African Star Order (Belgium)

The African Star Order was founded in 1888 by King Leopold II of Belgium as a general order of merit for the Congo state . In 1908 it became part of the Belgian order and has not been awarded since 1960.

Order classes

The order consists of five classes and a medal of merit in three levels

• Grand Cross
• Grand Officer
• commander
• officer
• Knight
• Merit Medal
  • gold
  • silver
  • bronze

Order decoration

The medal is a five-pointed blue-rimmed white enameled gold star, which lies on a green enameled palm leaf wreath and is carried by a crown. In the medallion , a star and the inscription encircling TRAVAIL ET PROGRES (Work and Progress). On the reverse the two entwined letters LS (Leopold Souverain).

Carrying method

The grand cross is worn with a sash from the left shoulder to the right hip and a ten-pointed breast star with alternating brilliant rays in silver and smooth rays in gold. In the case of major officers, the breast star is only five-pointed. Commanders wear the award around their necks, officers and knights on a ribbon on their left chest. Officers also have a rosette on the ribbon. The knight's medal is made of silver.

The Grand Cross can also be worn on a gold collar on special occasions . This consists alternately of three links and shows a royal crown, an L with an intertwined S and a medallion with a gold star on a black background.

The ribbon is blue with a yellow central stripe.

literature

• Paul Ohm Hieronymussen: Handbook of European Orders in Color. Universitas, Berlin 1975, ISBN 3-8004-0948-8 .