Orders and decorations from Braunschweig during the regency of 1886-1913

[laurentius]

Dear fellow collectors,

 

When Wilhelm Herzog von Braunschweig died in 1886 the duchy of Brunswick was put under a Prussian regency to prevent the House of Hannover from ruling the duchy and possibly try to regain their former kingdom to the north. This regency lasted from 1886 untill 1913 when Ernst August, the son-in-law of Emporer Wilhelm II was made duke. His father Ernst August had been the original heir in 1886. The regency can be divided into two periods: the Prussian period under Albrecht prince of Prussia and a Mecklenburgian period under Johann Albrecht duke of Mecklenburg. I was wondering how decorations were bestowed during this period. Did the regents continue to award the Brunswickian orders or did they receive Prussian/Mecklenburgian decorations? 

 

Kind regards and thanks in advance, Laurentius

[laurentius]

Nobody has an idea or opinion?

 

Not even @BlackcowboyBS, our house expert on Braunschweig?

[BlackcowboyBS]

On 26/05/2021 at 11:45, laurentius said:

Dear fellow collectors,

 

When Wilhelm Herzog von Braunschweig died in 1886 the duchy of Brunswick was put under a Prussian regency to prevent the House of Hannover from ruling the duchy and possibly try to regain their former kingdom to the north. This regency lasted from 1886 untill 1913 when Ernst August, the son-in-law of Emporer Wilhelm II was made duke. His father Ernst August had been the original heir in 1886. The regency can be divided into two periods: the Prussian period under Albrecht prince of Prussia and a Mecklenburgian period under Johann Albrecht duke of Mecklenburg. I was wondering how decorations were bestowed during this period. Did the regents continue to award the Brunswickian orders or did they receive Prussian/Mecklenburgian decorations? 

 

Kind regards and thanks in advance, Laurentius

HI Laurentius,

this is pretty easy to be answered. Both regents continued to award the Brunswick order Henry the Lion to the people of the duchy of Brunswick and the people of other states. They were regents with all rights and grand masters of the order of Henry the Lion. 

Princeregent Albrecht did one enhancement to the order, he invented the "Ehrenzeichen" honor medal of the order of Henry the Lion. Dukeregent Johann Albrecht did a complete work over of the classes of the Brunswick order. He invented the following classes:

 

• cross 1st class
• officers cross
• corss 4th class
• honor medal 2nd class
• medal for arts and science 1st, 2nd and 2nd class with crown

Both men also invented new medals like the fire fighters medal during their regency.

 

So I hope that this answers your question.

kind regards

Stephan

1 hour ago, laurentius said:

Nobody has an idea or opinion?

 

Not even @BlackcowboyBS, our house expert on Braunschweig?

Sorry, 

I was offline for some days. 

Did I got your question right, that you also wanted to know, if they ( the regents) recieved prussian or mecklenburgian orders during their regency? Albrecht was a knight of the black eagle before he was promoted prince regent, he also had the grand cross of the Henry the Lion before he became Princeregent. If he recieved other orders during his regentship I don't know, but I guess he did.

Same counts to Dukeregent Johann Albrecht, he was grand cross of Henry the Lion and the mecklenburger orders! I am pretty sure he recieved other orders during his regentship from other states.

 

[laurentius]

14 minutes ago, BlackcowboyBS said:

Sorry, 

I was offline for some days. 

Did I got your question right, that you also wanted to know, if they ( the regents) recieved prussian or mecklenburgian orders during their regency? Albrecht was a knight of the black eagle before he was promoted prince regent, he also had the grand cross of the Henry the Lion before he became Princeregent. If he recieved other orders during his regentship I don't know, but I guess he did.

Same counts to Dukeregent Johann Albrecht, he was grand cross of Henry the Lion and the mecklenburger orders! I am pretty sure he recieved other orders during his regentship from other states.

No need to apologize. I was thinking more along the lines of decorations to officers and civil servants which you already answered. The regents continued to issue the Brunswick orders and decorations. Did these regents also have the right to issue Mecklenburgian or Prussian decorations? 

 

Kind regards and thanks in advance, Laurentius

[BlackcowboyBS]

1 hour ago, laurentius said:

No need to apologize. I was thinking more along the lines of decorations to officers and civil servants which you already answered. The regents continued to issue the Brunswick orders and decorations. Did these regents also have the right to issue Mecklenburgian or Prussian decorations? 

 

Kind regards and thanks in advance, Laurentius

No, as they are not rulers of the prussian state or state of mecklenburg. 

[laurentius]

On 29/05/2021 at 21:49, BlackcowboyBS said:

No, as they are not rulers of the prussian state or state of mecklenburg. 

So, to summarize, the regents did not hand out any non-Brunswick decorations. Were there officials who did receive a Prussian or Mecklenburgian decoration from the Prussian king or the Mecklenburgian Grandduke for their role during the regency? Members of Brunswick society would receive some decorations just like their German and non-German counterparts but are there known decorations for helping under the regency or for helping Ernst August get started in 1913?

 

Kind regards and thanks in advance, Laurentius

[BlackcowboyBS]

2 hours ago, laurentius said:

So, to summarize, the regents did not hand out any non-Brunswick decorations.

Yes that is right! 

 

Were there officials who did receive a Prussian or Mecklenburgian decoration from the Prussian king or the Mecklenburgian Grandduke for their role during the regency?

Absolutly! Many people recieved prussian awards and some do get awards from Mecklenburg. Of course there were also awards from saxony, bavaria, etc. It was very common to exchange orders or medals (depending on their social status) if dukes, princes or kings are visiting the duchy of Brunswick. People from the outside entourage did get orders from Brunswick and people from the Brunswick side got the orders / medals from the state of the visitor. Just see what the highest serveant of the prince regent got on medals. The photo is taken out of the Staats and Hofhandbuch from 1900

 

Members of Brunswick society would receive some decorations just like their German and non-German counterparts but are there known decorations for helping under the regency or for helping Ernst August get started in 1913?

Yes  for example the highest minister of the duchy of Brunswick Minister of the State Hartwieg recieved the diamonds to the grand cross of the Henry the Lion for his role during the regency and his role in finding the solution to the prussian / guelphic conciliation. 

Or to give you an example on how this worked, lets have a look on the baptism of the prince Ernst August in 1914. Many orders were exchanged between the entourages of Prussia, Mecklenburg and Brunswick:

 

• 64 prussian awards
• 88 mecklenburgian awards
• 123 awards frum Brunswick

more information on this and other topics could be found in my book:

Book 1

 

Kind regards and thanks in advance, Laurentius

I hope you find my answers helpfull