwitz (1929) and Ernst Barlach (1933). During the era of National Socialism in Germany (1933–45), the order was re-absorbed into the state honours system, and the list of its members was reviewed and revised according to the policies of the new government. A number of Jews and other perceived dissidents or "enemies" of the state were deprived of their awards by the Nazi regime. They included Einstein (who resigned his membership in the order in 1933, and refused invitations to renew it after the war), Kollwitz, and Barlach. Such actions were later repudiated by both the order and the postwar German government. In 1952, the order was re-established again in
West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
with assistance of Federal President
Theodor Heuss Theodor Heuss (; 31 January 1884 – 12 December 1963) was a German liberal politician who served as the first president of West Germany from 1949 to 1959. His civil demeanour and his cordial nature – something of a contrast to German nati ...
– now as an independent organization with state recognition and the President of the German Federal Republic as Protector of the Order. However, unlike the somewhat similar Bundesverdienstkreuz (Federal Cross of Merit), also established by Heuss, it is not a state order. The revived civil order of the is awarded for achievements in the arts and sciences. Active membership is limited to 40 German citizens, ten each in the fields of humanities, natural science, and medicine and the arts. Honorary membership can be conferred on foreigners, again to the limit of 40. When a vacancy occurs, the remaining members select a new inductee.


Notable recipients of the civil class

Among famous recipients of the civil class of the in the first group of awards in 1842 were
Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 1769 – 6 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, natural history, naturalist, List of explorers, explorer, and proponent of Romanticism, Romantic philosophy and Romanticism ...
,
Carl Friedrich Gauss Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss (; ; ; 30 April 177723 February 1855) was a German mathematician, astronomer, geodesist, and physicist, who contributed to many fields in mathematics and science. He was director of the Göttingen Observatory and ...
, Jakob Grimm,
Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions inc ...
,
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (; 27 January 1775 – 20 August 1854), later (after 1812) von Schelling, was a German philosopher. Standard histories of philosophy make him the midpoint in the development of German idealism, situating him be ...
and August Wilhelm Schlegel. Foreign recipients in the "class of 1842" included
François-René de Chateaubriand François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand (4 September 1768 – 4 July 1848) was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian who influenced French literature of the nineteenth century. Descended from an old aristocratic family from Bri ...
,
Michael Faraday Michael Faraday (; 22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the study of electrochemistry and electromagnetism. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic inducti ...
and
Franz Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...
. Later recipients included
Theodor Mommsen Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen (; ; 30 November 1817 – 1 November 1903) was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician and archaeologist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classicists of the 19th ce ...
(1868),
Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 â€“ 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...
(1868),
Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher. Known as the "Sage writing, sage of Chelsea, London, Chelsea", his writings strongly influenced the intellectual and artistic culture of the V ...
(1874), William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1884), Joseph Lister (1885)
Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...
(1887),
Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 â€“ 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
(1887), Hubert von Herkomer (1899),
Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (, , 9October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano ...
(1901),
John Singer Sargent John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 â€“ April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era, Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil ...
(1908),
Ferdinand von Zeppelin Graf, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (; 8 July 1838 – 8 March 1917) was a General (Germany), German general and later inventor of the Zeppelin rigid airships. His name became synonymous with airships and dominated long-distance flight until the ...
(1910), Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1911), Sir William Ramsay (1911), and
Max Planck Max Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck (; ; 23 April 1858 – 4 October 1947) was a German Theoretical physics, theoretical physicist whose discovery of energy quantum, quanta won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918. Planck made many substantial con ...
(1915). New members of the revised order in 1923 included
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein (14 March 187918 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence f ...
(1923), Gerhart Hauptmann (1923),
