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The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the
Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King i ...
, the Order of the Red Eagle and the House Order of Hohenzollern, among the highest orders of merit in the
Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. ...
. The order of merit was the highest royal Prussian order of bravery for officers of all ranks. After 1871, when the various German kingdoms, grand duchies, duchies, principalities and Hanseatic city states had come together under Prussian leadership to form the federally structured
German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
, the Prussian honours gradually assumed, at least in public perception, the status of honours of Imperial Germany, even though many honours of the various German states continued to be awarded. The ' was an honour conferred both for military (1740–1918) and civil (1740–1810, after 1842 as a separate class) services. It was awarded strictly as a recognition of extraordinary personal achievement, rather than as a general marker of social status or a courtesy-honour, although certain restrictions of social class and military rank were applied. The order was secular, and membership endured for the remaining lifetime of the recipient, unless renounced or revoked. During the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, the ' was known informally as the Blue Max (german: Blauer Max, links=no), in honour of
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
Max Immelmann, the first recipient during the war. Immelmann was also the first aviator to win the award. New awards of the military class ceased with the end of the Prussian monarchy in November 1918. The civil class was revived as an independent organization in 1923 ('' ''). Instead of the King of Prussia, the
President of Germany The president of Germany, officially the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: link=no, Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland),The official title within Germany is ', with ' being added in international corres ...
acted as head of the order. After the Second World War, the civil class was re-established in 1952. This version of the ' is still active today. The ' is still an order into which a person is admitted into membership, like the United Kingdom's
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
, and is not simply a
medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
or state decoration. German author Ernst Jünger, who died in 1998, was the last living recipient of the military class award.


History


Origins

The ''Pour le Mérite'' was founded in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. It was named in French, which was the leading international language and the favoured language at Frederick's court. The French name was retained, despite the rising tide of nationalism and increasing hostility between French and Germans during the 19th century, and indeed many of its recipients were honoured for acts performed in wars against France. The insignia of the military award was a blue-enameled Maltese Cross with golden
eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...
s between the arms (which is based on the symbol of the Johanniter Order) and the Prussian royal cypher and the words ''Pour le Mérite'' ("For Merit" in
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
) written in gold letters on the body of the cross. The ribbon was black with edge stripes of silver-white. The order consisted of only one class, both civil and military, until 1810. Only a few civilians were honored: Pierre Louis Maupertuis (1747), Francesco Algarotti (1747) and
Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his '' nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—e ...
(1750).


