title: Orders, decorations, and medals of the Federal Republic of Germany
text: # Orders, decorations, and medals of the Federal Republic of Germany
  
  After World War II, Germany was split into several different occupation zones. But later the different occupation zones were merged into East and West Germany. West Germany is where the modern German state gets its current traditions of medals and decorations from.
  
  ## Federal State Orders
  
  | Badge and ribbon | Name (English/German) | Creation date – cessation date | Description | Number awarded |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany | Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or Bundesverdienstorden, | 7 September 1951 | It's a golden cross enamelled in red | 260,429 |
  
  ## Federally recognized orders
  
  | Badge and ribbon | Name (English/German) | Creation date – cessation date | Description | Number awarded |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Pour le Mérite for the arts and sciences Pour le Mérite für wissenschaft und künste | 7 June 1740 (whole order) 31 May 1842 (separate class) 1952 (re-established) | men and women who through widespread recognition for their contributions to science and art have made an eminent name for themselves | Unknown |
  | | Order of Saint John Johanniterorden | 1099 (Whole order) 1852 (re-established) | Outstanding achievements in charity and support the sick and needy. | |
  
  ## Orders of the German States
  
  | Name (English/German) | Creation date – cessation date | Description | Number awarded |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg Verdienstorden des Landes Baden-Württemberg | 26 November 1974 | Outstanding contributions to the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, in politics, society, culture and economics. | 1,989 (as of 2021) |
  | Bavarian Order of Merit Bayerischer Verdienstorden | 11 June 1957 | Men and women without distinction of nationality or class who have made outstanding contributions to the Free State of Bavaria and the Bavarian people. | 5725 |
  | Bavarian Maximilian Order for arts and sciences Bayerischer Maximiliansorden für Wissenschaft und Kunst | 28 November 1853 (Whole order) 18 March 1980 (re-established) | Outstanding achievements in the field of science and art. | 573 |
  | Order of Merit of Berlin Verdienstorden des Landes Berlin | 21 July 1987 | Outstanding contributions to the state of Berlin | 454 (as of 1 October 2018} |
  | Order of Merit of Brandenburg Verdienstorden des Landes Brandenburg | 10 July 2003 | Highest civic recognition that the State of Brandenburg can present for extraordinary services to the state and its people. | 108 |
  | Hessian Order of Merit Hessischer Verdienstorden | 1 December 1989 | Outstanding contributions to Hesse, without regard to residence or citizenship. | 430 |
  | Order of Merit of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Verdienstorden des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | 23 April 2001 | Exceptional performance over a long period of time, or an extraordinary individual performance for the benefit of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. | 60 (as of 2020) |
  | Lower Saxony Order of Merit Niedersächsischer Verdienstorden | 27 March 1961 | Outstanding selfless commitment to the development of Lower Saxony and its culture. | 342 Grand Cross 737 Cross of Merit 1272 Cross of Merit on Ribbon (as of 2013) |
  | Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia Verdienstorden des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen | 11 March 1986 | Extraordinary contributions to the people and state of North Rhine-Westphalia. | |
  | Order of Merit of Rhineland-Palatinate Verdienstorden des Landes Rheinland-Pfalz | 2 October 1981 | Outstanding service to the state and people of Rhineland-Palatinate. | 1035 |
  | Saarland Order of Merit Saarländischer Verdienstorden | 10 December 1974 | Ouutstanding service to Saarland. | 367 |
  | Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony Sächsischer Verdienstorden | 27 October 1997 | Outstanding contributions to the people and state of Saxony. | 363 |
  | Order of Merit of Saxony-Anhalt Verdienstorden des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt | 23 May 2006 | Exceptional performance over a longer period of time or an extraordinary individual performance for Saxony-Anhalt and its citizens. | 18 |
  | Order of Merit of Schleswig-Holstein Verdienstorden des Landes Schleswig-Holstein | 26 February 2008 | Outstanding service to Schleswig-Holstein. | |
  | Order of Merit of the Free State of Thuringia Verdienstorden des Freistaats Thüringen | 19 September 2000 | Outstanding service to Thuringia. | 97 |
  
  ## Awards of the Federal Ministry of the Interior
  
  These awards and decorations are awarded by the Minister of Interior to members of the Bundeswehr, Bundespolizei, Technisches Hilfswerk.
  
