THE ARCHIVES AND ALL PROPERTIED OF THE AUSTRIAN ORDERS, I.E. -- THE
IMPERIAL AUSTRIAN ORDER OF LEOPOLD, THE IMPERIAL AUSTRIAN ORDER OF THE
IRON CROWN} AND THE IMPERIAL AUSTRIAN ORDER OF FRANZ JOSEPH~ ARE PRESERVED
IN THE HOUBE~ COURT AND STATE ARCHIVES IN VIENNA. THESE ORDERS DO NOT FUNC-
TION ANYMORE AND THEREFORE NO 0RDERS--0FFICIALS ARE IN EXISTENCE.
THE 0RDERB--JEWELER ROTHE IN VIENNA MANUFACTURES ALL 0RDERB IN ANY
FORM -- GOLD~ SILVER--SILT~ OR BONZE--GILT. ONLY THE DECORATIONS OF THE OR-
DER OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE ORDER OF THE ~TARRY CROSS HE MAY NOT MAN-
UFACTURE WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE RESPECTIVE ORDER GHANCELLORIES.
THE HIGHLY NOBLE ORDER OF THE ~TARRY CROSS~ FOR WHICH THE HIGHEST
PROTECTRESB IS REGINA - SPOUSE OF 0TTO~ IS STILL IN EXISTENCE AND IS STILL
AWARGED. THERE ALSO EXISTS A ~ECRETARY~ GRAF GEORG V0N NOSTITZ-RIENECK.
THE ARCHIVES OF THE ORDER OF THE STARRY CROSS ARE HOUSED AT THE AUSTRIAN
STATE ARCHIVES~ DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL ADMINISTRATION~ AS THE ARCHIVES OF
THE ORDER OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE ARE LOCATED IN THE HOUSE~ COURT AND STATE
ARCHIVES. BOTH ARCHIVES ARE ON LOAN~ AND MAY ONLY BE USED WITH SPECIAL PER-
MISSION FROM OTTO AND REGINA HABSBURG-LOTHRINGEN. THE METHOD OF PROTOGOL
GOES THROUGH THE ORDER GREFFIER AND THE {NTERIM CHANCELLOR OF THE ORDER OF
THE GOLDEN. FLEECE~ OR THE SECRETARY OF THE ORDER OF THE ~TARRY CROSS.
WHEREAS NO PROOF OF NOBILITY IB NECESSARY FOR THE ORDER OF THE GOLDEN
FLEECEs EACH DAME OF THE ORDER OF THE ~TARRY CROSS MUST BE ABLE TO PRODUCE
IN HER ANCESTRAL TABLE EIGHT ANCESTORS 0P NOBLE SIRTH~ FOUR ON EACH BIDE.
PREVIOUS TO THIS~ EACH LADY HAD TO PROVE TWELVE ANCEBTORB OF NOBLE BIRTH~
EIGHT ON THE FATHERIs SIDE AND FOUR ON THE MOTHERIs SLOE). ~HE 14UGT FUR-
THERMORE BE MARRIED TO A CATHOLIC ~0BLEMAN~ WHO (.0ULD BE A K.u.K. (ROYAL
AND IMPERIAL) KXMMERER (CHAMBERLAIN), OR A ROYAL KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF
MALTA (I.E. WHO DAN PROCURE SIXTEEN NOBLE ANCESTORS, EIGHT ON EACH SIDE ON
HIS ANCESTRAL TABLES).
ONLY ARCHDUCCHEBBEB AND COURT LADLES SERVING THEM MAY BE SINGLE A6
DAMES OF THE ORDER OF THE ~TARRY CROSS; 0THERWISE (CATHOLIC) MARRIAGE WITH
A PERSON OF EQUAL EIRTH IS A PREREQUISITE. THE KNIGHTS OF THE ORDER OF THE
GOLDEN FLEECE ONLY MUST BE ~OBLE AND CATHOLIC~ BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PRO
CURE ANY ANCESTRAL TABLE AND MAY bE MARRIED OR SINGLE. BUT~ HE CANNOT BE
A MEMBER OF THE CLERGV~ NOR A MEMBER OF THE DEUTSCHER HERR (KNIGHT OF THE
TEUTONIC ORDER). HE MAY BE A KNIGHT OF THE 0FDER OF ~ALTA~ BUT ~ITHOUT
ANY VOWS.
BESIDES MERITORIOUS BEHAVIOR IN BEHALF OF THE ~0VEREIGN HOUBE AND THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH AND &PECIAL FIDELITY TOWARD~ THE 0RDER-CHIEF AND ~0VEREtGN~
A KNIGHT OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE IS EXPECTED TO LEAD AN IRREPROACHABLE LIFE.
