David
Wed October 6, 2004 4:13am
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Golden Palms in the Order
Golden Palms in the Order of the Crown
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David
Wed October 6, 2004 4:15am
Rating: 10
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Golden Medal in the Order
Golden Medal in the Order of the Crown
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David
Wed October 6, 2004 11:44pm
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Resistance Cross
Resistance Cross
When the Netherlands was liberated in May 1945, the Dutch government in London had succeeded in developing a good and balanced system of both military and civilian decorations. Apart from the already existing Military Order of William, new decorations aroused like the Bronze Lion, the Bronze Cross, the Cross of Merit and the Flyers Cross. Deeds of courage could be awarded in a very efficient way. However there was not a good decoration to award people of the resistance organisations. In surrounding countries the government had already succeeded in filling this gap. The Dutch government also tried to achieve this goal. Because of the fact that there could not be found an agreement whether deeds of resistance could be awarded with an existing Military Decoration or there was to be developed a special decoration, time passed on.
Especially within the Dutch Resistance there was a forceful movement against the decoration of resistance deeds. During war, every deed of resistance was thought to be equal to any other. However, other countries did decorate Dutch resistance people. A significant number of Dutch people were awarded decorations like the British King?s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom and the American Medal of Freedom for their resistance work. Strengthened by this the Dutch government pushed on. Apart from that it was a personal wish of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands that resistance work should be decorated.
A special commission was formed to seek the possibilities. This Raad voor Onderscheiding en Eerbetoon ( Council for Decoration and Honour), with Prof. Ir. W. Schemerhorn, dr. L.J.M. Beel, J.M. de Booy, mr. E.N. van Kleffens, Prof. Dr. P. Lieftinck, mr. J. Meynen and General-major mr. H.J. Kruls, first asked the Grote Adviescommissie der Illegaliteit ( Great Committee of the Resistance, GAC) for advise on the matter. It should not be any surprise that this committee advised negative. On the other hand, another organisation of the former resistance, the former members of the Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten (Inland Forces B.S) that was formed at the end of the war by combining the forces of the many weaponed resistance groups in the Netherlands, did announce they were positive about decorating deeds of resistance. Finally the Dutch government took its own decision and on November 28th 1945, the order was given to the Rijksmunt to develop a new medal. Finally the choice was made for the Resistance Cross which was developed by L.O. Wenckenbach.
By Royal Decree of May 3rd 1946 the Resistance Cross was finally instituted. The formal disruption was: ?The Bronze decoration of the Resistance Cross resembled a four armed cross, imbedded on a star of flames and covered with the Royal Crown. On the front one can find St. Joris fighting the dragon. On the arms of the cross are engraved the words ?Trouw tot in den dood?. On the obverse one can find a flaming sword wit two broken chains?, all according to article 4 of the Royal Decree. The ribbon is coloured in Crimson Red with two golden orange lines.
Although presenting the decoration to a living person, a compromise was found with the opposing people of the former Dutch Resistance and the decoration was only given to people that already died. Only once this promise was broken, when on July 19th 1946 a Resistance Cross was awarded by Queen Wilhelmina to Gerard Tieman, living in the Blindeninstituut in Bussum (Home for the Blind).
The first Resistance Crosses were awarded by Royal Decree of May 7th 1946 and were given to the relatives on May 9th of the same year. The group of people that was awarded was very carefully chosen from all the different groups of the Dutch Resistance movement. Very high rules were used to make the decoration one of the highest in ranking in the Dutch system, coming only second after the highest, the Military Order of William. The Resistance Cross was also awarded to foreign people for their part in the Dutch Resistance network. On October 24h 1946 the first ?foreign? decorations were awarded to Belgian Resistance Fighters.
One remarkable Resistance Cross must not be forgotten. To commemorate the millions of Jews that were killed during the Second World War, there was to be build a monument in New York. Mr. E.N. Kleffens, then Dutch Ambassador in the United States was asked to be a member of the Commission of Recommendation for the monument to be called the ?American Memorial to six million martyred Jews and the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Battle?. Kleffens was asked to present a decoration as forms of publicity for the monument. By his doing a Royal Decree no.4 was announced on October 17th 1947, giving a Resistance Cross to the ?Unknown Jewish Soldier of the Warsaw Ghetto who died for the Freedom of all People?. Although the monument never was finished, on the place of the monument in the Riverside Park a memorial stone was erected with the lines: ?This is the site for the American Memorial to the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Battle April-May 1943 and to the six million Jews of Europe martyred in the cause of human liberty?.
