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Grand Cross in a Special Design (left), Special degree of the Grand Cross (middle and right)
Grand Cross in a Special Design (left), Special degree of the Grand Cross (middle and right)

The Bundesverdienstkreuz (Federal Cross of Merit, officially Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany) is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. State decorations are orders Medals and other decorations granted by a State. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This Federal Order of Merit has existed since September 7, 1951. Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year in all classes.

Most of the German federal states (Länder) have their own orders of merit, with up to three ranks (member, officer, commander). Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular This excludes the Free and Hanseatic Cities of Bremen and Hamburg, which reject any orders; by old tradition its citizens will refuse any decoration in form of an order. Bremen (ˈbʁeːmən is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany (official name Stadtgemeinde Bremen / City Municipality of Bremen Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany

Classes

The Bundesverdienstkreuz has eight classes, in ascending order:

The President of the Federal Republic holds the Sonderstufe des Großkreuzes ex officio. It is awarded to him in a ceremony by the President of the Bundestag attended by the Chancellor, the President of the Bundesrat and the Supreme Court President. The Bundestag ("Federal Diet " or "Lower House of German Parliament" is the Parliament of Germany. The Bundesrat ("federal council" or "upper house of German parliament" is the representation of the 16 Federal States ( Bundesländer) of Other than the President of the Federal Republic, only a foreign head of state can be awarded with the highest class. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state There is also the provision of awarding the Großkreuz in a special rare design, which has so far only been used twice: for Konrad Adenauer and for Helmut Kohl. Konrad Hermann Josef Adenauer ( 5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967 was a German Statesman. Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (born 3 April 1930 is a German conservative politician and statesman

Insignia

Except for the lowest class, the badge is the same for all classes, but with slightly different versions for men and women (slightly smaller badge and ribbon for women):

The badge is a golden Cross enamelled in red, with a central disc bearing a black eagle. A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other dividing one or two of the lines in half

The star is a golden star with straight rays, its size and points vary according to class, with the badge superimposed upon it.

The ribbon is red with gold-black-gold stripes.

External links

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