Imperial Orders and Medals Guide

This is an identification guide for the Imperial Orders and medals in use or awarded for the period 1870-1918. During this period, some 25 German states awarded a variety of decorations. Orders usually consisted of several levels. The highest level was the medal on a sash ribbon with or without a breast star, the medal on a neck ribbon, to lower levels of the medal on a ribbon suspension. Order awards could be made with or without crown, swords, laurel leaves, or other embellishments. Medals could be awarded in gold, silver, or bronze and with swords in some classes. Some medals were awarded as both a pin back 1st class award, and a 2nd class medal on a ribbon. Orders and medals are shown in order of presidence. To the best of our knowledge, all the examples shown are original pre-1945 manufacture. If anyone has questions or suggestions, please contact Vern@GermanDaggers.com.

© 2000, 2015 by GermanDaggers.com

Kingdom of Prussia


Order of the Black Eagle	Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown	Order of the Red Eagle	Order of the Red Eagle Cross with Crown and Swords
Order of the Red Eagle Cross	Order of the Red Eagle Cross with Swords	Order of the Red Eagle Silver Cross	Order of the Red Eagle Medal
Order of the Crown	Order of the Crown with Swords	Order of the Crown Cross	Order of the Crown Cross with Swords
Order of the Crown Medal	Royal House Order of Hohenzollern	Royal House Order of Hohenzollern - Cross with Crown and Swords	Royal House Order of Hohenzollern - Cross with Crown
Royal House Order of Hohenzollern - Silver Cross of Merit	Pour le Mérite	Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves	Pour le Mérite for Art and Science
Johanniter Order	Johanniter Order Cross of Merit	Wilhelm Orden	Louise Order
Louise Order Cross of Merit	Grand Cross - 1870	Iron Cross 1st Class - 1870	Iron Cross 2nd Class - 1870
Grand Cross - 1914	Iron Cross 1st Class - 1914	Iron Cross 2nd Class - 1914	Iron Cross 2nd Class - 1914 Non-combatant Ribbon
Military Merit Cross	Military Honor Medal 1st Class	Military Honor Medal 2nd Class	Merit Cross for War Aid
Warrior Merit Medal	Military Long Service Cross for 25 Years	Military Long Service Cross for 15 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 12 Years
Military Long Service Medal for 9 Years	Landwehr Long Service Cross 1st Class	Landwehr Long Service Medal 2nd Class	War Commemorative Medal of 1870/71
War Commemorative Medal of 1870/71 - Non-combatant Medal and Ribbon	Duppel Storm Cross	Alsen Cross	Alsen Cross - Non-combatant Ribbon
Alsen Cross - Reserves Ribbon	1866 Commemorative Cross	War Commemorative Medal of 1864	Colonial Service Medal
China Service Medal	South West Africa Service Medal	Centenary Medal	Lifesaving Medal - Silver
Lifesaving Medal - Bronze	Red Cross Medal 1st Class	Red Cross Medal 2nd Class	Red Cross Medal 3rd Class
Civil Merit Cross - Gold	Civil Merit Cross - Silver	General Honor Decoration Cross 1st Class	General Honor Decoration Medal 2nd Class
General Honor Decoration Medal 3rd Class	General Honor Decoration Medal with Red Cross	Jerusalem Cross	Cross of the Mount of Olives

