Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,994
The "Iron Cross"...
On March 10, 1813, the Prussian King Friedrich-Wilhelm III.
... donates a new order during a visit to Breslau (today: Wroclaw, Poland) to honor special deeds during the wars of liberation against the French ...:
The new order was designed by the king himself...:
Based on the sketch by Friedrich Wilhelm III. became Karl Friedrich Schinkel ...
... commissioned on March 13, 1813 with the creation of a corresponding final artwork:
"Sr. Royal Maj. Have decided to allow a peculiar award of merit to appear for the duration of the present war. It is said to consist of a black cast iron cross set in silver, the front of which remains completely smooth and without any inscription, but the reverse side at the top contains the signature FW with the crown, in the middle three oak leaves, under the year 1813. Se. Maj. Have designed the attached drawing of it themselves and wish a clean drawing. "
Here it is...:
This is what the lapel (the back) of the "Iron Cross" looked like in 1813 ...:
On the anvers (the obverse) the order cross 1813 does not have any engravings or inscriptions, as the following picture shows ...:
The "Iron Cross" is the first award in Germany in 1813, for the award of which outstanding actions in the war of liberation were decisive, regardless of rank, origin, rank and military rank.
The Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class should be worn on a ribbon in the buttonhole or on the left side of the chest. To distinguish between the two classes, a pectoral cross in the form of the iron cross was also worn in addition to the first class...:
In order to achieve the - higher - 1st class, it was imperative to have been awarded the 2nd class beforehand.
Then there was a "Grand Cross" in 1813, which was worn on a ribbon around the neck.
It was only awarded to five people after the Wars of Liberation ...:
- Feldmarschall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher (August 31, 1813)
- General Friedrich Wilhelm Bülow von Dennewitz (15. September 1813)
- Crownprince Karl Johann of Sweden, the former French marshal Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (Herbst
1813)
- General Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von Tauentzien (26. Januar 1814)
- Johann David Ludwig Graf Yorck von Wartenburg (31. März 1814)
The shape of the "Iron Cross" was derived from the Balkenkreuz of the Teutonic Order: a black paw cross with widening bar ends on a white coat, as the German knights have been wearing since the 14th century.
The edge of the award, which was actually made of cast iron ...
... was made of silver.
The black and white ribbon was not redesigned - the ribbon of the "Pour le Mérite" order was used ...:
The date of the foundation of the order - March 10, 1813 - had Friedrich Wilhelm III. also chosen deliberately: It was the birthday of his wife Queen Luise of Prussia, who died in 1810 ...:
The king also awarded her - posthumously - the very first "Iron Cross"!
It should also be mentioned that Field Marshal Blücher - as the only one! - a special breast star was awarded to the Grand Cross, the so-called "Blücherstar" ...:
A replica can be seen in the photo, as the original was irretrievably destroyed in a fire in 1820 at Blücher's Krieblowitz Castle.
Here you can see Blücher with a grand cross and "Blücherstar" ...:
On March 10, 1813, the Prussian King Friedrich-Wilhelm III.
... donates a new order during a visit to Breslau (today: Wroclaw, Poland) to honor special deeds during the wars of liberation against the French ...:
The new order was designed by the king himself...:
Based on the sketch by Friedrich Wilhelm III. became Karl Friedrich Schinkel ...
... commissioned on March 13, 1813 with the creation of a corresponding final artwork:
"Sr. Royal Maj. Have decided to allow a peculiar award of merit to appear for the duration of the present war. It is said to consist of a black cast iron cross set in silver, the front of which remains completely smooth and without any inscription, but the reverse side at the top contains the signature FW with the crown, in the middle three oak leaves, under the year 1813. Se. Maj. Have designed the attached drawing of it themselves and wish a clean drawing. "
Here it is...:
This is what the lapel (the back) of the "Iron Cross" looked like in 1813 ...:
On the anvers (the obverse) the order cross 1813 does not have any engravings or inscriptions, as the following picture shows ...:
The "Iron Cross" is the first award in Germany in 1813, for the award of which outstanding actions in the war of liberation were decisive, regardless of rank, origin, rank and military rank.
The Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class should be worn on a ribbon in the buttonhole or on the left side of the chest. To distinguish between the two classes, a pectoral cross in the form of the iron cross was also worn in addition to the first class...:
In order to achieve the - higher - 1st class, it was imperative to have been awarded the 2nd class beforehand.
Then there was a "Grand Cross" in 1813, which was worn on a ribbon around the neck.
It was only awarded to five people after the Wars of Liberation ...:
- Feldmarschall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher (August 31, 1813)
- General Friedrich Wilhelm Bülow von Dennewitz (15. September 1813)
- Crownprince Karl Johann of Sweden, the former French marshal Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (Herbst
1813)
- General Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von Tauentzien (26. Januar 1814)
- Johann David Ludwig Graf Yorck von Wartenburg (31. März 1814)
The shape of the "Iron Cross" was derived from the Balkenkreuz of the Teutonic Order: a black paw cross with widening bar ends on a white coat, as the German knights have been wearing since the 14th century.
The edge of the award, which was actually made of cast iron ...
... was made of silver.
The black and white ribbon was not redesigned - the ribbon of the "Pour le Mérite" order was used ...:
The date of the foundation of the order - March 10, 1813 - had Friedrich Wilhelm III. also chosen deliberately: It was the birthday of his wife Queen Luise of Prussia, who died in 1810 ...:
The king also awarded her - posthumously - the very first "Iron Cross"!
It should also be mentioned that Field Marshal Blücher - as the only one! - a special breast star was awarded to the Grand Cross, the so-called "Blücherstar" ...:
A replica can be seen in the photo, as the original was irretrievably destroyed in a fire in 1820 at Blücher's Krieblowitz Castle.
Here you can see Blücher with a grand cross and "Blücherstar" ...:
