Cross of Merit (Württemberg)

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The Cross of Merit was donated on July 2, 1900 by King Wilhelm II of Württemberg and awarded for general merits.

Appearance

The badge of honor is a silver-plated St. George cross with rounded, grained arms and smooth raised borders. In the medallion, the monogram of the donor W (Wilhelm) can be seen, surmounted by a royal crown . In the lapel there is the circumferential inscription MERIT and finally a small six-pointed star.

Swords

During the First World War , on January 29, 1915, the swords were donated for military service. In addition, the previous Cross of Merit was supplemented by two gold-plated swords leading through the cross angles. Mainly sergeant lieutenants and older Portepee NCOs of the Württemberg Army , who had already been awarded the Iron Cross or had been proposed for it, were mainly used .

A total of 2284 awards of the Cross of Merit with Swords can be documented.

Precedence

It ranks between the Medal of Merit of the Order of the Württemberg Crown and the Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Order of Frederick . Until the foundation of the Wilhelm Cross on September 13, 1915, it was Württemberg's highest decoration.

literature

  • Jörg Nimmergut : German medals and decorations until 1945. Volume 4: Württemberg II – German Empire. Central office for scientific ordination. Munich 2001, ISBN 3-00-00-1396-2 , pp. 1748, 1786.