Kingdom of Bavaria


Military Order of Max Joseph	Military Order of Max Joseph Gold Medal of Merit	Military Order of Max Joseph Silver Medal of Merit	Merit Order of the Bavarian Crown
Order of St. Michael - Gold with Crown	Order of St. Michael - Silver with Crown	Order of St. Michael - Silver	Order of St. Michael Merit Cross
Order of St. Michael Merit Medal	Military Merit Order - Gold with Crown and Swords	Military Merit Order - Gold with Swords	Military Merit Order - Gold
Military Merit Order - Silver with Crown and Swords	Military Merit Order - Silver with Crown	Military Merit Order - Silver with Swords	Ludwig Order
Maximilian Order for Science and Art	Maximilian Order for Science and Art with Crown	Order of Theresa	Order of Saint Hubertus
Royal Order of Saint George	Order of Saint Elizabeth	Military Medical Order	Military Merit Cross - 1st Class - Gold with Crown and Swords - NonCombatant Ribbon
Military Merit Cross - 1st Class - Gold with Swords - Combatant Ribbon	Military Merit Cross - 1st Class - Gold - Combatant Ribbon	Military Merit Cross - 2nd Class - Silver with Crown and Swords - Combatant Ribbon	Military Merit Cross - 2nd Class - Silver with Swords - NonCombatant Ribbon
Military Merit Medal - 2nd Class - Silver - Combatant Ribbon	Military Merit Medal - 3rd Class - Bronze with Crown and Swords - Combatant Ribbon	Military Merit Medal - 3rd Class - Bronze with Swords - Combatant Ribbon	Military Merit Medal - 3rd Class - Bronze - NonCombatant Ribbon
Jubilee Medal for the Bavarian Army	King Ludwig Cross	Merit Cross for Voluntary Medical Personnel	Military Medical Decoration
Military Long Service Cross for 24 Years	Military Long Service Cross for 15 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 12 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 9 Years
Landwehr Long Service Cross 1st Class	Landwehr Long Service Medal 2nd Class	Ludwig Medal for Art and Science	Ludwig Medal for Industry
Civil Merit Medal	Silver Lifesaving Medal	Bronze Lifesaving Medal	Prince Regent Luitpold Medal

Kingdom of Saxony


Order of the Rue Crown	Military Order of St. Henry	Military Order of St. Henry Cross	Military Order of St. Henry Gold Medal
Military Order of St. Henry Silver Medal	Civil Merit Order Cross with Crown and Swords	Civil Merit Order Cross with Crown	Civil Merit Order Cross with Leaves and Swords
Civil Merit Order Cross with Swords	Civil Merit Order Cross	Civil Merit Order Silver Cross	Civil Merit Order Silver Medal
Albert Order with Crown and Swords	Albert Order with Swords	Albert Order	Albert Order Cross of Merit
Albert Order Medal of Merit	Order of Maria-Anna	Order of Sidonia	Friedrich August Medal
Honor Cross with Swords	War Merit Cross	War Service Medal for 1870-71	Military Long Service Cross for 25 Years
Military Long Service Cross for 15 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 12 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 9 Years	Landwehr Long Service Cross 1st Class
Landwehr Long Service Medal 2nd Class	Civil "Virtuti et Ingenio" Medal	Civil "Bene Merentibus" Medal	Civil Honor Cross with Crown
Civil Honor Cross	Cross for Medical and Humanitarian Service in Wartime	Lifesaving Medal - Silver	Lifesaving Medal - Bronze

Kingdom of Württemberg


Order of the Crown with Swords and Lions	Order of the Crown with Swords	Order of the Crown	Friedrich Order Military Merit Cross
Friedrich Order Merit Cross with Swords	Friedrich Order Silver Merit Cross with Swords	Friedrich Order Military Merit Medal	Military Merit Order
Military Merit Order with Crown	Order of Olga	Gold Military Merit Medal	Silver Military Merit Medal
Merit Cross with Swords	Wilhelm Cross with Swords	Wilhelm Cross	Charlotte Cross
Military Long Service Cross for 25 Years	Military Long Service Cross for 21 Years	Military Long Service Cross for 15 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 12 Years
Military Long Service Medal in Silver for 9 Years	Military Long Service Medal In Iron for 9 Years	Landwehr Long Service Cross	Landwehr Long Service Medal
Civil Merit Cross	Civil Merit Medal	Gold Medal for Art and Science	Lifesaving Medal

Grand Duchy of Baden


House Order of Fidelity	Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order	Order of Berthold the First	Order of Berthold the First with Swords
Order of the Zähringer Lion	Order of the Zähringer Lion with Swords	Order of the Zähringer Lion - Silver	Military Merit Medal
Field Service Decoration	Cross for Volunteer Medical Personnel 1870-71	Cross for Volunteer War Aid 1914-16	War Merit Cross
Gold Service Medal	Silver Service Medal	Military Long Service Cross for 25 Years	Military Long Service Cross for 15 Years
Military Long Service Medal for 12 Years	Military Long Service Medal in Silver for 9 Years	Military Long Service Medal in Iron for 9 Years	Landwehr Long Service Cross
Landwehr Long Service Medal	Civil Merit Medal	1902 Jubilee Medal	Friedrich-Luisen Medal
1906 Commemorative Medal	Silver Lifesaving Medal	Bronze Lifesaving Medal	Art and Science Medal