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; ; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer and conductor best known for his Tone poems (Strauss), tone poems and List of operas by Richard Strauss, operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Roman ...
(1924), Wilhelm Furtwängler (1929), and Käthe Kollwitz (1929). Among those inducted in 1952 were Otto Heinrich Warburg,
Otto Hahn Otto Hahn (; 8 March 1879 – 28 July 1968) was a German chemist who was a pioneer in the field of radiochemistry. He is referred to as the father of nuclear chemistry and discoverer of nuclear fission, the science behind nuclear reactors and ...
,
Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith ( ; ; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German and American composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advo ...
, and Emil Nolde. Later recipients include
Arthur Compton Arthur Holly Compton (September 10, 1892 – March 15, 1962) was an American particle physicist who won the 1927 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the Compton effect, which demonstrated the particle nature of electromagnetic radiati ...
(1954),
Hermann Hesse Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a Germans, German-Swiss people, Swiss poet and novelist, and the 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His interest in Eastern philosophy, Eastern religious, spiritual, and philosophic ...
(1954),
Albert Schweitzer Ludwig Philipp Albert Schweitzer (; 14 January 1875 â€“ 4 September 1965) was a German and French polymath from Alsace. He was a theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. As a Lutheran minister, ...
(1954),
Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novell ...
(1955), Oskar Kokoschka (1955), Carl Orff (1956),
Erwin Schrödinger Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger ( ; ; 12 August 1887 – 4 January 1961), sometimes written as or , was an Austrian-Irish theoretical physicist who developed fundamental results in quantum field theory, quantum theory. In particul ...
(1956), Thornton Wilder (1956),
Werner Heisenberg Werner Karl Heisenberg (; ; 5 December 1901 – 1 February 1976) was a German theoretical physicist, one of the main pioneers of the theory of quantum mechanics and a principal scientist in the German nuclear program during World War II. He pub ...
(1957),
Lise Meitner Elise Lise Meitner ( ; ; 7 November 1878 – 27 October 1968) was an Austrian-Swedish nuclear physicist who was instrumental in the discovery of nuclear fission. After completing her doctoral research in 1906, Meitner became the second woman ...
(1957),
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Ludwig Mies van der Rohe ( ; ; born Maria Ludwig Michael Mies; March 27, 1886August 17, 1969) was a German-American architect, academic, and interior designer. He was commonly referred to as Mies, his surname. He is regarded as one of the pionee ...
(1957),
Felix Bloch Felix Bloch (; ; 23 October 1905 – 10 September 1983) was a Swiss-American physicist who shared the 1952 Nobel Prize in Physics with Edward Mills Purcell "for their development of new methods for nuclear magnetic precision measurements and di ...
(1959), Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker (1961),
Karl Jaspers Karl Theodor Jaspers (; ; 23 February 1883 – 26 February 1969) was a German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher who had a strong influence on modern theology, psychiatry, and philosophy. His 1913 work ''General Psychopathology'' influenced many ...
(1964), Otto Klemperer (1967),
Carl Zuckmayer Carl Zuckmayer (27 December 1896 – 18 January 1977) was a German writer and playwright. His older brother was the pedagogue, composer, conductor, and pianist Eduard Zuckmayer. His first two dramas were failures. In 1929, he wrote the script ...
(1967),
Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi-abstract art, abstract monumental Bronze sculpture, bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. Moore ...
(1972),
Karl Popper Sir Karl Raimund Popper (28 July 1902 – 17 September 1994) was an Austrian–British philosopher, academic and social commentator. One of the 20th century's most influential philosophers of science, Popper is known for his rejection of the ...
(1980), Carlos Kleiber (1990), Witold Lutosławski (1993), Rudolf Mößbauer (1996), Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard (1997),
Umberto Eco Umberto Eco (5 January 1932 – 19 February 2016) was an Italian Medieval studies, medievalist, philosopher, Semiotics, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his popular ...
(1998), Hans Magnus Enzensberger (1999),
Wim Wenders Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker and photographer, who is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among the honors he has received are prizes from the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, Venice International Film ...
(2005), James J. Sheehan (2006), and Svante Pääbo (2008). More recent recipients were Gidon Kremer (2016), Emmanuelle Charpentier (2017), Heinz Holliger (2018), Sir Christopher Clark (2019), and
Herta Müller Herta Müller (; born 17 August 1953) is a Romanian-German novelist, poet, essayist and recipient of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature. She was born in Nițchidorf (; ), Timiș County in Romania; her native languages are German and Romanian. Si ...
(2021). , 14
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureates were member of the order.


