Royal Crown Order (Prussia)

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Crown medal, jewel for the 1st class

The Royal Crown Order was a general order of merit of the Prussian monarchy .

history

After the death of his brother Friedrich Wilhelm IV on January 2, 1861, Wilhelm I ascended the Prussian throne. At his coronation on October 18, 1861 in the castle church in Königsberg - the first of a Prussian monarch since 1701 - the Prussian royal crown played a central role. Newly made for this event, it was the symbol of the divine grace that Wilhelm understood and proclaimed in the ceremony . Its clear stylization can already be found in the crown elevation of the silver army medal created in 1842 (later renamed the Red Eagle Medal) and in the new lapel stamp of the general badge of honor , which Heinrich Lorenz cut in 1847. It gradually established itself in the Prussian state heraldry and in the design of royal monograms.

Foundation, endowment

After extensive preparatory work, the order was founded by King Wilhelm I on the day of the coronation, October 18, 1861. From the beginning, according to the deed of foundation, he was on an equal footing with the Red Eagle Order . The General Order Commission was responsible for the administration of the order.

Chronological development

  • approx. January 1863 - introduction of the 2nd model with the "small" heraldic crown (see insignia)
  • March 27, 1863 - Introduction of the anniversary numbers (see Distinctions)
  • February 27, 1864 - Insignia with swords and swords introduced on the ring (see Insignia).
  • April 22, 1864 - Introduction of the method of wearing on black ribbon with white edging, twice black and three times white stiffened ribbons and on white ribbon with black edging (see ribbons).
  • October 18, 1864 - Insignia with the Cross of St. John and the way of wearing the ribbon of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern (see distinctions and ribbons).
  • January 18, 1865 - Introduction of insignia with the enamel ribbon of the Order of the Red Eagle (see Distinctions).
  • March 1865 - Introduction of the lighter band (see bands).
  • January 1869 - Introduction of the third model with the "large" Prussian crown (see insignia).
  • June 22, 1871 - Introduction of the III. 1st and 4th class with the Red Cross and the way of wearing the so-called "memory ribbon" (see ribbons).
  • November 9, 1918 - With the proclamation of the republic in Germany , the award of the order is suspended, which means that it effectively ceases to exist.

Order classes

IV class

insignia

The medal is a white enameled golden paw cross of the type iron cross with curved arms, with border lines in the arm fields. The gold obverse medallion shows a royal crown surrounded by a blue enameled medallion ring with the motto of the order GOTT MIT UNS. The gold lapel medallion bears the donor's monogramWR with Den 18 October 1861the date of the foundation on the blue enameled medallion ring. The cross arms of the order cross IV class are not enameled.

Recently, three different models have been identified that differ significantly in the design of the crown in the medallion:

1. Model, which was awarded from 1861 to around the end of 1862, with a heraldic crown with high-arched crown stirrups
2. Model, which was awarded from around the beginning of 1863 to the end of 1868, with a normal (small) heraldic royal crown
3rd model, with the Prussian (large) royal crown, which was awarded from the beginning of 1869 to the end of 1918.
1st class breast star

The breast star - eight-pointed for the first class, four-pointed for the second class with a star - shows the obverse medallion of the medallion in the middle. According to the Highest Order of Wilhelm I of February 27, 1864, in accordance with the Highest Cabinet Order of Friedrich Wilhelm IV of September 16, 1848 for the Order of the Red Eagle, for merit in front of the enemy (war awards), insignia with swords crossed in the middle were awarded arranged. Holders of war awards received insignia with crossed swords, so-called swords on the ring, attached to the cross during doctorates (higher awards). Combinations of both were possible.

The gems / crosses of the I. to III. Class were made from gold and hollow from 1861 to 1918, from 1917 to 1918 from gold-plated silver, hallmarked "938". The fourth class cross was always made of gold-plated bronze, the medallions from 1861 to around the end of 1861 were made of gold-plated silver, from around the beginning of 1863 to 1916 made of gold, and from 1917 to 1918 again made of gold-plated silver. The star corpi were made of solid silver, the cushions were made of gold from 1861 to 1916, and gold-plated silver from 1917 to 1918. For these years, however, the use of gold (medallion) and gold-plated silver (swords) can also be proven for insignia with swords.

As a special show of grace, the insignia of the 1st and 2nd class could also be awarded in diamonds, that is, the medal partly, the body of the breast star entirely set with cut diamonds.