Grand Duchy of Hesse


Order of the Golden Lion	Ludwigs Order	Order of Philip the Magnanimous	Order of Philip the Magnanimous Cross with Swords
Order of Philip the Magnanimous Silver Cross of Merit	Order of the Star of Brabant	Order of the Star of Brabant Cross of Honor	Order of the Star of Brabant - lower grades
Military Merit Cross 1870/71	General Honor Decoration - for Bravery	General Honor Decoration - for Merit in War	Warrior Honor Decoration in Iron
Military Medical Cross	War Honor Medal	Military Long Service Cross for 15 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 12 Years
Military Long Service Medal for 9 Years	Landwehr Long Service Medal 2nd Class	General Honor Decoration - for Civil Merit	General Honor Decoration - for Faithful Service
General Honor Decoration - for Faithful Work	General Honor Decoration - for Many Years of Faithful Service	General Honor Decoration - for Lifesaving	Merit Medal for Science, Art, Industry, and Agriculture

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg


House Order of the Wendish Crown	House Order of the Wendish Crown Cross	House Order of the Wendish Crown Gold Cross of Merit	House Order of the Wendish Crown Silver Cross of Merit

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin


Order of the Griffin Grand Cross	Order of the Griffin Breast Cross	Order of the Griffin Commander's Cross	Order of the Griffin Commander's Cross with Swords
Order of the Griffin Knight's Cross	Military Merit Cross 1st Class	Military Merit Cross 2nd Class	Military Merit Cross 2nd Class - Non-combanant Ribbon
Friedrich Franz Cross	Friedrich Franz Alexandra Cross	Military Long Service Cross for 25 Years	Military Long Service Cross for 15 Years
Military Long Service Medal for 12 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 9 Years	Landwehr Long Service Cross 1st Class	Landwehr Long Service Medal 2nd Class
Silver Civil Merit Medal	Bronze Civil Merit Medal	Friedrich Franz Medal	Medal for Arts and Sciences

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz


Cross for Distinction in War 1st Class	Cross for Distinction in War 2nd Class	Civil Merit Medal	Lifesaving Medal

Grand Duchy of Oldenburg


Order of Peter Frederick Louis - Gold	Order of Peter Frederick Louis - Silver	Order of Peter Frederick Louis Cross	Order of Peter Frederick Louis Gold Cross of Honor
Order of Peter Frederick Louis Silver Cross of Honor	Order of Peter Frederick Louis Iron Cross of Honor with Swords	Order of Peter Frederick Louis Gold Medal of Honor	Order of Peter Frederick Louis Silver Medal of Honor
Order of Peter Frederick Louis Iron Medal of Honor	Friedrich August Cross 1st Class	Friedrich August Cross 2nd Class	Friedrich August Cross 2nd Class - Non-combatant Ribbon
War Merit Medal	Civil Merit Medal	Medal for Merit in the Arts	Lifesaving Medal

Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach


Order of the White Falcon	Order of the White Falcon 1st Class with Swords	Order of the White Falcon 2nd Class with Swords	Order of the White Falcon Merit Medal
Wilhelm Ernst War Cross	General Honor Decoration in Bronze with Swords	General Honor Decoration in Bronze	General Honor Decoration in Silver with Swords
General Honor Decoration in Silver	Military Long Service Medal for 15 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 12 Years	Military Long Service Medal for 9 Years
Civil Merit Medal	Honor Cross for Homeland Merit	Lifesaving Medal - Silver	Lifesaving Medal - Bronze

Duchy of Anhalt


Order of Albert the Bear with Crown	Order of Albert the Bear with Crown and Swords	Order of Albert the Bear - Gold	Order of Albert the Bear - Silver
Order of Albert the Bear Gold Medal of Merit	Order of Albert the Bear Silver Medal of Merit	Order of Merit for Science and Art	Friedrich Cross 1st Class
Friedrich Cross 2nd Class	Friedrich Cross 2nd Class - Non-combatant Ribbon	1896 Jubilee Medal	Lifesaving Medal

Duchy of Brunswick


Order of Henry the Lion - Gold with Crown	Order of Henry the Lion - Silver with Crown	Order of Henry the Lion - Gold	Order of Henry the Lion Gold Cross
Order of Henry the Lion Silver Cross	Order of Henry the Lion Medal	Peninsula Campaign Commemorative Medal	Waterloo Medal
War Merit Cross 1st Class	War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords	War Merit Cross 2nd Class - Non-combatant Ribbon	Lifesaving Medal