Military class

In January 1810, during the Napoleonic wars, King Frederick William III decreed that the award could be presented only to serving military officers. In March 1813, the king added an additional distinction, a spray of gilt oak leaves attached above the cross. Award of the oak leaves originally indicated extraordinary achievement in battle, and was usually reserved for high-ranking officers. The original regulations called for the capture or successful defence of a fortification, or victory in a battle. By
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, the oak leaves often indicated a second or higher award of the ''Pour le Mérite'', though in most cases the recipients were still high-ranking officers (usually distinguished field commanders fitting the criteria above; the few lower ranking recipients of the oak leaves were mainly general staff officers responsible for planning a victorious battle or campaign). In early 1918, it was proposed to award the oak leaves to Germany's top
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
,
Manfred von Richthofen Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of ...
, but he was deemed ineligible under a strict reading of the regulations. Instead, Prussia awarded von Richthofen a slightly less prestigious honor, the Order of the Red Eagle, 3rd Class with Crown and Swords. This was still a high honour, as the 3rd Class was normally awarded to colonels and lieutenant colonels, and von Richthofen's award was one of only two of the 3rd Class with Crown and Swords during World War I. In 1866, a special military ''Grand Cross'' class of the award was established. This grade of the award was given to those who, through their actions, caused the retreat or destruction of an army. There were only five awards of the ''Grand Cross of the Pour le Mérite'': to King Wilhelm I in 1866, to Crown Prince Frederick William of Prussia (later Emperor Frederick III) and
Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
in 1873, to Tsar Alexander II of Russia in 1878, and to Helmuth Graf von Moltke in 1879. The ''Pour le Mérite'' gained international fame during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
. Although it could be awarded to any military officer, its most famous recipients were the pilots of the German Army Air Service ( Luftstreitkräfte), whose exploits were celebrated in wartime propaganda. In aerial warfare, a fighter pilot was initially entitled to the award upon downing eight enemy aircraft. Aces Max Immelmann and
Oswald Boelcke Oswald Boelcke PlM (; 19 May 1891 – 28 October 1916) was a World War I German professional soldier and pioneering flying ace credited with 40 aerial victories. Boelcke is honored as the father of the German fighter air force, and of air ...
were the first airmen to receive the award, on 12 January 1916. It was awarded to Germany's highest-scoring ace,
Manfred von Richthofen Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of ...
, in January 1917. Although it has been reported that because of Immelmann's renown among his fellow pilots and the nation at large, the ''Pour le Mérite'' became known, due to its colour and Immelmann's first name, as the "Blue Max," that has not been confirmed. The number of aerial victories necessary to receive the award continued to increase during the war; by early 1917, it generally required destroying 16–20 enemy airplanes, and by war's end the approximate figure was 30. However, other aviation recipients included
zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...
commanders, bomber and observation aircrews, and at least one balloon observer. Recipients of the "Blue Max" were required to wear the award whenever in uniform. Although many of its famous recipients were junior officers, especially pilots, more than a third of all awards in World War I went to generals and admirals. Senior officer awards tended to be more for outstanding leadership in combat than for individual acts of bravery. Junior officers (army captains and lieutenants and their navy equivalents) accounted for only about a fourth of all awards. Several famous lieutenant-ranked (''
Kapitänleutnant ''Kapitänleutnant'', short: KptLt/in lists: KL, ( en, captain lieutenant) is an officer grade of the captains' military hierarchy group () of the German Bundeswehr. The rank is rated OF-2 in NATO, and equivalent to Hauptmann in the Heer an ...
'') U-boat commanders, including Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière (), Walther Schwieger ()
Otto Hersing Otto Hersing (30 November 1885 – 1 July 1960) was a German naval officer who served as U-boat commander in the '' Kaiserliche Marine'' and the ''k.u.k. Kriegsmarine'' during World War I. In September 1914, while in command of the German '' U- ...
() and Otto Weddigen, received the ''Pour le Mérite''. The last new member admitted to the military class of the order was flying ace Theo Osterkamp, on 2 September 1918. The ''Pour le Mérite'' became extinct as a result of Kaiser William II's abdication as king of Prussia and German Emperor on 9 November 1918. This marked the end of the Prussian monarchy and it was never awarded thereafter; however the honour continued to be recognized for, and worn by, previous recipients.


Civil class

In 1842, King Frederick William IV of Prussia, appointed
Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister ...
Chancellor of the Order of Merit with powers to recommend candidates to this new civil class of the Order Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts (''Orden Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste''), with the three sections:
humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at t ...
, natural science and fine arts. When a vacancy occurred the Academy of Arts and Sciences nominated three candidates, one of whom the king appointed. In November 1918 the Kingdom of Prussia came to an end, and with it that state's sponsorship of the ''Pour le Mérite''. However, unlike the military class of the order, the class of the order for achievements in
the arts The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both ...
and sciences did not come to an end. The members re-established their order as an autonomous organization, with revised rules and processes for nomination. The awarding of new memberships resumed in 1923. Recipients included
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theor ...
(1923),
Käthe Kollwitz Käthe Kollwitz ( born as Schmidt; 8 July 1867 – 22 April 1945) was a German artist who worked with painting, printmaking (including etching, lithography and woodcuts) and sculpture. Her most famous art cycles, including ''The Weavers'' a ...
(1929) and Ernst Barlach (1933). During the era of National Socialism in Germany (1933–45), the order was re-absorbed into the state honours system, and the list of its members was reviewed and revised according to the policies of the new government. A number of Jews and other perceived dissidents or "enemies" of the state were deprived of their awards by the Nazi regime. They included Einstein (who resigned his membership in the order in 1933, and refused invitations to renew it after the war), Kollwitz, and Barlach. Such actions were later repudiated by both the order, and the postwar German government. In 1952, with the assistance of President of
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...
Theodor Heuss, the order was again re-established – now as an independent organization with state recognition and the President of the German Federal Republic as Protector of the Order. However, unlike the somewhat similar
Bundesverdienstkreuz The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellec ...
(Federal Cross of Merit) also established by Heuss, it is not a state order. The revived civil order of the ''Pour le Mérite'' is awarded for achievements in the arts and sciences. Active membership is limited to 40 German citizens, ten each in the fields of humanities, natural science, and medicine and the arts. Honorary membership can be conferred on foreigners, again to the limit of 40. When a vacancy occurs, the remaining members select a new inductee.