  | Name (English/German) | Creation date – cessation date | Description | Number awarded |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | German Flood Service Medal 2002 Einsatzmedaille Fluthilfe 2002 | September 20, 2002 | for service during the 2002 European floods to members of Technisches Hilfswerk, the Bundeswehr, the Bundesgrenzschutz, foreign armed forces, as well as civilians who assisted the aforementioned organizations | ??? |
  | German Flood Service Medal 2013 Einsatzmedaille Fluthilfe 2013 | July 2, 2013 | for service during the 2013 European floods by members of the Bundeswehr, Bundespolizei, Technisches Hilfswerk, foreign armed forces, as well as civilians who provided assistance to the relief efforts of the federal agencies | ??? |
  | Decoration of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief Ehrenzeichen des Technischen Hilfswerks | September 2, 1975 | meritorious service in the field of emergency management or civil protection | ??? |
  
  ## Awards of the Federal Ministry of Defence
  
  These Orders and decorations are all awarded to soldiers of Germany and its allies by the Bundeswehr.
  
  | Name (English/German) | Creation date – cessation date | Description | Number awarded |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Cross of Honour for Bravery Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit | October 10, 2008 | for valor beyond the call of duty | 30 |
  | Gold Cross of Honour for Outstanding Deeds Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Gold für besonders herausragende Taten | October 10, 2008 | for outstanding deeds at the risk of one's life | ??? |
  | Gold Cross of Honour Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Gold | October 29, 1980 | for exemplary and meritorious service over 20 years or exemplary achievements | ??? |
  | Silver Cross of Honour for Outstanding Deeds Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Silber für besonders herausragende Taten | October 10, 2008 | for outstanding deeds and extraordinary achievements | ??? |
  | Silver Cross of Honour Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Silber | October 29, 1980 | for exemplary and meritious service over 10 years or exemplary achievements | ??? |
  | Bronze Cross of Honour Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Bronze | October 29, 1980 | or exemplary and meritious service over 5 years or exemplary achievements | ??? |
  | Honor Medal of the Bundeswehr Ehrenmedaille der Bundeswehr | October 29, 1980 | for exemplary service and meritorious service over 7 months or exemplary achievements | ??? |
  | Combat Action Medal Einsatzmedaille Gefecht | November 2010 | for active participation in ground or surface combat or suffering from terrorist or military violence with exposure to a high personal risk | 5,845 |
  | Deployment Medal Einsatzmedaille der Bundeswehr | April 25, 1996 | for military service in a designated military campaign or operation | 317,394 bronze 13,730 silver 1,398 gold (as of March 2019) |
  
  ### Denazified decorations after 1957
  
  These awards were reintroduced in 1957 after they had been denazified.
  
  | Name (English/German) | Creation date – cessation date | Description | Number awarded |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | For continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops after being awarded all preceding classes of the Knight's Cross/Iron Cross. | 160 |
  | Iron Cross (1st Class) Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | For continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops after being awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class. | c. 300,000 |
  | Iron Cross (2nd Class) Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | For bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops. | c. 4,500,000 |
  | 1939 Clasp to the Iron Cross Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | An award of the Iron Cross, 1st or 2nd class for those who had already received the decoration in World War I. | 100,000+ |
  | German Cross in Gold Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold | 28 September 1941 – 8 May 1945 | For continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops (not justifying the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross but having already been awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class) | 24,204 |
  | German Cross in Silver Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes in Silber | 28 September 1941 – 8 May 1945 | For significant performances in aiding the military war effort. (Not justifying the Knight's Cross of either the Iron Cross or the War Merit Cross but having already been awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class or War Merit Cross 1st Class) | 1,115 |
  | Golden Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross Goldenes Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuz | 13 October 1944 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded with and without swords. For outstanding contributions to the war effort. | 2 |
  | Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuz | 19 August 1940 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded with and without swords. For meritorious contributions to the war effort after being awarded all preceding classes of the War Merit Cross. | c. 250 |
  | War Merit Cross (1st Class) Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse | 18 October 1939 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded with and without swords. For meritorious contributions to the war effort after being awarded the War Merit Cross, 2nd class. | c. 480,000 with swords c. 90,000 without swords |
  | War Merit Cross (2nd Class) Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse | 18 October 1939 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded with and without swords. For meritorious contributions to the war effort. | c. 6,100,000 with swords c. 1,500,000 without swords |
  | Wound Badge Verwundetenabzeichen | 3 March 1918 – 11 November 1918 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | Wounds whilst in activ service | c. 1,000,000 during ww1 c. 5,000,000 during ww2 |
  
  ## Old royal orders recognized by the state
  
  | Badge and ribbon | Name (English/German) | Creation date – cessation date | Description | Number awarded |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Order of the Black Eagle Schwarzer Adlerorden | 1701 - 1918 (State Order) 1918 - Now (House Order) | Members of ruling houses, senior civil and military officials and other worthy figures appointed by the King of Prussia. | 407 (as of 1918) |
  | | House Order of Hohenzollern Hausorden von Hohenzollern | ??? | ??? | ??? |
  