Duchy of Saxe


Ernestine House Order with Crown	Ernestine House Order with Crown and Swords	Ernestine House Order	Ernestine House Order Merit Cross

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg


Ernestine House Order Gold Merit Medal	Ernestine House Order Silver Merit Medal	Duke Ernst Medal 1st Class	Duke Ernst Medal 2nd Class
Medal for Military Merit - Bronze	Medal for Military Merit - Zinc	Medal for Art and Science	Lifesaving Medal

Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha


Ernestine House Order Gold Merit Medal with Swords	Ernestine House Order Silver Merit Medal with Swords	Ernestine House Order Silver Merit Medal with Swords	Duke Carl Eduard Medal with Crown
Duke Carl Eduard Cross	Medal for Art and Science	Lifesaving Medal	Duke Carl Eduard Medal

Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen


Ernestine House Order Gold Merit Medal	Ernestine House Order Silver Merit Medal with Swords	Ernestine House Order Silver Merit Medal	War Merit Cross
War Merit Medal - Bronze	War Merit Medal - Iron	Military Service Medal	Lifesaving Medal

Principality of Hohenzollern


Princely House Order of Hohenzollern	Princely House Order of Hohenzollern Cross	Princely House Order of Hohenzollern Silver Cross with Swords	Princely House Order of Hohenzollern Silver Cross of Merit
Princely House Order of Hohenzollern Silver Medal of Merit with Swords	Princely House Order of Hohenzollern Silver Medal of Merit	Bene Merenti Order with Swords	Bene Merenti Order
Bene Merenti Order Cross with Swords	Bene Merenti Order Cross	Bene Merenti Order Silver Cross with Swords	Bene Merenti Order Silver Cross

Principality of Lippe-Detmold


House Order of the Honor Cross with Crown and Swords	House Order of the Honor Cross with Crown	House Order of the Honor Cross with Swords	House Order of the Honor Cross - Cross of Merit
Order of Leopold 1st Class Cross	Order of Leopold 2nd Class Cross	Order of Leopold 3rd Class Cross	Order of Leopold Medal of Merit
Lippish Rose Order for Art and Science	War Honor Cross	War Merit Cross 1st Class	War Merit Cross 2nd Class
War Merit Cross 2nd Class - Non-combatant Ribbon	Military Merit Medal	Military Merit Medal - Non-combatant Ribbon	War Honor Medal with Swords
War Honor Medal	Civil Merit Medal with Crown	Civil Merit Medal	Lifesaving Medal

Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe


House Order of the Honor Cross	House Order of the Honor Cross - Silver Cross of Merit	House Order of the Honor Cross - Cross of Merit	Order for Art and Science
Officer's Military Merit Cross	Gold Military Merit Cross	Silver Military Merit Medal	Loyal Service Cross 1st Class
Loyal Service Cross 2nd Class	Loyal Service Cross 2nd Class - Non-combatant Ribbon	Civil Merit Medal	Lifesaving Medal

Principality of Reuss


Princely Reuss Honor Cross with Crown and Swords	Princely Reuss Honor Cross	Princely Reuss Honor Cross - Silver Cross with Swords	Princely Reuss Honor Cross - Silver Cross
Princely Reuss Honor Cross - Silver Medal with Swords	Princely Reuss Honor Cross - Silver Medal on Peacetime Ribbon	Princely Reuss Honor Cross - Bronze Medal on Peacetime Ribbon	War Merit Cross
Medal for Sacrificial Activity in Wartime	Gold Civil Merit Cross	Silver Civil Merit Cross	Lifesaving Medal

Principality of Schwarzburg


Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross with Swords	Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross	Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross - Silver Honor Cross with Swords	Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross - Silver Cross with Swords
Gold Medal for Merit in War	Silver Medal for Merit in War	Bronze Medal for Merit in War	Merit Medal for Art and Science

Principality of Waldeck


Order of Merit	Order of Merit with Swords	Order of Merit Silver Cross	Order of Merit Silver Cross with Swords
Order of Merit Silver Medal with Swords	Military Merit Cross	Friedrich Bathildis Medal	Medal for Art and Science

Free and Hanseatic Cities


Hanseatic Cross - Bremen	Hanseatic Cross - Hamburg	Hanseatic Cross - Lübeck	Hanseatic Legion Merit Medal