Awards of Germany - Military Order of Merit Karl Friedrich Knight's Cross

The future Grand Duke Karl Friedrich, already as elector, intended to establish an order of military merit. During the war of 1805 against Austria, he had already promised everyone who appeared before the enemy an excellent act of the order. In addition, men, regardless of personality, should receive a gold medal for a particularly glorious act and a silver medal for not so outstanding acts.
Only on April 4, 1807, the Grand Duke Karl Friedrich established the military order of merit of Karl Friedrich and issued statutes. The order consisted of 3 classes: Grand Cross, Komtur and Knight. Gold and silver medals for military merit, donated at the same time, were not attached to the order. The slogan of the order is "For the honor of the bath." The Grand Master was respectively the reigning Grand Duke and the Chancellor of the Order was the respective Hereditary Grand Duke. The order was allowed to be added to the family coat of arms. It was awarded exclusively by officers, regardless of religion, birth or rank, for especially outstanding acts before the enemy. Soldiers and sergeant ranks received medals. However, the Grand Cross was awarded only to generals. The award of the order was associated with honorary gold, which was paid for life. The first awards took place on April 22, 1807 in Gdansk. After the death of the carrier, the award had to be returned. The funeral was held with the upper class. Until the establishment of official awards in 1831, the order could be awarded for 25 years of faithful service.
The Knight's Cross was awarded 706 times. There are 3 known variants of the cross, differing in the size and shape of the crown. The first crosses were made of gold. Since 1916, they began to be made of silver with gilding. Old gold reserves were spent even more.

Cross in gold and silver in Maltese form. The cross arms are sheathed in gold and enameled in white. Front and back with a raised round gold central shield. At a short distance between the cross sleeves, a wreath of 2 laurel branches with fruits tied below between the tops of the lower cross sleeve. The leaves of the laurel wreath are enameled green. Between the apices of the upper cruciform shoulder, the ends of the laurel wreath extend outward. A movable, golden, openwork crown is attached to the last leaves. A ribbon ring passes through the imperial apple.

Front side:

• Golden central shield with a wide blue enameled outer ring.
• It has a golden inscription: - FOR - BATHING - HONOR -.
• Enclosed field with red enameled background.
• It has gold, ornamented, intertwined letters - C F -.

Downside:

• Golden central shield with a wide blue enameled outer ring.
• It has a golden inscription: - FOR - BATHING - HONOR -.
In
• a surrounded field on a gold background is a silver Baden griffin.
• He goes to the right, holding a sword and shield.

Tape:

Width 35 mm, edges white, side stripes yellow 10 mm, central stripes red 12 mm.