Somebody Write An Imperial Awards ID Article!

[Brian S]

I think it's useful to show the medal loose and on the ribbon bar whenever possible. It will help us publish in our minds the 'right' look of a period mounted medal and its proper placement.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I love Hammelmanns book on WW1 iron cross docs.
Cheap, easy to read, many example.
Okay, not great quality, but you can get it for chump change.

I have about 180 WW1 EK docs, anyone wants to write a book, I will give you the scans, Rick can research it for you...and you can pocket the cash.

sad thin is... few people give a damn about paper, especially imperial paper

[Dave Danner]

The Bavarian MVK has been updated with Jens' odd black-painted variety as well as a nice medal bar with MVK1KrX, silver Military Merit Medal and Iron Cross. It now has pretty much all the WW1 3rd type variants (except those without swords) and illustrates several different styles (such as the zinc version and the aforementioned black painted version).

Now all I need is someone to write up or point me to the definitive explanation as to how the grades worked. Which ranks got which classes? How did the crowns work? Etc.

PS: some other updates to, including an Oldenburg FAK1 courtesy of Rick L and a few revisions and additions on the Hesse, Prussia, Reuss and Württemberg pages. The Prussia page is getting image heavy. Before I break it up, though, does anyone have examples of the Krieger-Verdienstmedaille, Silver Military Merit Cross, HHO Member's Eagle and 3rd Class Crown and Red Eagle Orders?

Thanks and regards,
Dave
Decorations of the States of the German Empire

A teaser:

[Dave Danner]

OK, I have done some more updating to the web site, adding both images and text. There are now well over 100 different decorations from 24 states. Every state's page has something on it (Anhalt and Waldeck remain the slimmest, Bavaria and Prussia the richest).

The following are the decorations for which I have no images:

Prussia - Order of the Black Eagle, Order of the Red Eagle 3rd Class, Order of the Crown 3rd Class, Silver Military Merit Cross, Krieger-Verdienstmedaille (I'm currently bidding on one of these)

Saxony - Silver Merit Cross with Swords, Albert Cross with Swords, Silver Friedrich August Medal

Württemberg - Friedrichs-Orden Knight 1st Class with Swords, Wilhelm Cross with Swords, Charlotte Cross

Mecklenburg-Strelitz - Order of the Wendish Crown, Cross 1st Class for Distinction in War

Oldenburg - House and Merit Order of Peter Frederick Louis Knight with Swords, Honor Cross of the House and Merit Order with Swords

Saxe-Weimar - General Honor Decorations in Gold and Silver

Anhalt - Order of Albert the Bear with Swords

Saxon Duchies - Merit Cross of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order

Saxe-Altenburg - Duke Ernst Medal

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha - Silver Merit Medal of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order with Swords Clasp, Carl Eduard War Cross

Saxe-Meiningen - Merit Medals of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order, Cross for Merit in War (I have one, but it's on a 6-medal bar)

Hohenzollern - Golden and Silver Merit Crosses and Golden Honor Medal of the Princely House Order

Lippe-Detmold - Honor Cross 3rd and 4th Class, Military Merit Medal with Swords on the Ribbon, War Honor Medal

Schaumburg-Lippe - House Order, Cross for Loyal Service, pinback (1st class)

Reuss - Princely Reuss Honor Cross 4th Class with Swords, Golden Merit Medal with Crown and Swords, Golden Merit Medal with Swords

Waldeck - Merit Cross, Golden Merit Medal with Swords

Dave

[Rick Research]

Here's a Wilhelmskreuz with Swords, but on a Frackspange: