I thought a thread on the Prussian Rote-Kreuz-Medaille [Red Cross Medal] of 1898 could be of interest.
First, a bit of history: The Prussian Rote-Kreuz-Medaille was instituted on 1 Oct. 1898 by Wilhelm II, King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany. Its institution was suggested by his wife Queen Auguste Victoria, who, in her role as the Allerhöchste Protektorin [Supreme Protector] of the Red Cross associations, saw the need for a decoration that could be specifically awarded for peacetime Red Cross work.
The medal was in 3 classes:
The first class was a silver-gilt pinback cross in the shape of a Red Cross emblem, with the arms of the red-enamelled cross each ending in a Prussian royal crown. (I don't have a specimen of the first class decoration, so I will only present specimens for the third and second class.)
The second class was a round silver (later silver-plated) medal whose obverse showed the same cross-and-crowns device with the cross in red enamel. Between the arms of the cross were the letters "W / R / A / V" for "Wilhelm Rex / Auguste Victoria". The reverse bore the inscription "FUER VERDIENSTE UM DAS ROTHE KREUZ" [= "For merit in the interest of the Red Cross"] with a decorative oak branch. "Roth" was the archaic spelling for "rot" [red], with "rot" made the official correct spelling by the German Orthographic Conference of 1901. However, the spelling on the medal remained unchanged. The medal was worn on a ribbon in red, white and black, a combination of the colors of Prussia (black and white) with those of the Red Cross (red and white). (Of course, red, white and black also happened to be the the national colors of the German Empire.)
The third class was a bronze medal without enamel work; otherwise its design was identical to that of the second class. During World War I, the medal was manufactured in steel (starting ca. 1916) and then zinc/war metal (starting ca. 1917).
Awards were made to men and women (with women making up a high percentage of the recipients) for long-time meritorious Red Cross work or particular achievements for the organisation.
Generally, the three classes were to be awarded successively, with 5 years between the awards. However, in special cases, the second class could be awarded directly, in which case a simultaneous award of the third class was made. (The various classes were worn together.) The first and second class decorations had to be returned after the recipient's death.
For participants in foreign operations, the second and third class medals could be awarded with the following clasps:
- Südafrika 1899/1900 [South Africa 1899/1900]
- Ostasien 1900/01 [East Asia 1900/01]
- Charbin 1904/05 [Harbin 1904/05]
- Südwestafrika 1904/06 [Southwest Africa 1904/06]
- Peking [Beijing]
As with many other Imperial-era decorations, awards of the medal were made until 1921.
First, a bit of history: The Prussian Rote-Kreuz-Medaille was instituted on 1 Oct. 1898 by Wilhelm II, King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany. Its institution was suggested by his wife Queen Auguste Victoria, who, in her role as the Allerhöchste Protektorin [Supreme Protector] of the Red Cross associations, saw the need for a decoration that could be specifically awarded for peacetime Red Cross work.
The medal was in 3 classes:
The first class was a silver-gilt pinback cross in the shape of a Red Cross emblem, with the arms of the red-enamelled cross each ending in a Prussian royal crown. (I don't have a specimen of the first class decoration, so I will only present specimens for the third and second class.)
The second class was a round silver (later silver-plated) medal whose obverse showed the same cross-and-crowns device with the cross in red enamel. Between the arms of the cross were the letters "W / R / A / V" for "Wilhelm Rex / Auguste Victoria". The reverse bore the inscription "FUER VERDIENSTE UM DAS ROTHE KREUZ" [= "For merit in the interest of the Red Cross"] with a decorative oak branch. "Roth" was the archaic spelling for "rot" [red], with "rot" made the official correct spelling by the German Orthographic Conference of 1901. However, the spelling on the medal remained unchanged. The medal was worn on a ribbon in red, white and black, a combination of the colors of Prussia (black and white) with those of the Red Cross (red and white). (Of course, red, white and black also happened to be the the national colors of the German Empire.)
The third class was a bronze medal without enamel work; otherwise its design was identical to that of the second class. During World War I, the medal was manufactured in steel (starting ca. 1916) and then zinc/war metal (starting ca. 1917).
Awards were made to men and women (with women making up a high percentage of the recipients) for long-time meritorious Red Cross work or particular achievements for the organisation.
Generally, the three classes were to be awarded successively, with 5 years between the awards. However, in special cases, the second class could be awarded directly, in which case a simultaneous award of the third class was made. (The various classes were worn together.) The first and second class decorations had to be returned after the recipient's death.
For participants in foreign operations, the second and third class medals could be awarded with the following clasps:
- Südafrika 1899/1900 [South Africa 1899/1900]
- Ostasien 1900/01 [East Asia 1900/01]
- Charbin 1904/05 [Harbin 1904/05]
- Südwestafrika 1904/06 [Southwest Africa 1904/06]
- Peking [Beijing]
As with many other Imperial-era decorations, awards of the medal were made until 1921.
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