Awards of Germany - Order of Merit of St. Michael of the Komtur Cross/Cross 1. That is sick

King Ludwig I established the Order of Merit of St. Michael on February 16, 1837. It can be awarded to everyone, regardless of faith and position. The prerequisite was excellent useful service in various fields, devotion and love for the homeland, which were supposed to cause the satisfaction of the king. The Commander's Cross of the Royal Order of Merit of St. Michael was the 2nd class of the order. In 1855, the Grand Comtour with a breast star was introduced, which was located just behind the Grand Cross. Komtur took 3rd place.
In 1875, 17 large and 80 Komtours were registered for local residents. With the transformation of the order in 1887, the 1st class was introduced (with a chest star). The unit was now: Grand Cross, 1st Class, 2nd Class with Star, 2nd Class, 3rd Class, 4th Class, Cross of Merit and Silver Medal of Merit. In 1894, a bronze medal was added. The last expansion and division occurred in 1910. The Cross of Honor was donated and occupied a place between the 2nd and 3rd grades. The 4th class and the Merit Cross could now be awarded with and without a crown. Order crosses for the large comture, comture and 1st class remained the same in design and with slight deviations in size. Large crosses with the same design are larger (about 110 x 65 mm). The same applies to thoracic stars, about 86 mm at the large cross and about 75 mm at 1. Class. 1. The class was awarded up to 1909 119 times. Of these, 99 were foreigners, that is, not Bavarians. Since 1916, crosses began to be made of gilded silver. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. 1, 1997.

Golden cross with dark blue enameled, gold side cross sleeves. Front and back with a raised middle shield. Between the cross sleeves are openwork, gold bunches of lightning. On the upper cruciform shoulder there is a decorated 3-section agraff, on which a golden, open royal crown is movably installed. A ring passes through the imperial apple of the crown.

Front side:

• Large gold letters are inscribed on the cross sleeves above the zippers:
• Left - F -, top - P -, right - F - and bottom on the head - P -.
• The letters PFFP are an acronym for the Order's decision:
• PRINCIPI FIDELIS FAVERE PATRIA (loyal to the prince, serving the fatherland)
• Gold bundles of zippers form a circle around the medallion.
• Punched between the cruciform arms, they are recessed on the cruciform arms.
• The tops of the flashes are alternately directed up and down and right and left, respectively.
• The golden median shield is highly oval and evenly spaced up and down.
• On it is an image of the archangel Michael standing on a defeated dragon.
In his
• left hand he holds a shield with the slogan - QUIS -/- UT -/- DEUS -.
• (Who is like God) He has a cross on his chest, both blue.

Downside:

• Large gold letters are inscribed on the cross sleeves above the zippers:
• Left - F -, top - P -, right - F - and bottom on the head - P -.
• The letters PFFP are an acronym for the Order's decision:
• PRINCIPI FIDELIS FAVERE PATRIA (loyal to the prince, serving the fatherland)
• Gold bundles of zippers form a circle around the medallion.
• Punched between the cruciform arms, they are recessed on the cruciform arms.
• The tops of the flashes are alternately directed up and down and right and left, respectively.
• The golden median shield is round and smooth.
• Mitiig blue inscription: - VIRTUTI - (virtue).

Tape:

• Comture: collar 58 mm, pink side stripes of 9 mm, dark blue central stripe 39 mm.
• Cross 1. Class: flap, 103 mm, side strips of 16 mm, center strips 70 mm.

Photos of www.Militariasammlung.de