Notable recipients


Recipients of the Military class


1740 to 1871

*
Henning Alexander von Kleist Henning Alexander von Kleist (1676/77–1749) was an 18th-century Prussian field marshal. He fought in the War of Spanish Succession, the Great Northern War, and in the Wars of Austrian Succession. In particular, his actions at the Battle of Mo ...
. Prussian general, awarded ''Pour le Mérite'' in 1741 by Frederick II for actions during Battle of Mollwitz during War of Austrian Succession. * Isaac de Forcade de Biaix, Prussian
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
and later Hofmarschall to the Prince of Prussia Frederick William II, heir to the throne of Prussia, awarded on 11 June 1742, as a captain with the 18th Prussian Infantry Regiment (von Derschau) for his actions during the First Silesian War. * Friedrich Wilhelm Quirin von Forcade de Biaix, Prussian
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...
, awarded on 6 January 1746 as a
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
for his actions in the Second Silesian War on the battlefield during the Battle of Soor, the victory of which
Frederick the Great Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...
attributed to him. * Carl Heinrich von Wedel, awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' 1752 * Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz, awarded 1757, during the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
. *
Charles-Emmanuel de Warnery Charles Emanuel de Warnery (13 March 1720 – 3 May 1776) was a royal Prussian colonel, later a royal Polish general. He was born 13 March 1720 at Morges on Lake Geneva, Canton Vaud, served in the Sardinian service on the ''Regiment Desportes'', ...
. Major General. Cavalry. In October 1756 for actions at the Battle of Lobositz. * Peter III of Russia, who received the ''Pour le Mérite'' in 1762 when he withdrew Russia from the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
and made peace with Prussia. *
Gebhard von Blücher Gebhard (''Gebhart'') is a German given name, recorded at least from the 9th century. It is composed of the Old High German elements ''geb'' "gift" and ''hard'' "brave, hardy". People with the surname *Heinrich Gebhard (1878-1963), pianist, comp ...
, awarded on 4 June 1789, Napoleonic-era Prussian field marshal who led Prussian forces at the
Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armies of the Sevent ...
*
Alexander Suvorov Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Суво́ров, Aleksándr Vasíl'yevich Suvórov; or 1730) was a Russian general in service of the Russian Empire. He was Count of Râmnicu Sărat, Rymnik, C ...
, Russian generalissimo, awarded on 28 December 1794 * Gerhard von Scharnhorst, Napoleonic-era Prussian general. * Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow, Napoleonic-era Prussian general; also received the oak leaves. * Karl Friedrich von dem Knesebeck, Napoleonic-era Prussian general (later field marshal); first decorated in 1807, received the oak leaves in 1814. * Karl Wilhelm Georg von Grolman, Napoleonic-era Prussian general; also received the oak leaves. * Ludwig Graf Yorck von Wartenburg, Napoleonic-era Prussian general (later field marshal); also received the oak leaves. * August von Gneisenau, Napoleonic-era Prussian general (later field marshal); first decorated in 1807, received the oak leaves in 1814. * Hermann von Boyen, Napoleonic-era Prussian general and Minister of War; simultaneously received the ''Pour le Mérite'' and the oak leaves. *
Ernst von Pfuel Ernst Heinrich Adolf von Pfuel (3 November 1779 – 3 December 1866) was a Prussian general, as well as Prussian Minister of War and later Prime Minister of Prussia. Pfuel was born in Jahnsfelde, Prussia (present-day Müncheberg, German ...
, Prussian
general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
and
Prime Minister of Prussia The office of Minister-President (german: Ministerpräsident), or Prime Minister, of Prussia existed from 1848, when it was formed by King Frederick William IV during the 1848–49 Revolution, until the abolition of Prussia in 1947 by the Allie ...
; decorated in 1814 during the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...
, received the oak leaves in 1831. * Helmuth Graf von Moltke, known as "Moltke the Elder"; first decorated in 1839 as a junior officer; he received the oak leaves in 1871 and the Grand Cross in March 1879. Also inducted into the civil class of the order in 1874. *
Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal Karl Konstantin Albrecht Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal (30 July 1810 – 21 December 1900) was an officer of the Prussian Army and field marshal of the Imperial German Army, chiefly remembered for his decisive intervention at the Battle of Königg ...
, Prussian general (later field marshal) decorated with the ''Pour le Mérite'' in the 1864
German-Danish War The Second Schleswig War ( da, Krigen i 1864; german: Deutsch-Dänischer Krieg) also sometimes known as the Dano-Prussian War or Prusso-Danish War was the second military conflict over the Schleswig-Holstein Question of the nineteenth century. T ...
and the oak leaves in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War.