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 4:39am
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Order of the Golden Kite,
Order of the Golden Kite, 4th Class
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 4:40am
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Order of the Golden Kite,
Order of the Golden Kite, 5th Class
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 4:41am
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Order of the Golden Kite,
Order of the Golden Kite, 6th Class
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 4:41am
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Order of the Golden Kite,
Order of the Golden Kite, 7th Class
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:08pm
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Ordine della Santissima A
Ordine della Santissima Annunziata: one of the greatest chivalric orders of all times, comparable to the Habsburg's Golden Fleece, the Order of the Garter and the Supreme Order of Christ. While very exclusive, the collar was bestowed upon high ranking generals.
Established in 1362 by Amedeo VI of Savoy ("the Green Count"). While the founder had originally conceived an overall number of 15 members to honour the 15 "delights" of the Blessed Virgin (14 knights plus the Grand Master), in 1869 King Vittorio Emanuele II raised the number of knights from 14 to 20; but the Grand Master, the princes of his royal blood, clergymen and foreigners were supposed to be calculated as an extra to this fixed number. Untill the fall of monarchy, the Knighthood of the Holy Annunciation equalled nobility, and gave right to the title of "Excellency" and "Cousin of the King", with precedence, in all ceremonies, over the highest offices of state. The Annunziata's collar could be conferred on non-nobles, but not on non-catholics: this because of its deeply religious origins, and since the knights had many religious duties. Each collar exists in two versions: a greater one (to be used on New Year's Day, on Annunciation Day, on national holidays and in all solemn court cerimonies) and a smaller (for all other occasions). Collars were to be returned to the King after the death of a Knight. Nevertheless, during last decades many collars went missing, as the Duce's (Benito Mussolini) one. Although the medallion is worn suspended to a golden collar, a ribbon to be used on uniforms was indeed instituted by Royal Decree in 1924: it is purple (better: amaranthine) and bears a small golden badge (four-leaved clover-shaped) depicting the Annunciation "en miniature".
During the monarchy, this was to be placed above all other merits and awards. After the fall of monarchy the Italian Republican Government obviously denied acknowledgement of this order, which was never discontinued, being dynastic patrimony of the existing House of Savoy, and ist still, though very seldom, conferred.
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:16pm
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St. George's Weapon
The St. George's Weapon was an additional award associated with the Order of St. George, though rarely given . An officer could be bestowed with a gold saber, inscribed "For Gallantry" and marked with a small enamel St. George cross and with the black and orange St. Geroge's ribbon for the sword knot. High ranking officers, such as generals or admirals could receive the St. George's Weapon with inset diamonds as an added distinction. The gold weapon was an independent award, not an extra class within the order, but holders of the golden weapon were considered holders of the order.
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:35pm
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Pour le M
Pour le M?rite. The "Blue Max" is among the most famous decorations of all time. It was Prussia's highest military award, given not for individual acts of gallantry, but for repeated and continual gallantry in action. Although the Pour le M?rite has a civilian version (still awarded to this day), it is almost considered to be an entirely different decoration. The award could be made with a golden oak leaves device on the suspension ring - a distinction added for exceptional merit, usually to recipients of high rank. There was also a Grand Cross of the order, but it was not used during World War I. There were 1,687 awarded during the First World War, 122 with oak leaves. The Pour le M?rite was different than many bravery awards in that it could not be awarded posthumously. The recipient needed to be alive. Many German servicemen died while the paperwork for their Blue Max was being considered and as such were never 'credited' with the award even though they might have been had they lived. Also, unlike other awards, the Pour le M?rite was to be worn whenever the recipient was in uniform and not just on dress occasions. For that reason, many Blue Max crosses show signs of considerable wear and tear.
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:39pm
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The Order of the Golden F
The Order of the Golden Fleece - One of the most ancient of chivilaric knighthood orders. The Order was of such limited membership as to lie outside this study, but is included here for identification.
