German Awards - Common Badge of Honor for Civil Merit 1841

The general badge of honor for civil merit was established by King Ernst Augustus on June 5, 1841. The goal was to create another means besides the order to be able to evaluate excellent merit. Together with the medal "For Civil Merit," the medal "For Military Merit" was established with a modified inscription on the reverse. Non-commissioned officials and civilians without rank, distinguished by excellent merits of all kinds, had the right to receive it. The overall badge of honor was the beginning of the highest awards. Other merits were followed by a silver and then a gold medal for merit. Until 1860, the name and service rank of Beliehen was applied along the edge of the medal. After that, only the abbreviated name and surname were noted.
Circulation is estimated at about 7,000. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. 1, 1999.

Round silver medal with rim. Above is a soldered ordinary eye with a ribbon ring. Edge inscription of the carrier.

Front side:

• Under the royal crown are intertwined, sinuous letters - E A R -.

Downside:

• Along the edge is an oak-leafy wreath tied from below.
• In the nested field, the font is 3 lines: - MERIT -/- UMS -/- FATHERLAND -.

Tape:

• black 36 mm wide, yellow central stripe 5 mm, then right white 12 mm, right edge black 3 mm.

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