1871 to 1914

* Otto von Bismarck, Prussian minister president and German chancellor during the unification period; decorated in 1884 with the ''Pour le Mérite'' with oak leaves. Also inducted into the civil class of the order in 1896. *
Leo von Caprivi Georg Leo Graf von Caprivi de Caprara de Montecuccoli ( English: ''Count George Leo of Caprivi, Caprara, and Montecuccoli''; born Georg Leo von Caprivi; 24 February 1831 – 6 February 1899) was a German general and statesman who served as the ch ...
, Prussian general, decorated in 1871 for merit in the Franco-Prussian War. * Alfred Graf von Waldersee, German field marshal, decorated August 1901 with the ''Pour le Mérite'' with Oak leaves for his services as Allied Supreme Commander in China 1900–1901


1914 to 1918 (World War I)


=German air force

= * Max Immelmann, German flying ace with 15 aerial victories, one of the first aviator recipients along with Oswald Boelcke and namesake of the "Blue Max" and Immelmann turn. *
Oswald Boelcke Oswald Boelcke PlM (; 19 May 1891 – 28 October 1916) was a World War I German professional soldier and pioneering flying ace credited with 40 aerial victories. Boelcke is honored as the father of the German fighter air force, and of air ...
, German flying ace with 40 aerial victories, one of the first aviator recipients along with Max Immelmann. *
Wilhelm Frankl Wilhelm Frankl (20 December 1893 – 8 April 1917), ''Pour le Mérite'', Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross, was a World War I fighter ace credited with 20 aerial victories. He scored his first aerial victory with a carbine on 10 ...
, German flying ace with 20 victories, one of the first German Jewish recipients in World War I. * Hermann Göring, decorated as an ace pilot in June 1918 finishing World War I with 22 air victories and later the third and final commander of Jagdgeschwader I, ''
Reichsmarschall (german: Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches; ) was a rank and the highest military office in the '' Wehrmacht'' specially created for Hermann Göring during World War II. It was senior to the rank of , which was previously the hig ...
'' of Germany, head of the
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...
, and Third Reich second in command. *
Manfred von Richthofen Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of ...
, better known as the "Red Baron", the top-scoring ace of World War I with 80 aerial victories and the first commander of Jagdgeschwader I. * Lothar von Richthofen, German flying ace with 40 victories. Younger brother of Manfred Von Richthofen. * Ernst Udet, second-highest-scoring German ace of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
with 62 victories. * Erich Loewenhardt, third-highest-scoring German ace of World War I with 54 victories. * Werner Voss, fourth-highest-scoring German ace of World War I, credited with 48 victories. * Josef Jacobs, German flying ace with 48 victories. His total tied him with Werner Voss. * Kurt Wintgens, the first military aviator ever to down an enemy aircraft with a synchronized machine gun. Credited with 22 aerial victories. * Bruno Loerzer, German flying ace with 44 victories. * Julius Buckler, German flying ace with 36 victories. * Hermann Göring, German flying ace with 22 victories. * Gotthard Sachsenberg, German flying ace with 31 victories. * Kurt Wolff, German flying ace with 33 victories. * Heinrich Kroll, German flying ace with 33 victories. * Rudolf Berthold, high-ranking German ace with 44 victories, Was shot to death by German communists in 1920. * Robert Ritter von Greim, World War I ace with 28 victories and World War II field marshal. *
Eduard Ritter von Schleich Eduard-Maria Joseph Ritter von Schleich (9 August 1888 – 15 November 1947), born Schleich, was a high scoring Kingdom of Bavaria, Bavarian flying ace of the World War I, First World War. He was credited with 35 aerial victories at the end of th ...
, better known as the "Black Knight", destroyed 35 enemy aircraft. * Carl Menckhoff, fighter ace, with 39 confirmed victories. * Paul Bäumer, fighter ace with 43 confirmed victories. * Ernst von Hoeppner, Commanding General of the Air Service. *
Josef Veltjens Josef "Seppl" Veltjens (2 June 1894 – 6 October 1943) was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 35 victories. In later years, he served as an international arms dealer, as well as a personal emissary from Hermann Göring to Benito Muss ...
, German fighter ace, with 35 confirmed victories as lieutenant (reserve). * Fritz Pütter, German flying ace with 25 victories. * Franz Büchner, German flying ace with 40 victories. *
Friedrich Ritter von Röth Oberleutnant Friedrich Ritter von Röth (29 September 1893 – 31 December 1918) was a German World War I fighter ace with 28 victories. He was the most successful German pilot at the extremely hazardous practice of shooting down enemy obser ...
, flying ace with 28 confirmed victories, was Germany’s top
Balloon buster Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness, as balloons were stationary targets able to receive heavy defenses, from the ground and the air. Seventy-seven fl ...
of World War I with 20 observer balloons shot down. * Heinrich Gontermann, Ace pilot credited with shooting down 21 aircraft and 18 observation balloons. He was Germany’s second best
Balloon buster Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness, as balloons were stationary targets able to receive heavy defenses, from the ground and the air. Seventy-seven fl ...
of World War I. * Hans Joachim Buddecke, German fighter ace in World War I, credited with thirteen victories. He was the third ace, after Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke, to earn the Blue Max (Pour le Mérite). He fought in Gallipoli to fly the Halberstadt D.II and Fokker E.III with Ottoman FA 6 against the Royal Naval Air Service. The Turkish campaign was successful, with four confirmed victories and seven unconfirmed, and Buddecke was personally awarded the Gold Liakat Medal by Enver Pasha.


