What is Bundesverdienstkreuz?
[[Image:Bundesverdienstorden.jpg|300px|right|Grand Cross in a Special Design (left), Special degree of the Grand Cross (middle and right)]] The '''Bundesverdienstkreuz''' (Federal Cross of Merit) is [[Germany|Germany's]] only general decoration ([[award]]). It is officially called the ''Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland'' (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany). This [[Federalism|Federal]] Order of Merit was created on 7 September 1951. Germany gives between 3,000 and 5,200 awards every year, in all classes. Most of the [[States of Germany|Länder]] have their own orders of merit. There are up to three ranks (member, officer, commander). The Cities of [[Bremen]] and [[Hamburg]] do not have an order, and by old tradition its citizens will refuse any decoration in form of an order. == Classes == The Bundesverdienstkreuz has eight classes, in [[wikt:ascend|ascending]] order: * Verdienstmedaille (Medal of Merit) * Verdienstkreuz am Bande (Cross of Merit on ribbon) ** international: Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) * Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Cross of Merit, First class) ** international: Offizierkreuz (Officer's Cross) * Großes Verdienstkreuz (Halskreuz) (Great Cross of Merit, neck cross) ** international: Komturkreuz (Commander's Cross) * Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern (Great Cross of Merit with star) ** international: Großoffizierkreuz (Great Officer's Cross) * Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern und Schulterband (Great Cross of Merit with Star and shoulder ribbon) ** international: Großkreuz 2. Klasse (Grand Cross of Merit, Second class) oder Großkomturkreuz (Grand Commander's Cross) * Großkreuz (Grand Cross) * Sonderstufe des Großkreuzes (Special class of the Grand Cross) The President of the Federal Republic holds the ''Sonderstufe des Großkreuzes'' [[ex officio]]. It is awarded to him in a ceremony by the [[Bundestag|President of the Bundestag]]. The [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]], the [[Bundesrat (Germany)|President of the Bundesrat]] and the President of the [[Bundesverfassungsgericht