The Military Merit Cross (Prussia)

• Time Period: Pre-WW1
• Institution: February 27, 1864
• Country: Germany (Kingdom of Prussia)

The Military Merit Cross (or Militär-Verdienstkreuz in German, also known as Golden Military Merit Cross or Goldenes Militär-Verdienstkreuz) was the highest bravery award of the Kingdom of Prussia for non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers.

The Military Merit Cross was founded by King Wilhelm I of Prussia on February 27, 1864 and originally reserved for those in the rank of Feldwebel (the highest NCO grade) and below. Eligibility was later extended to soldiers in the rank of Offizier-Stellvertreter, comparable to a warrant officer-type rank.

The first 16 awards were made for the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. No awards were made for the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. The next group of awards were 17 made in 1879 to Russian soldiers for bravery in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. Only five more awards were made before World War I: four for colonial conflicts and one for the Boxer Rebellion.

The first Military Merit Cross was awarded in October 1916, followed by 54 more awards in 1917. Despite the much larger number of awards in 1918, the decoration remained extremely rare. Recipients received a monthly stipend, which was maintained even after the end of the Prussian monarchy in November 1918 through the Third Reich era.

The Military Merit Cross Design

The design of the Military Merit Cross medal is a gold cross pattée with a center medallion. It measures 37.96 mm (wide) x 37.82 mm (high) and weighs 16.0 grams.

In the obverse is inscribed “Kriegsverdienst” (Military Merit). The reverse bears the crowned Royal Monogram of Wilhelm Rex.

The medal hangs from a double loop suspension.