- Established in 1430 by Duke Phillip III of Burgundy, the Order came be an Austrian Order (or more properly, a Habsburg Order) when Maximillian of Habsburg (husband of Marie, Phillip's granddaughter) became Sovereign of the Order. Membership was always stricly limited, and usually only extended to members of the Imperial family and the highest of the nobility in Austria and abroad. As with other ancient knighthood orders, this Order comes in only one grade. The badge, a gold 'fleece' suspended from a highly stylized "B" (for Burgundy) was worn from the neck on a scarlet ribbon.
Following the split in the Habsburg house into Spanish and Austrian branches, there came to be both an Austrian Order and a Spanish Order. Both are still in existence today. One had to be Catholic and of good character to receive it. Except for Imperial archdukes and foreign nobility it was usually only given late in life as a reward for a lifetime of service to the Imperial family.
The last Habsburg emperor, Karl (1916-1918), awarded seven knighthoods to the order after he was removed as Emperor and before his death in 1922. Karl's grandson, Otto, presides as Sovereign of the Order today.
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David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:41pm
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The Austrian Order of the
The Austrian Order of the Iron Crown - This was the the most commonly awarded Austrian Order during the Great War era. During the latter part of the war, the Order of the Iron Crown functioned as an officer's bravery award. Unlike most orders, it came to be awarded more than once to the same recipient -- taking on more the characteristics of a bravery - medal - than a chivalric - Order-.
Originally an Italian Order (the Coronne de Fer), the Iron Crown came into Austrian use when Austria resumed control of Northern Italy in 1815 following the defeat of Napoleon's forces. Like many other chivalric orders, there was originally to be limited membership: 20 First Class, 30 Second and 50 Third Class, but the number greatly increased with time. Even though Austria lost most all her Italian territories in the various "little" wars between 1859-70 , Austria retained use of the Iron Crown as an "all purpose" order.
The First Class emblem was larger than the other two and worn in ceremonial occasions on a golden yellow sash with two thin blue stripes near the edges, shown here in a 19th cent. engraving.The Second Class emblem was larger than the Knight's and worn from the neck, as seen here. The Third Class, or Knight's, was worn on the breast from the yellow and blue ribbon.
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David
Mon July 25, 2005 12:01pm
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Audenarde American Monume
The World War I Audenarde American Monument is located in the town of Oudenaarde (Audenarde), Belgium, seventeen miles south of Gent (Gand), thirty-eight miles west of Brussels and one hundred and eighty-three miles north of Paris, France.
The monument of golden-yellow limestone, bearing the shield of the United States flanked by two stone eagles, stands at the end of a small park maintained by the Commission. It commemorates the services and sacrifices of the 40,000 American troops who, in October and November 1918, fought in the vicinity as units attached to the Group of Armies commanded by the King of Belgium. Some are buried in the Flanders Field American Cemetery at Waregem, Belgium, eight miles to the west.
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David
Mon July 25, 2005 12:18pm
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Sommepy American Monument
The World War I Sommepy American Monument stands on Blank Mont Ridge, three miles northwest of Sommepy-Tahure (Marne), France. The site is eleven miles north of Suippes and one hundred and twenty-four miles east of Paris. It can be reached via Chalons-sur-Marne or Reims.
The monument is surrounded by vestiges of World War I trenches, dugouts and gun emplacements. It is essentially a tower of golden-yellow limestone with an observation tower on top affording an excellent view of the battlefields. Weather permitting, it is open daily. Inside the entrance to the monument is an inscription describing American operations in the vicinity. The monument's site was captured by American troops. It commemorates the achievements of the 70,000 Americans who served in this region during the summer and fall of 1918.
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David
Mon July 25, 2005 12:21pm
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West Coast Memorial
The World War II West Coast Memorial is located on a high ground overlooking the entrance to San Francisco Harbor. It is at the intersection of Lincoln and Harrison Boulevards in the Presidio of San Francisco, California, near the southern edge of the Golden Gate Bridge.
This memorial was erected in the memory of those soldiers, sailors, marines and coast guardsmen, and airmen who met their deaths in the American coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean during World War II. It consists of a curved gray granite wall decorated with bas relief sculpture and a statue of Liberty on its right flank. On the wall are inscribed the name, rank, organization and State of each of the 412 American Missing whose remains were never recovered or identified. The terrace affords an excellent view of the neighboring shore and the exit from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Pacific Ocean.
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