German Awards - Military Merit Cross 2nd Class 1877

The Military Merit Cross 1877 was awarded to Grand Duke Frederick Franz II for the Turkish-Russian war. resumed. The Grand Duke sympathized with the Russian side. He was appointed Tsar Field Marshal in 1870/71 and was a regimental cavalier of the 8th Grenadier Regiment. In the Franco-Prussian War he was awarded the Order of St. George of the 2nd class. In the Turkish-Russian war, Mecklenburg-Schwerin was not involved. Crosses were awarded to Russian and Romanian individuals. The awarding of the Mecklenburgers did not take place. As with previous crosses, the year on the lower cross sleeve was changed. The cross was awarded in 2 classes. 1st class was a plug cross with a smooth back. The 2nd class shown here was worn on tape. Since 1870, the cross could be awarded for services not acquired directly to the enemy. To do this, the Grand Duke ruled that crosses should be worn on the red ribbon of the Order of the Vendian Crown. Crosses of 1877 are very rare, the 1st class of 1877 is extremely rare. All crosses are embossed and made of gilded bronze. Reductions of 1877 crosses were not awarded. These crosses like to fake because of the rarity.
The founding of the Military Merit Cross in Mecklenburg-Schwerin dates back to 1848. Grand Duke Frederick Franz II. On August 5, 1848, the cross was established for the war with Denmark. In 1859, 1864 and 1866, the crosses were again renewed formlessly and equipped with the corresponding dates of the year. There was no first class then. Private productions for officers are known. Wearing as a cross was probably tolerated. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. II, 1997.

Gilded cross in bronze. Along the edge of the cruciform shoulders is a raised shaded edge. The insides are finely indented. On top is a soldered eye with a ribbon ring.

Front side:

• On the cross sleeves at the top: - crown -, at the bottom: - 1877 -, in the center - FF -

Downside:

• On the cross sleeves at the top: - For -, in the center: - Reward - in -, below: - Wars -
• (Font is always uppercase and lowercase)

Tape:

• Width 35 mm, side stripes red/yellow 3 mm each, middle stripes light blue.

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