The Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown (Verdienstorden der Preußischen Krone) was an award of civil and military merit established 18 January 1901 by King Wilhelm II on the occasion of the bicentennial of the establishment of the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was presented in one class and consisted of a badge and a breast star. For military merit the award was presented with crossed swords. The order was presented once with diamonds.
Description of the award
The order consists of a badge, worn on a sash from right shoulder to the left hip, and a star worn on the left chest:
The badge of the order is a blue-enamelled, eighteen-karat, yellow-goldMaltese cross with a granular border. In each of the compartments between the four arms of the cross is a red-enamelled crown surmounting the royal monogram ("W II", for Wilhelm II). The central disc on the obverse of the badge shows a golden crown with red enamel, surrounded by a blue-enamelled circular band bearing the gold-lettered motto, "Gott Mit Uns". The disc on the reverse bears the intertwined initials "IR W II" (for "Imperator Rex Wilhelm II": "Emperor King William II"), encircled by the date "18 January 1901".
The star of the order is a golden eight-pointed star with straight rays, displaying the central disc from the obverse of the badge.
The sash of the order is blue, edged with orange stripes.
Awards
The medal was awarded only 57 times. General von Gossler was the only person who received the awards in both departments.
Konrad Ernst von Gossler, Prussian general of infantry on 10 February 1917
Ernst von Hoiningen, Prussian general of infantry on 6 March 1917
Recipients with diamonds
Maximilian von Seinsheim, Bavarian Grand Master of the Court on 15 December 1913
References
^"Count Hatzfeldt". The Times. No. 36611. London. 13 November 1901. p. 5.
^"Germany". The Times. No. 36783. London. 2 June 1902. p. 7.
^"Latest intelligence - The King of Italy in Berlin". The Times. No. 36859. London. 29 August 1902. p. 3.
Bibliography
Jörg Nimmergut: Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945. Band 2. Limburg – Reuss. Zentralstelle für wissenschaftliche Ordenskunde, München 1997, ISBN3-00-001396-2.
Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann: Der Verdienstorden der Preußischen Krone, Mitteilung aus dem Institut für Wissenschaftliche Ordenskunde, Der Herold - Band 12, 32. Jahrgang 1989, Heft 9
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