Order of the Iron Helmet
The Order of the Iron Helmet was a Hessian military merit order and was donated on March 18, 1814 by Elector Wilhelm I for the participants in the wars of freedom against France in three classes
- Grand Cross
- Knights 1st and 2nd class
The decoration is a black, in silver succinct Brabant cross made of cast iron, the center front of the open helmet . On the left or right cross arm the letters W K, below 1814.
The knights of the second class wore the cross on a red, white-edged ribbon in the buttonhole , the knights of the first class also wore a cross on the left chest and the grand crosses a cross on the neck as large as a neck medal .
The medal had the shape of a trefoil cross when it was founded, but was changed to a broad-ended cross in 1815 . It is made of cast iron and is enclosed by a silver rim. The iron helmet can be seen in the middle of the cross and the side arms of the cross bear the letters Wand Kfor Wilhelm Kurfürst in silver inscription . The year of the foundation is 1814shown on the lower cross arm .
Execution from 1814
Execution from 1815
literature
- Maximilian Gritzner : Handbook of the knight and merit orders . Leipzig 1893
