LeoLinz

Dear all, as this is an older post I hope someone's gonna answer my questions. I just started my Interest in Rhodesia, its history and also its award system. The Legion of Merit is a very fine and excellent looking award but I couldn't find answers to all of my questions. Basics: Member of the Legion of Merit - silver cross with golden "Zimbawe Bird" Officer of the Legion of Merit - golden cross with silver "Zimbawe Bird" Commander of the Legion of Merit - golden cross with silver "Zimbawe Bird" Grand Officer of the Legion of Merit - golden cross with silver "Zimbawe Bird" Grand Commander of the Legion of Merit - golden cross with silver "Zimbawe Bird" Is this correct? Did all crosses have the same size, also the neck orders? The military division had a thin red line on its ribbon to differ it from the civil divison. Additionally the military division hat rosettes on the ribbon: Member - golden Rosette Officer - silver Rosette Commander - red Rosette Grand Officer - no rosette Is this correct? Why didn' the civilian Division have rosettes? Where the rosette the only way to differ the classes (if all crosses had the same size)? Thank you for your help! Best regards, Leo

Dear pinpon590, thanks a lot for showing these great photos! I'm getting a little confused every time I read more, addicted to this huge and endless topic. But it's very interesting and awsome! Thank you again and best regards, Leo

Dear Bison, thank you a lot! You made my day. With these informations I'll start searching for further informations not completely from scratch! Many, many thanks and have a nice week! Yours, Leo

Hi Bison, I didn't know that this topic is so huge and complicated. As nearly totally new in french awards and in the Legion of Honour especially I had no idea. I hope this doesn't start to annoy you, but here's what I found out and how I came to the number of 8 different main types (chronological): - cross without crown and without the small pearls on tops, Napoleon I. on Avers, imp. eagle on Revers - cross with imperial crown and pearls on tops, Napoleon I. on Avers, imp. eagle on Revers - cross with royal crown and three fleurs-de-lys on the Revers, Henry IV. on Avers - cross with royal crown and two french flags on the Revers, Henry IV. on Avers - cross without crown and Napoleon I. on Avers, Revers ? (the two flags again?) - cross wih imperial crown, Napoleon I. on Avers and imp. eagle on Revers - cross with wreath, Marianne on Avers and the Date 1870, two french flags on the Revers - cross with wreath, Marianne on Avers and a little star where 1870 stood before, two french flags on the Revers and the Date "29 Floreal An X" So the "original" issue by Napoleon I., where I found only two types has four types, but where do I have to put the 13th type, which is missing in my list? Thank you for your efforts! All the Best, Leo

Dear Bison, thanks a lot for this informations! I had to learn french in school, but it's a long time ago and I'm afraid, that my French hasn't improved itself! But I'll still try to get through this informative pages. Did I understand right that there are 8 main types of the order? Thank you and best regards, Leo

Dear Brian, I'm glad that I could help a little bit. I'm searching for a KO-Sword myself and therefore I'm also looking for every info! On this page you have more detailled informations for both of the two sabers: http://de.scribd.com/doc/89876188/Sword-Corner-Type-32 Regards, Leo

Hi, I just read this thread, perhaps this link may help you, although it comes very, very late! http://www.collegehillarsenal.com/shop/product.php?productid=650 Cheers, Leo

Dear Gentlemen, perhaps someone can answer my question although this is an older thread. France orders are not my main collecting area but I'm interested in the "Legion of Honor" becaus it had so much influence in nearly all european (or worldwide) orders. But my problem, as a newbie in this topic is, what are the main distinctive features between the different versions. I think the actual version is Mod. 9 (please correct me if I'm wrong). I saw a few bijous and they had a different crown, or a different wreath, but I don't know are these different versions or did they just come from a different manufacturer. I would be glad if someone could tell me how to identify the main versions between 1802 and now. Thank's for all your efforts! Best regards, Leo

I found this page (unfortunately it's from Russia an I can't read Cyrillic). But you can see nice pictures of the different styles of badges and what happened to the dates if the award was wone more than one time. You can also see the silver shield which got the chief of the winning company (not for wear) and the bust of the Emperor (with the winning year engraved) which the Company got additionally. All combinations of Dates are possible, the actual date was the biggest one and the others were first added separately under the badge and later added on the sides in small scrolls. As I read, the "highest" badge had 7 different dates on it, which means this company won the "Preisschießen" seven years. The "highest" badges normally come on the market have four dates on it (they're around € 350,--). I never saw one with five or six dates . http://antique-photos.com/ru/awardsdatabase/german-empire/prussia/135-kaiserabzeichen.html Regards and all the best, Leo

