Cross of Merit for Women and Girls
{{infobox military award
| name = Cross of Merit for Women and Girls
Ehrenkreuz für Frauen und Jungfrauen
| image = Erekruis voor Vrouwen en Maagden 1871.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption =
| presenter = King of Prussia
| country = {{flag|Prussia}}
| type =
| eligibility = Prussian women and girls
| awarded_for = self-sacrificing work for the good of the fighting troops and their families
| campaign = Franco-Prussian War
| status =
| description =
| motto =
| clasps =
| post-nominals =
| established = 22 March 1871
| firstawarded =
| lastawarded =
| total_awarded = 2979
| total_awarded_posthumously =
| total_recipients =
| precedence_label =
| individual =
| higher =
| same =
| lower =
| related = Iron Cross
| image2 = 100px
| caption2 = Ribbon of the cross
}}
The Cross of Merit for Women and Girls, or literally Women and Virgins (Ehrenkreuz für Frauen und Jungfrauen), was created on 22 March 1871 by Kaiser Wilhelm I, German Emperor, in his capacity as King of Prussia. The award was presented only to women, but was not a Ladies Order in the most narrow sense. Women and girls were awarded at the request of Empress Augusta, and the award was bestowed by the Kaiser.
Description of the award
The appearance and shape is very similar to the Iron Cross, but on the obverse at the junction of the arms is an emblem of the Red cross. On the reverse there is the royal crown above the intertwined monograms "A" and "W" and the date of 1870–1871. The cross was worn from suspended by a bow on the left chest. The ribbon is the same as that of the Iron Cross for non-combatants, white with black stripes at the edge.
Recipients
- Princess Louis of Hesse and by Rhine (26 June 1871){{Cite journal|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878856&view=1up&seq=5&skin=2021|title=Königlich Preussische Ordenliste|journal=Preussische Ordens-Liste |year=1877|volume=3|location=Berlin|page=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878856&view=1up&seq=1257&skin=2021 1255]|language=German|via=hathitrust.org}}
- Countess Hedwig von Rittberg (1871){{Cite web |last=Biographie |first=Deutsche |title=Rittberg, Hedwig Gräfin von - Deutsche Biographie |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz106044.html |access-date=2022-03-18 |website=www.deutsche-biographie.de |language=de}}
- Marie Simon (1871){{Cite web |last=Wittneben |first=Karen |date=2010 |title=Simon, Marie |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/gnd117394068.html#ndbcontent |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=Deutsche Biographie |language=de}}
- Elisabeth Deichmann-Schaaffhausen[https://ordensmuseum.de/Ordensjournal/Ordensjournal8Mai07VerlLiJungfr.pdf List of awardees, 2007]
References
- Maximilian Gritzner: Handbuch der Ritter- und Verdienstorden aller Kulturstaaten der Welt. Weber, Leipzig 1893 (Nachdruck: Reprint-Verlag Leipzig, Holzminden 2000, {{ISBN|3-8262-0705-X}}).
{{Orders and decorations of the Kingdom of Prussia}}
Category:Orders of chivalry for women
Category:Orders of chivalry of Germany
Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of Prussia
Category:1871 establishments in Germany
Category:Awards established in 1871
Category:Awards honoring women