Germany Awards - Order of Vigilance/From the White Falcon Knight's Cross 1st Class

The Order of Vigilance or the White Falcon was established by Duke Ernst Augustus on August 2, 1732. Grand Duke Charles Augustus resumed the order on October 18, 1815 (the date of the battle of the peoples near Leipzig). The order now had 3 classes: Grand Cross, Commander and Knight. The Knights' 3rd class was initially limited to 30. Signs of the order were subject to return after death or transition to a higher class. Prior to the founding of swords in 1870, the Order of Civil and Military Merit was awarded without swords. In 1840, the commanders were presented with stars, and the class of knights was divided into a knight's cross and an honorary cross. In 1878, the Silver Cross "For Merit" was established. In 1892, crosses were introduced for services to the grand ducal house, which have crosses and chest stars. In 1902, the crosses of the knights of the 2nd class, like the crosses of the 1st class, were decorated in silver. The Merit Cross was divided into gold and silver. For services to the enemy, even swords. The 1st class knight's cross without swords was awarded about 700 times.
Famous early manufacturers of order marks were Bury, Müller & Junger from Hanau, later Bury & Leonhardt, Hanau, Wilhelm Wirsing. The manufacturer since 1891 was T. Muller, a court jeweler and order factory from Weimar.

Golden Cross in Maltese uniform. The crosses are sheathed in gold and enameled. On the front side is a raised white falcon. Reverse with a gold middle shield worn. On the upper cruciform shoulder between the peaks is a large ornamented agraph, almost completely filling the space between the peaks. Movable gold crown is fixed on it by means of internal hinge. A ribbon ring passes through the imperial apple of the golden crown.

Front side:

• Cruciform hands are sheathed in gold and covered with green icing. Hatching is visible below it.
In the
• corners of the crosspiece are red glazed rhombuses with gold ornamented tips and gold edges.
• Hatching is visible under the red enamel. Decorated lace with white enamel.
In the
• center is suspended a white enameled and golden falcon, the head faces to the left.

Downside:

• The crosses are white enameled with a gold border.
In the
• corners of the traverse are green glazed rhombuses with gold ornamented peaks and edges.
• Hatching is visible under the green enamel. Decorated lace with white enamel.
• A blue enameled shield is installed in the center. Edge - golden laurel wreath tied from below
• Above is a golden crown .
• On the blue central shield there is 4 lowercase font: - VIGI - LANDO - ASCEN - DIMUS -.
• (Through vigilance, we rise)

Tape:

red 37 mm wide.

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