=German army

= * Erwin Rommel, decorated as an ''Oberleutnant'' in December 1917 for service in Italy and later a Field Marshal and commander of the German Afrika Korps in World War II. * Paul von Hindenburg, German field marshal and later President of Germany; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in September 1914 and the oak leaves in February 1915. *
Erich Ludendorff Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff (9 April 1865 – 20 December 1937) was a German general, politician and military theorist. He achieved fame during World War I for his central role in the German victories at Liège and Tannenberg in 1914. ...
, German general of World War I; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in August 1914, one of the earliest World War I awards, for the siege of Liege, Belgium; received the oak leaves in February 1915. * Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria, German field marshal; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in August 1915 and the oak leaves in December 1916. * Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, German field marshal; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in August 1915 and the oak leaves in February 1918. * Werner von Blomberg, decorated as a major in June 1918 and later a Field Marshal General in the Wehrmacht. * Fedor von Bock, Awarded ''Pour le Mérite'' in 1918 for efforts of leading his battalion at the Somme and Cambrai. Later Field Marshal and commander of Army Group North, Polish campaign, 1939. Commander Army Group B in conquest of Western Europe 1940. Commander Army Group Centre in Russia 1941. Commander Army Group South in Russian Ukraine and Caucasus 1942. *
Erich von Falkenhayn General Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn (11 September 1861 – 8 April 1922) was the second Chief of the German General Staff of the First World War from September 1914 until 29 August 1916. He was removed on 29 August 1916 after ...
, Chief of the German General Staff from 1914 to 1916; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in February 1915 and the oak leaves in June 1915. * Oskar von Hutier, German general awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in September 1917 and the oak leaves in March 1918. *
Georg Bruchmüller Georg Bruchmüller (11 December 1863 – 26 January 1948) was a German artillery officer who greatly influenced the development of modern artillery tactics. He was nicknamed ''Durchbruchmüller'', a combination of the German word ''Durchbruch'' ...
, German colonel and artillery officer in von Hutier's 8th Army. * Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, German general who led the German Schutztruppe in the guerrilla campaign in German East Africa; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in November 1916 and the oak leaves in October 1917. * Otto Liman von Sanders, German general who served as adviser and commander of Ottoman forces in World War I; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' and the oak leaves simultaneously in January 1916 for his role in the Battle of Gallipoli. * Friedrich "Fritz" Karl von Lossberg, World War I master-strategist; expert in the
Defence in depth Defence in depth (also known as deep defence or elastic defence) is a military strategy that seeks to delay rather than prevent the advance of an attacker, buying time and causing additional casualties by yielding space. Rather than defeating ...
. Awarded 21 September 1916 (Somme); oak leaves on 24 April 1917 (Arras). *
August von Mackensen Anton Ludwig Friedrich August von Mackensen (born Mackensen; 6 December 1849 – 8 November 1945), ennobled as "von Mackensen" in 1899, was a German field marshal. He commanded successfully during World War I of 1914–1918 and became one of ...
, German general (later field marshal) of World War I; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in November 1914 and the oak leaves in June 1915. * Helmuth Johann Ludwig von Moltke, Chief of the German General Staff at the outbreak of World War I. Nephew of Moltke the Elder. * Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein, German officer in the Near East campaigns of World War I. *
Otto von Garnier Otto Wladislaus Eduard Konstantin von Garnier (; 1 May 1858 – 17 June 1947) was a German General of the Cavalry during World War I. Life and army career Otto von Garnier was born in Neustadt in Oberschlesien (currently Prudn ...
, German General of the Cavalry awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in October 1916. * Max Hoffmann, German staff officer; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in October 1916 and the oak leaves in July 1917. * Hans von Seeckt, German staff officer in World War I; awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in May 1915 and the oak leaves in November 1915. * Ernst Jünger, Army Lieutenant and later novelist, the last living holder of the ''Pour le Mérite'' at the time of his death in 1998. * Ferdinand Schörner, decorated as a ''Leutnant'' in December 1917, later a field marshal in World War II. *
Heinrich Kirchheim Heinrich Kirchheim (6 April 1882 – 14 December 1973) was a German generalleutnant who served in both World War I and World War II. He is also one of few German officers who were awarded the Pour le Mérite and the Knight's Cross of the Iro ...
, Company Commander of Jäger-Bataillon Number 10 and a Generalleutnant in World War II. Awarded in October 1918. * Johann von Ravenstein, German officer, In May 1918 his battalion broke through the opposing line at Soissons. After capturing the notorious Chemin des Dames, he succeeded, with 10 soldiers, in capturing the bridge over the Aisne at Bourg intact. His troops took 1500 prisoners and captured 32 cannons. Later served in the Afrika Korps. * Alexander von Falkenhausen, German colonel, for victories in two Jordan battles in March and May 1918 against British troops.


