MOLTKE the ELDER's 'flair'

[filfoster]

OK, I can make out the major neck orders (Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, PLM and the Annunciation Order) and some of the breast stars: Black Eagle and the Annunciation Order and what looks like Order of the Prussian Crown at lower left. What else?

[laurentius]

As often with certain members of the Wilhelmine era this will be a long, but do-able list. Starting at the neck with:

- Grandcross of the Iron Cross

- Pour le Merité with oakleaves

- Holy Order of the Annunciation (an Italian Roman-Catholic decoration, although sometimes bestowed on non-catholics like Moltke)

- Russian Order of St. George

 

This is followed by the sash of the Order of the Black Eagle, below this sash is a cross of the Rechtsritter of the Johanniter-Orden. His medalbar, as often with high-ranking members of the Belle Epoque-era the medalbar is sadly worn below the sash which hinders us from identification. Given his rank there is most likely a correct identification of awards somewhere on the forum.

 

His breast is filed with several high German Orders, being:

- Grandcross of the Order of the Black Eagle with diamonds

- Baden House Order of Loyalty (Hausorden der Treue)

- Saxon Order of the Rue Crown (Orden der Rautenkrone)

- Grandcross of the Holy Order of the Annunciation (goes with the necklace)

- Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Order of the White Falcon (Weißen Falken-Orden or Hausorden der Wachsamkeit)

- Mecklenburgian Order of the Wendish Crown ( Orden der Wendische Krone)

- Last but not least, the EK1 from 1870

 

A nice picture with Moltke and his more modest attire of orders and decorations. I hope you find this list helpful.

Kind regards, Laurentius

[Deutschritter]

This must be a picture before receiving the Pour le Merite, Großkreuz mit Stern und Eichenlaub on 8 March 1879 to which he received the Krone and Brillanten on 29 November 1889.

[filfoster]

Thanks to all on this one!  I have replicated his medal bar on a previous thread. I never would have gotten many of the breast stars. Good work!

 

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by filfoster