Similar orders in other countries

Besides Prussia, several other states of the former German Empire also conferred similar awards for the arts and sciences. These included the Kingdom of Bavaria's Maximilian Order for Art and Science (''Maximiliansorden für Kunst und Wissenschaft''), the Duchy of Anhalt's Order of Merit for Science and Art (''Verdienstorden für Wissenschaft und Kunst''), and the
Principality of Lippe Lippe (later Lippe-Detmold and then again Lippe) was a state in Germany, ruled by the House of Lippe. It was located between the Weser river and the southeast part of the Teutoburg Forest. It originated as a state during the Holy Roman Empire, an ...
's Lippe Rose Order for Art and Science (''Lippische Rose, Orden für Kunst und Wissenschaft''). A number of other countries have founded similar high civic honours for accomplishments in the arts and sciences. The sovereign of the
Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has the same constitutional monarch and head of state as the other realms. The current monarch is King Charles III. Except for the United Kingdom, in each of the re ...
s confers the
Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...
and
Order of the Companions of Honour The Order of the Companions of Honour is an Order (distinction), order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded on 4 June 1917 by King George V as a reward for outstanding achievements. It was founded on the same date as the Order of the Brit ...
. The Republic of
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
confers the Austrian Decoration of Honour for Science and the Arts, founded in 1955. Like the Order Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, this was in a sense a revival of an earlier imperial award, in this case the Austro-Hungarian Decoration of Honour for Art and Science (''Österreichisch-Ungarisches Ehrenzeichen für Kunst und Wissenschaft''), which existed from 1887 to 1918. Unlike the German award, the design of the modern Austrian award is unlike that of its imperial predecessor.
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
has the
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The Order of Arts and Letters () is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is the recognition of significant ...
for significant contributions to the arts and literature. In
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
the Gloria Artis Medal has been established for the same purpose. Other countries also may recognise accomplishments in the arts and sciences, but with more general orders also awarded for accomplishments in other fields.
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
's
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
is an example of a decoration often conferred for accomplishment in many fields, including the arts and sciences.
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
awards either its Order of Leopold or Order of the Crown for outstanding accomplishments in the arts and sciences, and may award its Civil Decoration for lesser accomplishments in these fields.


Recipients of both classes

Only a small number of persons have received both the military and civil classes of the : * Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, military class 1839, civil class 1874 *
Otto von Bismarck Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (; born ''Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck''; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898) was a German statesman and diplomat who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as ...
, military class 1884, civil class 1896 * Hermann von Kuhl, military class 1916, civil class 1924


See also

* Pour le Mérite (film) * ''
The Blue Max ''The Blue Max'' is a 1966 war film , WW I film directed by John Guillermin and starring George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Karl Michael Vogler, and Jeremy Kemp. The film was made in DeLuxe Color and was one of the last movies filme ...
'', a 1966 film


References

: ''Includes material from the German-language Wikipedia version of this article''


Notes


Bibliography

* * * *


Further reading

*


External links


Pour le Mérite, Grand Cross Star (Orden Pour le Mérite, Stern zum Großkreuz)
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pour le Merite 1740 establishments in Prussia 1918 disestablishments in Prussia 1923 establishments in Germany Awards established in 1740 Awards established in 1923 Civil awards and decorations of Germany Courage awards Kingdom of Prussia Military awards and decorations of Prussia Orders, decorations, and medals of Prussia Frederick the Great