Dear Marcin, the "Kaiserabzeichen" was instituted in 1895 (there was also a "Königsabzeichen" in Bavaria, Saxony and Wuerttemberg with the same regulations). The idea was to improve the marksmanship of the regiments of Infantry, Jäger, Artillery, MG-Units (since 1903) and the Navy (participated in squadrons). The best Company (Squadron etc.) got the badge and all NCOs and regular soldiers of this Company of the Regiment were allowed to wear it on the right arm for one year. Since 1902 the year was stamped on the badge. If no new badge was won in th following year competition the old badge had to be removed from the Uniform. But as far as I know everyone was allowed to keep the badge as long he didn't wear it on his uniform. I hope these infos are of interest for you. Reagrds, Leo

Ah, another interesting point. 1961 was only my guess, because I thought that all "Batista-Awards" were automatically banned after consolidation of the Castro-Reign. Thank you! Regards, Leo

Thank you for the clarification! Have a nice weekend, Leo

Hi Eddie, thank you for your help! So the 5th grade was a medal, good to know. Regards, Leo

Dear Eddie, thank you for your very fast answer! So, only the Grand Cross had a golden Breast-Star with silver "little" Stars? Then the the silver Breast-Star with golden "little" Stars were probably the Commander. Do you know how the classes were worn is there a similarity to the French Legion of Honor? Grand Cross - golden Star with a Sash (I saw one set) Grand Officer or Commander - silver Star with Neck-Decoration (?) Commander or Officer - Neck-Decoration (?) Officer or Knight (1st class) - Decoration with a Rosette on the ribbon (?) Chevalier or Knight (2nd class) - Decoration without a Rosette (?) Thanks a lot for any information! Regards, Leo

Dear Taz, i know this is a very old thread but perhaps you can answer a few questions about the cuban Order of the Red Cross. I just found very few infos, like it was instituted in 5 classes and that there were different models. So I read in the discription of a Breast-Star "1st Model with stars", it was a golden Breast-Star with small silver fivepointed silver stars, between the axes of the red cross. But I also saw one colored the other way round. Was this another class or another model and how much models existed? Did the investiture of the order end in 1961? If you have any informations, I would be very pleased! Thank you for your efforts! Leo

Hello to all, thanks a lot for answering my catalogue of questions Jussi-Pekka. Now I definitely see more clear and know a lot more. The most interesting point for me is, that it was awarded from "the women of Finland". Great! Thanks Mikko for showing the two beautiful groups! Interesting is the one on the left with the Hungarian Commemorative Medal 1914-1918 for combatants. Which story could this group tell? Thanks an regards, Leo

Hi gents, I know this is an old thread but I didn't find another which matches my questions. I started reading about the "Jäger Movement" and the "Königlich- Preußische Reserve-Jägerbattallion 27" and so I also found out that there were this badge. But I couldn't find any additional infos about this "Jäger Cross" (is this the correct name?). Perhaps one of you can help out? - Is it a German/Prussian badge or is it a Finnish badge (that's what I believe)? - Who awarded the cross and was it an official award? - To whom it was awarded and who was allowed to wear it? (Every Member of the Battallion or just the Germans or just the Finns?) - How many crosses were awarded approx.? Were all badges/crosses individually numbered as Kameli mentioned? ...and finally: How much are these crosses worth and how easy are they to get respectively where can you most likely get one? I hope asking so much questions isn't too rude! If the questions belong to another thread, please tell me. Regards, Leo

Sorry, I really thought it is a horse in the middle! I should clean my classes more often! Rogi is right, it really looks very similar to the Order of Queen Natalja or the Order of Queen Draga. Perhaps something out of the Balkans. Leo

Hi francophile50, a really late answer and I don't know 100% if it's true. The order with sword means that was given to a hungarian citizen who was then allowed to hold the title Vitez (knight), got property from the crown and had the right to speak in the parliament. The orders without swords were given non hungarian citizens, who were then holders of the title Vitez but didn't have any other rights. Or they were the descendants of hungarian knights, but they themself were not holders of the hungarian citizenship. I read or heard this facts a time ago, but I can't tell where resp. from who. Leo

I found a very interesting article from (in Austria) well known Jörg C. Steiner about the order. http://www.ordenskunde.info/dtThamar.htm (whole article in is german) With photos of the different types and (at least for me) new infos! Have a nice weekend!

Thank you for the info! Leo

With the horse in the middle, perhaps it's some kind of Ladie's Order from the Duchy of Brunswick or from the Kingdom of Hanover. After the lost "German War" of 1866 (Hanover fought alongside with Austria and other German states against Prussia and his german allies), the Kingdom was conquered and annected by the Kingdom of Prussia. So the last King Georg V. and a lot of hanoveran nobles moved to Vienna and other austrian cities or their austrian manors. Unfortunately this is not my concentration area. Leo

Does this mean, that original "Tamars" in every case have round tips? There are in no way "sharp" tiped stars? Leo

http://www.ebay.de/itm/370795189096?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2007wt_1172 For example, a "Tamara" on german ebay. Cheers, Leo