Cross of Merit (Austria-Hungary)

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Award

Cross of Merit (Austria-Hungary)

Golden Cross of Merit with the Crown on the red (civilian) ribbon

Description|

* Golden Cross of Merit with the Crown
* Golden Cross of Merit
* Silver Cross of Merit with the Crown
* Silver Cross of Merit
* Iron Cross of Merit with the Crown
* Iron Cross of Merit

Country|  Austria-Hungary
Status| No longer awarded
Established| 16 Februar 1850

Ribbons with which the medals could be awarded

Precedence
Next (higher)| Gold Bravery Medal for Enlisted Men
Next (lower)| Karl Troop Cross

The Cross of Merit (German: Verdienstkreuz) (Hungarian: Érdemkereszt) was a military and civil decoration of Austria-Hungary established 16 February 1850. Emperor Franz Josef awarded the cross "to reward loyal and actively proven devotion to Emperor and Fatherland, many years of acknowledged beneficial use in public service or other merits earned for the general good".

## History

[edit]

The establishment took place on February 16, 1850. The decoration came in four classes. During the First World War, the award was extended to include the Iron Cross of Merit with and without a crown on April 1, 1916, for the duration of the war. The latter class was intended exclusively for lower ranking soldiers. As a sign of bravery in the face of the enemy, Emperor Karl I introduced the awarding of swords to all classes of the Cross of Merit on December 13, 1916. When awarded with swords, they were to be placed on either a trifold ribbon or on a ribbon bar. The cross is suspended from a red trifold ribbon in peacetime and the ribbon of the Medal for Bravery in wartime.[1]

## Classes

[edit]

* Golden Cross of Merit with the Crown
* Golden Cross of Merit
* Silver Cross of Merit with the Crown
* Silver Cross of Merit
* Iron Cross of Merit with the Crown
* Iron Cross of MeritAll the classes of the Cross of Merit on the ribbon of the Medal for Bravery

## Endnotes

[edit]

1. ^ "Kitüntetések szalagsávja". akm.jjsoft.hu. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2022.

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Orders, decorations, and medals of Austria-Hungary

Ancient|

* Order of the Braid

Empire
(Male head)|

* Order of the Golden Fleece
* Military Order of Maria Theresa
* Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary

Order of Leopold
* Order of the Iron Crown
* Order of Franz Joseph
* Teutonic Order

Empire
(Female head)|

Order of Elizabeth and Theresa
(but male recipients)

Empire
(Female head)|

* Order of the Slaves of the Virtue
* Order of the Starry Cross
* Order of Love of the Neighbour

Order of Elizabeth

Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of Austria-Hungary
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