German Awards - Cross of Honor for Officers of the 1814 Line

This honorary cross was established on October 22, 1814 by Prince Henry XIII. donated by Reuss-Greitz. At the time he was Governor-General of Frankfurt. Officers of the line troops of the General Government of Frankfurt also wanted a commemorative sign of 1814. Prince Henry XIII. asked the Senate if officers could also receive a commemorative coin for the crowd of volunteers. This request was denied by the Senate because the inscription on the commemorative coin would not have met the purpose of the issue. The Governor-General instituted the cross shown here. The order was received by Samuel Tomschütz, a mint master in Frankfurt. The designs were approved by a conference on reinforcement on 30 October 1814. The first crosses were delivered on 23 November 1814. Initially, officers of the line involved in the campaign were awarded. Then the circle of persons entitled to this was expanded to include officials who deserved to serve in the troops. Shortly before the dissolution of the governorship-general on 20 July 1815, the cross was also awarded to Landsturm staff officers and persons who had rendered outstanding services to Landsturm. The cross was awarded a total of 143 times between 27 December 1814 and 22 October 1815. The second coinage of 1815 is minimally different from the 1st coinage. It is 1mm smaller and slightly sharper than the embossed one.

The cross is bronze with raised, smooth edges. The crosses are slightly curved with dark lacquered insides. Front and rear parts with a relief transverse oval central shield. On the upper cruciform shoulder there is a parallel embossed ear with an elongated belt ring.

Front side:

• Central shield with raised smooth edge.
• In the included field, the font increases - DEUTSCH -/- LAND -.
• On the cross sleeves, elevated, upper - Fr -, left - AI -, right - FW - and lower - 1814 - are common.
• Fr means Francis I of Austria, AI means Alexander I of Russia, FW means Friedrich Wilhelm III. Allies of Prussia.

Downside:

• Cross hands without raised inscription.
In
• the captured field of the oval middle shield are elevated: - H - (smaller) XIII - RG
-.
• Stands for the founder of Henry XIII. Reuss-Grace.

Tape:

39 mm wide, edges black/orange 8 mm each, side stripes white 5 mm, central stripes yellow 12 mm.

Photos courtesy of Arnold Auction House, Frankfurt/Main

.