Awards of Germany - Knight's Order of St. John of Jerusalem Cross in Silver

Crosses of the Order of St. John are also called professorial crosses. They just didn't show affiliation, whether they were Knights of Right or Knights of Honour. In addition, the production of enameled or, as here, in silver does not provide reliable information about this. The professor's cross was worn by members of the order on their uniforms or civilian clothes to show belonging to the order. Professorial crosses are silver like this and white enameled crosses. In addition, smaller crosses were made (the so-called prince sizes). Crosses were purchased privately by members. Therefore, there are a wide variety of production and design options, especially for silver crosses. There are crosses with pointed ends or small balls on the tops. The insides tasted grainy, smooth or decorated.
The Royal Prussian Order of St. John was established by King Frederick William III. Founded in 1812. At the same time, he dissolved the Ballay Brandenburg and confiscated their possessions. Frederick William IV. October 15, 1852 resumed and restored the "Balley Brandenburg." Since then, the order has been called the knightly order of St. John of Jerusalem. Initially, the order consisted of 2 classes, grandmasters and knights of the order. With the renewal of 1852, the order consisted of the following classes: Protector's Cross, Master's Cross, Commander's Cross, Cavalier's Cross, Honor Cavaliers Cross and Honorary Members Cross. Real members of the order, komturas and legal knights, had to pay an annual fee of 12 thalers, as well as pay an entrance fee of 100 thalers. Knights of the Royal Prussian Order of St. John could become real knights of the order without an entrance fee. If they did not use it, they became honorary knights of the order. The king reserves the right to appoint new honorary knights, who had to pay 100 thalers for insignia. Persons who applied for an honorary knight had to pay 200 thalers. In 1853, Prince Karl of Prussia was elected Knight of the Order. Since 1883, after his death, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Albrecht of Prussia accepted this dignity.

Silver eight-pointed cross. Cruciform shoulders with raised smooth edges finely granular inside. The reverse is smooth silver with a vertical pin with a mating hook. On the left cruciform shoulder there is a silver stamp - 900 - a crescent moon and a crown, on the right is the stamp of the manufacturer.

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