Romania Order of the Romanian Crown

[John Burchell]

Here is a Commander Cross, Type II, wartime civilian version of this order, ie. no crown between the cross order and with the civilian neck ribbon. The neck ribbon does not have the golden stripes on the edges, which would only be awarded to military personel. Crosses of the civil division are not as frequently seen as the military division ones.

This order bears markings on the reverse side of the suspension ring ("silber" and "CFZ" for the firm of C.F.Zimmermann, Pforzheim); and also stampings on the side of the suspension loop (a "crown" symbol, followed by "958" followed by another symbol and "43").

Also attached are scans of a scarce Reichs Chancellery document dated 1942 which grants permission to a prominent German public servant to accept this award. The document, measuring approximately 21cm. x 29.5cm., bears a facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler and the hand-signed, ink signature of Meissner of the Reich Chancellery. In the lower left corner is the Great Seal of the Reich.

The actual document grants permission for the wartime Mayor of Duisburg, Germany (Theodor Ellgering), to accept this civilian award of the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Romanian Crown. Theodor Ellgering was also German envoy/legate (Gesandter) in Bukarest during WWII.

These two items were acquired separately.

I hope that they are of interest to forum members.

Regards,

John

Edited April 3, 2009 by John Burchell

[John Burchell]

Obverse close-up:

[John Burchell]

Reverse close-up:

[John Burchell]

Document:

[Carol I]

Nice commander's cross, John. Congratulations!

Some small notes:

... wartime civilian version of this order...

While the cross was most likely awarded during the war, referring to it as a 'wartime civilian version' could lead to some confusions. The civilian section of the order had only one type of insignia, hence one cannot talk of wartime and peacetime insignia as for the military section of the order.

The neck ribbon does not have the golden stripes on the edges, which would only be awarded to military personel.

The ribbon with golden edges was only used for wartime awards (i.e., "with swords"). Peacetime military awards used the same ribbon as the civilian awards.

[John Burchell]

Thank you very much for your correction and clarifications, "Carol I". It is most helpful that you added this accurate information.

[Carol I]

Thank you very much for your correction and clarifications, "Carol I". It is most helpful that you added this accurate information.

You're welcome, John. If you have other questions, please let me know.

By the way, I found a reference to your German awardee which mentioned precisely the decoration: http://www.morarup.narod.ru/Biog/Ellgering.htm. If you don't read Romanian, it says that Ellgering was a German counsellor for administrative organisation who came to Romania together with the state minister Karl Pflaumer and offered assistance in the reorganisation of the Romanian territories liberated from the Soviet occupation in the summer of 1941. He was based in Cernăuţi (Czernowitz). In november 1941, general Corneliu Calotescu, governor of [Northern] Bukovina proposed Ellgering for decoration for the contribution to the administration and to the Romanisation of the economic life of the region [ - I hope this meant the dismantling of the Soviet structures put in place during the one year of occupation and the transfer of economic activities to the Romanian civilian administration]. On 25 November 1941, Marshal Ion Antonescu transferred the decision to [Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister] Mihai Antonescu. It appears that the final resolution was positive.

[John Burchell]

Wow! Once again, I sincerely thank you. I do not read Romanian, so appreciate the translation. In fact, I do not collect Romanian awards...Third Reich being my focus. I acquired this Order to go with the TR document. The details which you have provided above add considerably to the pair.

Edited April 3, 2009 by John Burchell

[Carol I]

Wow! Once again, I sincerely thank you. I do not read Romanian, so appreciate the translation.

You're welcome.

I acquired this Order to go with the TR document. The details which you have provided above add considerably to the pair.

I would not call them a (possibly genuine) pair as the cross has been produced after the award.

Anyhow, I'm glad that you found the Romanian award interesting.

[John Burchell]

As these two items were indeed acquired separately they are, as you suggest, not a genuine pair in the sense of having been awarded coincidently. I put them together in a sort of marriage of convenience, so they are a pair in that sense only. The document is dated 1942 and the "43" in the suspension loop stamping presumably indicates the year of production of this particular order, so at least, not too far apart.

Regards,

John