Warrior Merit Medal (Prussia)

The Warrior Merit Medal German: Krieger-Verdienstmedaille) was a military decoration of Prussia. Established by Friedrich Wilhelm III, it was primarily awarded to troops not in Prussian Army military service. The first recipients were members of the Imperial Guard grenadier company guarding the Russian imperial residence during Friedrich Whilhelm's visit to St. Petersburg in 1835.[1]

Military decoration of Prussian Army

Warrior Merit Medal
Krieger-Verdienstmedaille
Warrior Merit Medal, 1872 version
TypeMilitary decoration
Awarded forMilitary merit
Description25 millimeters diameter silver medal
CountryPrussia
Presented byPrussia
EligibilityTroops of the Prussian Army not in service
MottoKrieger Verdienst
StatusObsolete
Established1835
First awarded1835
Last awarded1918

Original ribbon (1835-1872)

Combatant's ribbon (1872-1918)

Non-combatant's ribbon (1888-1918)

Appearance

Both versions of the medal are circular and silver, 25 mm in diameter. The first version depicts the crowned cypher of Friedrich Wilhelm III on the obverse of the medal. The reverse bears the inscription KRIEGER VERDIENST (Warrior Merit) surrounded by a wreath of two laurel sprigs, tied at its base with a bow. The medal is suspended by a ring suspension and hangs from the ribbon of the Order of the Red Eagle.[2]

The later version of the medal depicts the crowned cipher of King Wilhelm I on the obverse. The reverse is also inscribed KRIEGER VERDIENST and surrounded by a thicker laurel wreath than the early version. The medal is suspended by a ring suspension and hangs from the black with white stripes kämpferband (combatants ribbon) or the white with black stripe nichtkämpferband (non-combatants ribbon).[1]

References
  1. "PRUSSIA. Warrior Merit Medal on combatant's ribbon (PREUSSEN. Krieger-Verdienst-Medaille am Kämpferband), 1888-1918 issue". Medal-medaille.com. 2006-02-06. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
  2. "Krieger-Verdienstmedaille". DHM Objektdatenbank (in German). Deutsches Historisches Museum. 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2013-05-21. External link in |publisher= (help)
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