German Awards - Nassau Ducal Order of Military and Civil Merit - 4th Class Cross

The Order of Adolf Nassau for military and civil merit was established by Duke Adolf I on May 8, 1858. The motto of the order was virtue "VIRTUTE." It was laid in memory of King Adolf of Nassau. In 1292, he was elected Holy Roman Emperor. Citizens and foreigners were awarded for outstanding services to the ruling house and country in all possible areas or for loyalty and devotion. Foreigners received the order as a sign of goodwill. At first it consisted of the following classes: Grand Cross, Komtur 1st and 2nd. Class, Knight and 4. Class (owner). Grand Cross and Comtour 1. The class was assigned in addition to the cross with a chest star. Komtur 2. The class was assigned without a breast star. Crosses of the first 3 classes carry a gold, openwork crown over the order cross. The knight's cross is gold, with enameled cross sleeves and a middle shield. 4th grade is a silver cross with enameled middle shields. In 1860, the order was expanded with the Silver Cross of Merit and the Medal for Art and Science. All classes were awarded to military personnel with swords crossed through the center. Upon promotion to a higher class or death, the order was subject to return. The order was renewed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 1909 and continued to be awarded with a modified inscription on the reverse. Now it is read - 1292 -/- 1860 -. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. II, 1997.

Silver cross in Maltese uniform. The cruciform arms are finely granular with small balls on the crosses. Front and back sides with raised, gold, round medallion. Between the tips of the upper cruciform shoulder is a pupate ear with a ribbon ring.

Front side:

• Round, gold central shield with a wide blue enameled ring inside and outside a golden border.
• Above 3 golden laurel branches, right and left. Bottom gold font: VIRTUTE - (by virtue)
In
• the surrounded white enameled field above it is a golden Gothic letter - A - a golden crown (imperial crown).

Downside:

• The round central shield is white enameled with a gold border.
• Above and below there is a small gold decoration. Between the 2-line gold digits of the year:
• - 1292 - and - 1858 - between them a horizontal golden protrusion with a point in the center.

Tape:

blue 31 mm wide, golden side stripes 3 mm.

.