=German navy

= * Henning von Holtzendorff, German Grand Admiral, decorated in March 1916. * Alfred von Tirpitz, German Grand Admiral, decorated in August 1915. * Reinhard Scheer, German admiral and commander of German naval forces in the Battle of Jutland. * Franz Hipper, German admiral. *
Nikolaus Burggraf und Graf zu Dohna-Schlodien Nikolaus Burggraf und Graf zu Dohna-Schlodien (5 April 1879 – 21 August 1956) was a German naval officer and author. Biography Nikolaus zu Dohna-Schlodien was born in Mallmitz (today Małomice, Poland) to Alfred zu Dohna-Schlodien (1849–1 ...
, German auxiliary cruiser commander; one of only two junior officers to receive the highest military honors of the five main German states. *
Karl August Nerger Karl August Nerger (25 February 1875 – 12 January 1947) was a naval officer of the Imperial German Navy in World War I, who achieved fame and recognition during the war for his command of the auxiliary cruiser '' SMS Wolf''. Nerger was born ...
, German auxiliary cruiser commander; one of only two junior officers to receive the highest military honors of the five main German states. * Karl Friedrich Max von Müller, captain of the famous German commerce raider, the light cruiser during the first few months of World War I. *
Felix von Luckner Felix Nikolaus Alexander Georg Graf von Luckner (9 June 1881, Dresden – 13 April 1966, Malmö), sometimes called Count Luckner in English, was a German nobleman, naval officer, author, and sailor who earned the epithet ''Der Seeteufel'' (the ...
, captain of the ''Seeadler'', a sailing ship used as a commerce raider. * Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, German U-boat commander during the First World War, awarded the ''Pour le Mérite'' in the autumn of 1916 for sinking 200,000 tonnes of Allied shipping. * Walther Forstmann, successful German U-boat Ace and later staff officer in the Kriegsmarine. * Walther Schwieger, German U-boat commander who sank the British liner . * Wilhelm Anton Souchon, German Vice Admiral serving in the Black Sea in World War I. * Theo Osterkamp, A Naval observer and later a fighter pilot who claimed 32 victories in World War I. He also scored six victories in World War II and became a ''
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...
'' general. * Otto Weddigen, German U-boat commander of World War I. * Friedrich Christiansen, decorated as Naval Pilot with 13 victories and 8 shared, ''Oberleutnant'' on 11 December 1917. *
Otto Hersing Otto Hersing (30 November 1885 – 1 July 1960) was a German naval officer who served as U-boat commander in the '' Kaiserliche Marine'' and the ''k.u.k. Kriegsmarine'' during World War I. In September 1914, while in command of the German '' U- ...
, commander of U-21, the first U-Boat to sink an enemy ship using a self-propelled locomotive torpedo. Awarded on June 5th 1915. * Paul Behncke, German admiral.


Recipients of the Civil class

Among famous recipients of the civil class of the ''Pour le Mérite'' in the first group of awards in 1842 were
Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister ...
, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Jakob Grimm, Felix Mendelssohn,
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (; 27 January 1775 – 20 August 1854), later (after 1812) von Schelling, was a German philosopher. Standard histories of philosophy make him the midpoint in the development of German idealism, situating him b ...
and August Wilhelm Schlegel. Foreign recipients in the "class of 1842" included François-René de Chateaubriand,
Michael Faraday Michael Faraday (; 22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English scientist who contributed to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic inducti ...
and Franz Liszt. Later recipients included Theodor Mommsen (1868),
Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...
(1868),
Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy. Born in Ecclefechan, ...
(1874), William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1884),
Joseph Lister Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, (5 April 182710 February 1912) was a British surgeon, medical scientist, experimental pathologist and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery and preventative medicine. Joseph Lister revolutionised the craft of ...
(1885) Johannes Brahms (1887), Giuseppe Verdi (1887), Hubert von Herkomer (1899), Camille Saint-Saëns (1901), John Singer Sargent (1908), Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1910), Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1911),
Sir William Ramsay Sir William Ramsay (; 2 October 1852 – 23 July 1916) was a Scottish chemist who discovered the noble gases and received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904 "in recognition of his services in the discovery of the inert gaseous elements ...
(1911), and Max Planck (1915). New members of the revised order in 1923 included
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theor ...
(1923), Gerhart Hauptmann (1923), Richard Strauss (1924), Wilhelm Furtwängler (1929), and
Käthe Kollwitz Käthe Kollwitz ( born as Schmidt; 8 July 1867 – 22 April 1945) was a German artist who worked with painting, printmaking (including etching, lithography and woodcuts) and sculpture. Her most famous art cycles, including ''The Weavers'' a ...
(1929). Among those inducted in 1952 were Otto Heinrich Warburg, Otto Hahn,
Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ' ...
, and Emil Nolde. Later recipients include
Arthur Compton Arthur Holly Compton (September 10, 1892 – March 15, 1962) was an American physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1927 for his 1923 discovery of the Compton effect, which demonstrated the particle nature of electromagnetic radia ...
(1954),
Hermann Hesse Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include '' Demian'', '' Steppenwolf'', '' Siddhartha'', and '' The Glass Bead Game'', each of which explores an individual ...
(1954), Albert Schweitzer (1954),
Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novell ...
(1955), Oskar Kokoschka (1955), Carl Orff (1956), Erwin Schrödinger (1956), Thornton Wilder (1956), Werner Heisenberg (1957), Lise Meitner (1957), Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1957), Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker (1961),
Karl Jaspers Karl Theodor Jaspers (, ; 23 February 1883 – 26 February 1969) was a German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher who had a strong influence on modern theology, psychiatry, and philosophy. After being trained in and practicing psychiatry, Jaspe ...
(1964), Otto Klemperer (1967), Carl Zuckmayer (1967), Henry Moore (1972), Karl Popper (1980), Carlos Kleiber (1990), Witold Lutosławski (1993), Rudolf Mößbauer (1996), Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard (1997), Umberto Eco (1998), Hans Magnus Enzensberger (1999), Wim Wenders (2005), James J. Sheehan (2006), and
Svante Pääbo Svante Pääbo (; born 20 April 1955) is a Swedish geneticist who specialises in the field of evolutionary genetics. As one of the founders of paleogenetics, he has worked extensively on the Neanderthal genome. In 1997, he became founding dire ...
(2008). More recent recipients were Gidon Kremer (2016), Emmanuelle Charpentier (2017), Heinz Holliger (2018), Sir
Christopher Clark Sir Christopher Munro Clark (born 14 March 1960) is an Australian historian living in the United Kingdom and Germany. He is the twenty-second Regius Professor of History at the University of Cambridge. In 2015, he was knighted for his servic ...
(2019), and Herta Müller (2021). Following the announcement of the 2020 Nobel Prizes, the Order members have 14
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
winners.