Carrying method

In the first class, an order cross with a diameter of approx. 60-62 mm was placed on a four inch (approx. 100 mm) wide ribbon from the left shoulder to the right hip and an eight-pointed breast star with a diameter of approx. Carried 88–92 mm. In the second class, a cross with a diameter of approx. 49–51 mm was placed on a two-inch (approx. 50 mm) wide ribbon on the neck and, when awarded with the star, a four-pointed breast star with a diameter of approx Worn 78–81 mm. The III. The class wore an order cross with a diameter of approx. 42 mm on a 1½ inch (approx. 38 mm) wide ribbon in the buttonhole according to the deed of foundation, de facto on the left breast. In the fourth grade a cross without enameled arms with a diameter of approx. 42 mm was worn on a 1½ inch (approx. 38 mm) wide ribbon in the buttonhole, de facto on the left breast.

Distinctions

III. Class in the respective distinctions and ribbons

According to a communication from the Secret Military Cabinet to the General Order Commission of January 27, 1863, a number 50 to be affixed to the insignia was introduced - based on the model of the Red Eagle Order for awards for 50 years of service. The possible anniversary numbers 60, 65 and 70 were also tacitly adopted by the Red Eagle Order.

At the request of the Lord Master of the Brandenburg Ballei of the Order of St. John , Prince Carl of Prussia , according to Wilhelm I's letter of October 18, 1864, insignia were awarded to knights of the Order of St. John for services in the care and healing of wounded and sick warriors during the German Danish War of 1864 and the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 with St. John's crosses on the ring. Willi Geile lists all relevant awards.

With Wilhelm I's certificate of January 18, 1865, holders of the first class of both medals were given the insignia of the second awarded with the enamel band of the first awarded. Holders of the 1st class with oak leaves of the Red Eagle Order received insignia with an enamel ribbon and oak leaves of the former at the award of the Crown Order 1st class. According to Schultze, this distinction was revoked on May 4, 1888, without a source being given. Nimmergut thinks that this at the request of Emperor Friedrich III. had happened with an unpublished ministerial order .

On June 22, 1871, Wilhelm I decreed that members of the voluntary nursing in the Franco-German War the III. and IV. Class of the Order with a red cross on a white enamel background placed on the upper arm of the cross.

Tapes

The color of the ribbon for the insignia is indicated in the foundation charter as dark blue watered. Ms. W. Hoeftmann added a note to this statement that the band had been of a lighter color from March 1865, but without any indication of sources. Schneider mentions, also without giving any sources, that Wilhelm I chose a lighter shade of cornflower blue for the ribbon on March 25th. Nimmergut specifies, even without information from sources, that the ribbon was initially dark cornflower blue (the king's favorite color) and, from 1865, a lightened medium blue. According to the Highest Cabinet Ordre Wilhelm I of April 22, 1864, insignia with swords through the middle were to be awarded on a black ribbon with a white border (analogous to the Iron Cross on a white ribbon ). In the case of a doctorate (higher award) with swords on an already existing war decoration, the ribbon was twice black and three times white-striped, with black stripes. However, these provisions did not apply to first class. The color of the ribbon remained here according to the statutes. According to the same ordinance, military officers in war received insignia with swords on a white ribbon with a black border (analogous to the iron cross on a white ribbon) for services acquired in enemy fire. In addition, military officers in war received insignia without swords, but on a white ribbon with a black border, for services not earned in enemy fire. According to Hoeftmann, since October 18, 1864, several awards of the Crown Order on the ribbon of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern have taken place. On June 22, 1871, Wilhelm I issued the highest order that insignia III. and IV. Class of the Order of the Crown, which had been awarded for patriotic acts outside the theater of war of 1870/71 , in future had to be worn on a white ribbon with six black stripes and a red border. According to this order, decorations with the red cross were also to be worn on this commemorative ribbon, which was later designated as this . According to Nimmergut, from a previously unknown point in time, it was also possible to award the Crown Order for particularly difficult or repeated rescue acts on the ribbon of the rescue medal . For the period between 1902 and 1909, Nimmergut was awarded such a III. Class and five of the fourth class.

Award

According to the deed of foundation, the Order of the Crown was equated in rank with the Order of the Red Eagle. But he always took the position after him. When they were awarded the High Order of the Black Eagle, the princes of the royal house received not only the Grand Cross of the Red Eagle Order but also the 1st class of the Order of the Crown.

Award numbers

Emilio Körner with the breast star of the Order of the Crown, 1st class

The first class (including swords and distinctions) was awarded 28 times from 1861 to 1862, 81 times from 1863 to 1868, 2,352 times from 1869 to 1916 and 91 times from 1917 to 1918, for a total of 2,553 times.

