Johanniter breast badges

[Eric Stahlhut]

Here are two grades.

[Eric Stahlhut]

reverse:

They are heavily vaulted, and the pics make the hinges seem crooked. They are actually horizontal.

[Rick Research]

Any hallmarks at all? Is the lower one silver?

These have been eluding me for decades, and have yet to paw my first one "live," though oddly enough I have encountered several of the regulation cloth ones still sewn to officers' tunics.

[Eric Stahlhut]

Nope, no hallmarks

Top one is bronze gilt and lower one is silver. Upon further inspection I have noticed that the lower one could very well be
a silver gilt example as there is a gilt finish under all of the tarnish on the edges of the arms. They are exteremely well made.

"Leinenkreuz", right?

[Eric Stahlhut]

And here's a Prinzen.

[Eric Stahlhut]

this one is non vaulted

.

[Rick Research]

Yup, great honking oversized thingums too.

Interesting to see the necessary reinforcements in there at the center, Eric!

[Mike Dunn]

What were these awarded for? They have to be the plainest of all the German awards! Mike

[Eric Stahlhut]

I quess the best way to describe the Holy Order of St. John in laymans terms (that is me, BTW, and no pun intended) is that it was an international Catholic charitable organization that had very strong pull with the royalty of European countries, who were, and are STILL related...
PAY ATTENTION!...whose main source of income was from the rich, who were , in the nascentindustrial age and overall grand scheme of things were..nobilty!

That may be why so many of the Von whatevers were sporting these emblems, particularly during the beginning stages of the war, say, up until 1916 or so.

And that, in a rather crude way, is why you can find these orders issued by opposing sides in a rather incongruent fashion.

Those Catholics sure knew how to straddle the fence. They still do! heh.

[Rick Research]

Actually, the Prussian (Brandenburg) Bailiwick was Protestant. German Catholics had to go get the independent Order of Malta affiliated with the Vatican.

[Eric Stahlhut]

Well,

there's a layman for you! Babbling, etc.

Thanks, Rick!

[Klaus O.]

my Johanniter-Orden

Dear imperialites,

That's my Johanniter-Orden breast cross.

Actually I do not know what this class corresponds according Nimmergut's catalogue "Orden & Ehrenzeichen". Is it the "Kreuz der Ehrenritter"?

I have got also the "delicate" miniature with the silver mark.

Although this order is quite simple I like it very much. The maltese cross is just very elegant (like the PLM).

Ciao,

Claudio

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Claudio,

the breast crosses are all the same for all grades.
The Neck-crosses were different.

Here is my pece; an old embroidered one.

Best regards

Daniel

[PaulHD]

Imperialites;
This Knighthood order dates back to the time of the Crusades,
and is related to the Knights Templar, and British St Johns
Hospitalers. They were a religious order of monks, and
at the same time Knights. Based in Malta, they aided
Crusaders going to and from the Middle East. Hence the
name "Maltese Cross". This is the grandfather of all German
Knighthood Orders.
The Leinenkreuz, literally "linen" is the cloth, sewn cross.
The Steckkreuz {pin back} and linen cross are Kreuzen der
Rechts and Ehrenritter.
The neck Order Kreuz der Ehrenritter, is very similar to the
PLM, White enameled cross with black eagles in the cross arms
with gold crowns on a black ribbon.
The Order Kreuz der Komandatoren and Ehrenkomandatoren
is as above with gold eagles in the cross arms and a large gold
crown on the top arm topped
with a smaller "sunburst" design

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Imperials,

I have got one of a different design made out of silver and with a J. Godet (&Sohn) maker mark. It seems Daniel´s ("Spiess") cloth one is imitating the same design as seen on my cross.

What is the difference in these designs? If these are all the same class, then there surely is an explanation for the different designs. Different time periods?

Cheers, Frank H.