Order of the Württemberg Crown

[Dave Danner]

The last of the items I found at the Gunzenhausen show was this: a Knight's Cross with Swords (Ritterkreuz mit Schwertern) of the Order of the Württemberg Crown (Orden der Württembergischen Krone).

[Don D.]

Beautiful award Dave. How about a peek at the reverse?
Please.....

[Mike Dwyer]

Extremely nice medal, Dave. I don't know if I've ever seen one up close like that, it's very pretty!

[Scott Powell]

beautiful!

[Don D.]

You better watch it Scott, Imperial is even more addictive than zinky things.

[Dave Danner]

Reverse:

[Don D.]

Thanks Dave. That is a beauty. What was the award criteria?

[Dave Danner]

Thanks Dave. That is a beauty. What was the award criteria?

The Order of the Württemberg Crown was Württemberg's highest order. It was founded in 1818. Swords were authorized on September 19, 1870. It was for oustanding military or civil merit on behalf of the king, the royal house and the state. The higher classes of the order conferred a life patent of nobility.

It was typically awarded to majors and lieutenant colonels, but occasionally to more junior officers. The exact number I'm not sure about, because sources differ, but it was somewhere around 200 of this class. Among prominent recipients:

Wilhelm Adam - later a Generaloberst and Chef des Truppenamtes
Fedor von Bock - later a Generalfeldmarschall
Alexander von Falkenhausen - later a Generaloberst and military governor of Belgium
Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb - later a Generalfeldmarschall
Rudolf Schniewindt - later a General der Infanterie
Edwin von Stülpnagel - later a General der Infanterie
Otto von Stülpnagel - later a General der Infanterie/General der Flieger and military commander of occupied France