THERE ARE CF COURSE EXCEPTIONS; 8C--CALLED CHAMBERLAINS OF GRACE (GNADEN-
K~MMERER) TITLES WERE AWARDED DL’~ING THE MONARCHY° ALB0 THERE WERE} AND
STILL ARE LA01ES CF DAMES OF ~RACE (GNADEN-~TEPNKREUZOPDENBDAMEN) OF THE
ORDER OF THE 3TARRY CPOSS IN A FEV, EXCEPTIONS. IN THE ORDER OF THE GOLDEN
FLEECE~ THOSE EXCEPTIONB CONSIST GENERALLY THAT EVEFY NOW AND THEN A FFEI--
HERR, ~ARCN OR A NCBLE~;AN OF LOWER RANK (~ITTER~ EDLER VON~ VON) IB AWARD-
ED THE ORDER. 0THERWlSE~ ONLY ARCHOUKES~ PRINCES OF THE IMPERIAL OR ROYAL HOUSE, DUKES, ~OVE~EIGN PRINCES (FOR~TEN), PRINCES AND COUNTS (GRAFEN) CO~LO RECEIVE THIS HIGH H3NCR. THE MINISTERS OF THE K.u.K. (IMPERIAL AND ROYAL~ HOUSE AND OF THE EXTEmlOR -- WITH A FE~ EXCEPTIONS -- AND FURTHERMORE THE 0EERSTHOFMEISTER (LORD HIGH 3TEWAmD) AND OTHER COURT 0FFICIAL8~ AND THE E~UCATOFS OF THE CRO~N PFilNCES EVENTUALLY RECEIVED THE 0ROER~ PROVID- ING THEY ~EPE OF" NOBLE BIRTH AND AERE OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH.
COVER PHOTO - "kEUES FU%KTI’~NEZEICHEN~ KANZLER DES 0RDEf~S VOM GOLDENEN VLIEEBII - THE F;E£’v FL.%CTION BADGE OF THE CHANCELLOR OF THE ORDER OF THE
~OLDE:\ FLEECE. THE RED RIBBON OF THE ORDER IS U.C;ED. 4 AIR FORCE BADGE8 OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE 191~ - 1921
PART 2 BY DR. KLIETMANN
THE BADGE FOR THE MILITARY OBSERVER OFFICERS,
WITH THE FURTHER ENLARGEMENT OF
THE BEGINNING OF THE ROYAL PRUSSIAN
AIR FORCEr THE GERMAN EMPEROR AND KING OF PRUSSIA WILLIAM II INSTITUTED
A BADGE FOR OBSERVER OFFICERS (FROM
AIRCRAFT) ON JANUARY 279 1914.
THE COMPLETE ~EXT OF THE FOUNDA-
TION DECREE RUNS=
~ACCORDING TO THE REPORT GIVEN TO ME~
I APPROVE THE ENCLOSED PATTERN OF THE
BADGE FOR OBSERVER OFFICERS OUT OF
AEROPLANES.,..,.
THE MINISTRY OF WAR HAS TO ORDER ALL
OTHERS.n
BERLIN -- JANUARY 27, 1914.
(SIGNED) WILLIAM
To THE MINISTRY OF WAR~V. FALKENHAYN
THE SAME DAYj THE MINISTRY OF
WAR ORDERED THE FOLLOWING REGULATIONS ABOUT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND LAYING
DOWN OF DETAILS CONCERNING THE BADGE=
~1) THE BADGE CONSISTS OF SILVER AND IS TO BE WORN ON THE SERVICE DRESS
TUNIC AS ON THE FIELD GRAY JACKET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LEFT BREAST
AND IT IS TO BE FASTENED WITH A NEEDLE. THE OFFICERS WILL ALSO WEAR
IT IN THE SAME WAY ON OTHER SIMILAR TUNICS.
h2) CONCERNING THE AWARD OF THE BADGE~ WITH THE HIGHEST AUTHORIZATION THE
FOLLOWING IS APPOINTED{ THE BADGE FOR OBSERVER OFFICERS IS TO BE A--
WARDED BY THE GENERAL INSPECTION OF THE MILITARY TRANSPORT AND ~UPPLY
DEPARTMENT BY THE PRESENTATION OF A BESTOWAL DIPLOMA TO THOSE OFFICERS
WHO (A) PERFORMED AT LEAST A DISTANCE OF 1~000 KM, ON OVERLAND
FLIGHT&I ETC.
THE CHIEF OF THE GERMAN AIR FORCE DEPARTMENT -- THOMSEN --ORDERED ON
SEPTEMBER ~ 191~, THAT THE NEXT-OF--KIN OF FALLEN PILOTS AND OBSERVERS WERE TO BE ALLOWED TO KEEP THESE BADGES.
THE TERMINATION DAY FOR~THE AWARDING OF THIS BADGE HAD BEEN JANUARY
~lp 1921~ AND AFTER THAT DAY~ ONLYEXCEPTIONS WOULD BE ALLOWED. THE NUM-
BER OF RECIPIENTS IS UNKNOWN~ BECAUSE ONLY THE DECREES WERE HANDED OUT TO
THE RECIPIENTS. THIS FIGURE IS NOT AVAILABLEj AS THE PERTINENT RECORDS DO
NOT EXIST ANY MORE.