Recipients of both classes

Only a small number of persons have received both the military and civil classes of the ''Pour le Mérite'': * Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, military class 1839, civil class 1874 * Otto von Bismarck, military class 1884, civil class 1896 *
Hermann von Kuhl Hermann Josef von Kuhl (2 November 1856 – 4 November 1958) was a Prussian military officer, member of the German General Staff, and a ''Generalleutnant'' during World War I. One of the most competent commanders in the German Army, he retired ...
, military class 1916, civil class 1924


Similar orders in other countries

Besides Prussia, several other states of the former German Empire also conferred similar awards for the arts and sciences. These included the
Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German ...
's Maximilian Order for Art and Science (''Maximiliansorden für Kunst und Wissenschaft''), the Duchy of Anhalt's Order of Merit for Science and Art (''Verdienstorden für Wissenschaft und Kunst''), and the Principality of Lippe's Lippe Rose Order for Art and Science (''Lippische Rose, Orden für Kunst und Wissenschaft''). A number of other countries have founded similar high civic honors for accomplishments in the arts and sciences. The sovereign of the Commonwealth realms confers the Order of Merit and Order of the Companions of Honour. The Republic of
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
confers the Austrian Decoration of Honor for Science and the Arts, founded in 1955. Like the Order Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, this was in a sense a revival of an earlier imperial award, in this case the Austro-Hungarian Decoration of Honor for Art and Science (''Österreichisch-Ungarisches Ehrenzeichen für Kunst und Wissenschaft''), which existed from 1887 to 1918. Unlike the German award, however, the design of the modern Austrian award is unlike that of its imperial predecessor.
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
has the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for significant contributions to the arts and literature. In
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
the
Gloria Artis Gloria may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music * Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise * Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise ** Gloria (Handel) ** Gloria (Jenkin ...
Medal has been established for the same purpose. Other countries also may recognize accomplishments in the arts and sciences, but with more general orders also awarded for accomplishments in other fields.
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
's
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
is an example of a decoration often conferred for accomplishment in many fields, including the arts and sciences.
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
awards either its Order of Leopold or Order of the Crown for outstanding accomplishments in the arts and sciences, and may award its Civil Decoration for lesser accomplishments in these fields.


See also

* '' The Blue Max'', a 1966 film


References

: ''Includes material from the German-language Wikipedia version of this article''


Notes


Bibliography

* * * *


Further reading

*


External links


Pour le Mérite, Grand Cross Star (Orden Pour le Mérite, Stern zum Großkreuz)

Orden Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste (civil class)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pour Le Merite 1740 establishments in Prussia 1918 disestablishments in Prussia 1923 establishments in Germany Awards established in 1740 Awards established in 1923 Civil awards and decorations of Germany Courage awards Kingdom of Prussia Military awards and decorations of Prussia Orders, decorations, and medals of Prussia