The II. Class (including swords and distinctions) was 100 times from 1861 to 1862, 37 times with a star, from 1863 to 1868 422 times, 101 times with a star, from 1869 to 1916 12,105 times 3,674 times with a star, and from 1917 to 1918 840 times, of which 202 times with a star, a total of 13,467 times, of which 4,014 times with a star.

The III. Class (including swords and distinctions) was awarded 221 times from 1861 to 1862, 1,508 times from 1863 to 1868, 28,341 times from 1869 to 1916, and 1004 times from 1917 to 1918, for a total of 31,074 times.

The fourth class (including swords and distinctions) was awarded 488 times from 1861 to 1862, 55,878 times from 1863 to 1868, 28,341 times from 1869 to 1916 and 1,227 times from 1917 to 1918, for a total of 85,934 times.

meaning

The Crown Order is the most common general order of merit awarded in monarchical Germany (in the true sense of the word). The different, combinable distinctions, especially in the higher classes, as well as the way of wearing different ribbons have resulted in a large variety of insignia, which in turn led to numerous forgeries and falsifications to the harm of collectors, especially in the 1970s and 1980s.

Crown Order Medal

literature

  • Michael Autengruber : Royal Crown Order. in: Catalog for the 235th auction of Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & CO. KG on June 21, 2012. Orders and decorations from all over the world. Osnabrück 2013, pp. 101-102.
  • C. Grauenhorst: History and statutes of the Red Eagle Order and the Royal Crown Order. Festschrift for the celebration of the Prussian Coronation and Order Festival on January 23, 1881. Berlin 1881.
  • Maximilian Gritzner : Handbook of the knight and merit orders of all civilized states of the world within the XIX. Century. Leipzig 1893. pp. 374-377.
  • William E. Hamelman: Of Red Eagles and Royal Crowns. The Statutes of the Prussian Orders of the Red Eagle and the Crown. Dallas 1978.
  • F (riedrich). Wilhelm). Hoeftmann: The Prussian order herald. Berlin 1868, with the three supplements from 1871, 1900 and 1901. pp. 65–68.
  • Fr. W. Hoeftmann: The Prussian Rothe Adler Order and the Royal Crown Order. Certificate and picture, Berlin 1878.
  • Karl-Adolf Freiherr von der Horst: The Royal Prussian Crown Order. German Order Almanac 1908/1909. Handbook of knights and women of the order of German citizenship. Leipzig undated, pp. XIX – XXVIII.
  • André Hüsken : Catalog of orders, decorations and awards of the Electorate of Brandenburg, the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, the Kingdom of Prussia, the Republic of Prussia taking into account the German Empire. Volume I. Bremen 2001, pp. 188-207.
  • Arnhard Graf Klenau, Peter Sauerwald: The orders and decorations of the Kingdom of Prussia. Color catalog with prices. Offenbach am Main 1998. pp. 56-67.
  • Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann : The Royal Crown Order Third and Fourth Class with the Red Cross. in order militaria magazine. No. 38 (1990). Pp. 1-3.
  • Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann: Royal Crown Order, first and second class with diamonds. INFO No. 50, Munich 1987. p. 10.
  • Jörg Nimmergut : German medals and decorations until 1945. Volume 2: Limburg-Reuss. Central Office for Scientific Order Studies, Munich 1997. ISBN 3-00-001396-2 . Pp. 875-912.
  • Louis Schneider : The Royal Crown Order. Duncker, Berlin 1871. Digitized
  • Karl-Heinz Pontzen, Peter Sauerwald: The anatomy of an order. The Royal Prussian Order of the Crown of the Second Class. In: Orders and Medals. No. 11, Hof / Saale 2001. pp. 4–5.
  • Dietmar Raksch: Award certificates and certificates of ownership from the Kingdom of Prussia and the Republic of Prussia 1793–1972. Hamburg 2002. pp. 133-185.
  • Erhard Roth: Awards of peace orders of the Royal Order of the Crown from 1913 to 1918. Statistical recording of the awards of medals by the Kingdom of Prussia. Volume 1. Leipzig 2005.
  • Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order 1st class with the enamel ribbon of the Red Eagle Order. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orders and Medals. No. 8, Hof / Saale 2000. pp. 2-9.
  • Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order of the 1st class. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orden – Militaria – Magazin. No. 95, Steinau an der Strasse, 2001. pp. 7-12.
  • Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order of the 2nd class. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orden – Militaria – Magazin. No. 96, Steinau an der Strasse, 2001. pp. 2-9.
  • Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order of the 3rd class. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orden – Militaria – Magazin. No. 97, Steinau an der Strasse, 2001. pp. 14-19.
  • Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order of the 4th class. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orden – Militaria – Magazin. No. 98, Steinau an der Strasse, 2001. pp. 26–28.
  • Peter Sauerwald / Stefan Schmidt: The first class of the Royal Prussian Order of the Crown with swords and swords on the ring - probably a unique award level. In : Orders and Medals. The magazine for friends of phaleristics, publisher: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ordenskunde , Issue 125, 22nd year, Gäufelden 2020. ISSN 1438-3772.

