Order of the Black Star (France)
The Order of the Black Star was founded on December 1, 1889 by King Toffa of Porto-Novo as a civil and military merit order and, by decrees of May 10 and 23, 1896 by the French President Félix Faure, it was included in the series of French orders. On September 1, 1950, the name was changed to Ordre de la France d'Outre-mer .
Classes
The order consists of five classes.
After the acceptance into the French order system, the award could take place if a service time of at least three years in the French colonies of West Africa was proven. By amendment to the statutes on July 14, 1933, the order could only be awarded to people who had reached the age of 29 and had served at least nine years in the West African colonies.
Order decoration
The medal is a silver, gilded, white enamelled Maltese cross (knight without gilding) with a blue enamelled edge. A black enamelled five-pointed star rests in the center of the cross and there are bundles of rays in the cross angles. A green enameled laurel wreath is attached between the cross and the support ring .
Carrying method
The grand cross is carried from the right shoulder to the left hip and with an eight-pointed breast star on which the medal is placed. The grand officer and commander wear a neck medal , grand officers also wear a breast star. The medal of the officers and knights is decorated on the ribbon on the left side of the chest, with a rosette on the ribbon of the officer's cross .
The ribbon is light blue.
Known porters
- Jacques Gosselin (1897–1953), Colonial Administrator - Officer's Cross
- Pierre Lelong (1912–2011), mathematician - Commander
- Yansambou Maïga Diamballa (1910–1976), politician - expression unknown
- Jean Rapenne (1901–1952), Colonial Administrator - Knight's Cross
- Issoufou Saïdou Djermakoye (1920–2000), politician and diplomat - Knight's Cross
- Yacouba Sido (1910–1988), politician - Knight's Cross
- Théophile Tellier (1872–1955), Colonial Officer - Officer's Cross (1903)
- Mouddour Zakara (1912–1976), politician - expression unknown
Others
The award of the Order of the Black Star was discontinued in 1963 as part of the reorganization of the French religious system and the foundation of the National Order of Merit .
literature
- André Souyris-Rolland: Guide des Ordres Civil Français et Étrangers, des Médailles d'Honneur et des Médailles des Sociétés. Paris 1979.