Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
The Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia is a medal and decoration and - alongside the State Prize of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia - the highest award in North Rhine-Westphalia .
The shape of the order results from a simple, white enameled Maltese cross with a silver disc in the center on which the coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia is depicted.
The law on the Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia was promulgated on March 11, 1986 and came into force the following day.
The order was donated by the then Prime Minister Johannes Rau . It is awarded to citizens and foreigners from all groups of the population and beyond, whose extraordinary merits for the North Rhine-Westphalian community in all areas of life can be earned. The members of the government are entitled to make nominations for their respective departments as well as the president of the state parliament for the state parliament . The award is made by the Prime Minister . Anyone can make suggestions for the award.
The number of regional orders is limited to 2,500 living award winners. Since its inception, 1,638 people have received this award (as of August 2019). The Prime Minister and the President of the State Parliament are ex officio holders of the order.
From a historical point of view, the Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia is the second order donated in Düsseldorf after the Order of Hubert .
See also
- List of holders of the Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
- State Prize of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ GV. NW. 1986 p. 218
- ↑ 14 citizens awarded the Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. State Chancellery NRW, 23 August 2018, accessed on 23 August 2019 .