Web links

Commons : Order of the Crown  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g Louis Schneider: The Royal Crown Order. Berlin 1871. Documents p. 1, No. 1.
  2. ↑ The carcass has been missing since 1945.
  3. ↑ a b Mike Estelmann: New findings on the models of the Royal Prussian Order of the Crown. German Society for Religious Orders, 2011.
  4. ↑ Most Highest Order for awarding the Crown Order for merit before the enemy. in: Law Collection for the Royal Prussian States. in: Louis Schneider: The Royal Crown Order. Berlin 1871. Documents p. 4, No. 10.
  5. ↑ Michael Autengruber: Royal Crown Order. In: Catalog for the 240th auction of Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & CO. KG on November 19, 2013. Medals and decorations. The estate of the Balck officer's family. Osnabrück, including Osnabrück 2013, p. 35 f., Cat.-no. 45-47.
  6. ↑ Communication of the Secret Military Cabinet to the General Order Commission regarding the award for 50 years of service. In: Louis Schneider: The Royal Crown Order. Berlin 1871. Documents p. 4, No. 9.
  7. ^ Jörg Nimmergut: German medals and decorations. Volume 2: Lippe-Reuss. Munich 1997, p. 871.
  8. ↑ Willi Geile: In the footsteps of a Knight of St. John. Orden-Militaria-Magazin 24 (1987), pp. 1-28.
  9. ↑ Document regarding the wearing of the insignia of the Red Eagle Order, 1st Class and the Crown Order, 1st Class, with simultaneous possession of both orders. Louis Schneider: The Royal Crown Order. Berlin 1871. Documents p. 5, No. 12.
  10. ↑ Walther Schultze: Germany's Knight and Merit Order of the Present. Berlin 1900. p. 29.
  11. ^ Jörg Nimmergut: German medals and decorations. Volume 2: Lippe-Reuss. Munich 1997, p. 876, note 14, without reference to the source.
  12. ↑ a b Ordre, concerning the award of the 3rd and 4th class of the Crown Order for patriotic acts outside the theater of war 1870–1871. in: Louis Schneider: The Royal Crown Order. Berlin 1871. Documents pp. 5-6, No. 13.
  13. ^ Jörg Nimmergut: German medals and decorations. Volume 2: Lippe-Reuss. Munich 1997, p. 869.
  14. ↑ a b c Highest decree of April 22, 1864. in: Louis Schneider: The book of the Rothen Adler-Orden. Second supplement 1863–1868. Berlin 1868. p. 135.
  15. ^ Highest decree of April 22nd, 1864. in: Louis Schneider: Das Buch vom Rothen Adler-Orden. Second supplement 1863–1868. Berlin 1868, p. 136.
  16. ^ Highest decree of April 22nd, 1864. in: Louis Schneider: Das Buch vom Rothen Adler-Orden. Second supplement 1863–1868. Berlin 1868, pp. 988 and 989, note 17.
  17. ^ FW Hoeftmann: The Prussian order herald. Berlin 1868, with the three supplements from 1871, 1900 and 1901, p. 66, without citing the source.
  18. ^ Jörg Nimmergut: German medals and decorations. Volume 2: Lippe-Reuss. Munich 1997, p. 988.
  19. ↑ quoted from (Eduard) Freiherr v. Ketelholdt: Rare medals . in: Berliner Lokal-Anzeiger . No. 1 (1900).
  20. ^ Jörg Nimmergut: German medals and decorations. Volume 2: Lippe-Reuss. Munich 1997, p. 908.
  21. ^ Jörg Nimmergut: German medals and decorations. Volume 2: Lippe-Reuss. Munich 1997, p. 911.
  22. ↑ Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order of the First Class. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orden – Militaria – Magazin. No. 95, Steinau an der Straße, 2001. p. 4.
  23. ↑ Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order of the II. Class. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orden – Militaria – Magazin. No. 96, Steinau an der Strasse, 2001. P. 8f.
  24. ↑ Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order of the First Class. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orden – Militaria – Magazin. No. 97, Steinau an der Straße, 2001. P. 15 f.
  25. ↑ Peter Sauerwald: The Royal Prussian Crown Order of the First Class. History, figuratively and statistically. In: Orden – Militaria – Magazin. No. 98, Steinau an der Straße, 2001. P. 27.