THIS BADGE IS A SINGLE PIECE~ HOLLOW OR MASSIV (SOLID)~ AND MINTED
(STRUCK) OR CAST EXAMPLES EXIST. GENUINE SILVER ITEMS WERE MANUFACTURED
AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR. THE BADGE IS SIMILAR TO THE MILITARY PILOTS1
BADGED(SEE JULY 16~ ISSUE)~ BUT IN THE CENTER IS FIXED THE BADGE OF A
GERMAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS. THIS IS BLACK AND ~ITE QUARTERED~ SURROUNDED
BY A RED BORDER. THESE BADGES EXIST IN THREE ~IZE~I
A~ THE NORMAL SIZE -- 4~-4~ MM TO 70-71MM.
B~ THE HALF--MINIATURE - PROBABLY ~20 TO ~ MM,
C) THE PINBACK MINIATURE -- 11 TO 20 MM,
THE OWNER OF THE BADGE (RECIPIENT) HAD TO PURCHASE IT HIM@ELF, EVERY
FIRM COULD MANUFACTURE THESE BABGEGm AND THERE WERE NO SPECIAL REGULA-
TIONS FOR THE MANUFACTURE, ONLY THE USUAL FORM~ THE SILVER COLORm AND THE
COLORED ENAMELED CENTERPIECE WEFE REQUI,~BD.
MANY VARIETIES HAVE BEEN MADE IN ~0 YEARS. ~OME MANUFACTURERS MADE
THE SAME BADGE IN DIFFERENT QUALITIES AND AT DIFFERENT PRICES. BADGES
WITH A HALLMARK ARE UNUSUAL AND OF NO IMPORTANCE~ BECAUSE IT WAS UP TO
EVERY MANUFACTURER TO SELL THE BADGE WITH OR WITHOUT THE HALLMARK.
NAZI MEDALS tN JAPAN " BY DAVID R. NORTHEY
’NHEN 0BERt.I.AAT CONRAD METZNER RECEIVED HIS IRON CROSS (1939 TYPE, 18T
CLASS) IN 1943, HE HAD SAVED ~9 MEN FROM THE TORPEDOED AUXILIARY CRUISER
"~ICHELI1 (SHIP 2H) OFF YOKOHAMA, JAPAN IN OCTOBER. THE CROSS THAT HE ACT-
UALLY RECEIVED WAS MADE OF PURE JAPANESE BILVER~ WITH A COPPER SWASTIKA.
THESE WERE EVIDENTLY JAPANESE COPIES OF THE NAZI IIIRONtl IRON CROSSES.
BECAUSE JAPAN WAS FAR AWAY FROM THE GERMAN ~EICHLAND~ THERE WERE NO REG-
ULATION IRON CRO3SES TO BE HAD, SO THE JAPANESE MADE SILVER COPIES FOR
THE GERMANS.
MR. METZNER KNOWS OF AT LEAST 29 OTHER GERMAN SAILORS WHO GOT THIS
COPY OF THE CROBS~’AT~THE SAME TIME HE OlD. AL80~ CERTIFICATES WERE HAND--
ED OUT SIGNED BY ADMIRAL ~IENNKER (GERMAN NAVAL ATTACHE IN TOKYO~ JAPAN).
ADM. WENNKER CERTIFIED THAT METZNER HAD WON BOTH HIS IRON CROSS 18T CLASS
AND OTHER BADGES.
IT IS REPORTED THAT METZNER TOOK HIS CROSS TO A JEWELER TO HAVE IT
PIN FIRED, AND THE JEWELER REMARKED THAT IT WAS PURE SILVER. WHEN POLISH-
ING WAS TRIED~ THE PAINT CAME OFF THE BWASTIKA~ AND IT WAS FOUND TO BE OF
COPPER.
THIS CROSS IS EVIDENTLY N0W IN THE HANDS OF METZNERIS BROTHER IN GER-
MANY AND PICTURES OF IT ARE HOPED TO BE OBTAINED. ANY OTHER INFORMATION
ON THIS WILL BE APPRECIATED.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE ORDER OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE BY JACK SWEETMAN
REFERRING TO MY ARTICLE IN THE SEPTEMBER t~ ISSUE OF THIS JOURNAL~
l HAVE DISCOVERED A MISTAKE. THERE tS AT LEAST ONE BULLION STAR EXTANT.
iT IS THE ONE AWARDED TO TALLEYRAND~ WHICH IS PRESERVED IN THE COLLECTION
OF THE MUSEE - CHATEAU DE VALENCAY~ IN FRANCE.
IN ADDITION~ A GOLDEN MINIATURE OF THE BADGE WAS OFFERED ON A BAR-
RETTE WITH TWO OTHER MINIATURES BY JACQUES 3CHULMAN AT AUCTION IN MAY~ 1962.
FIRST FOREIGNER TO RECEIVE THE U.8. MEDAL OF MERIT BY DAVID R. NORTHEY
MR° EDGAR SENGIER OF BELGIUM MERITS OUR MENTION HERE~ AS HE WAS THE
FIRST FOREIGN RECIPIENT OF THE U.S. MEDAL OF MERIT (NOW OBSOLETE). HE
DIED IN CANNE; FRANCE AT THE AGE OF ~4.
HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF UNION MINIERE OU HAUT KATANGA~ THE INDUSTRIAL
MINING COMPLEX IN KATANGA; A PROVINCE OF THE CONGO~ WHEN WORLD WAR 11