Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 23, Nr 1, 1993. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za THE ENIGMATIC ORDER THE ORDER OF THE STAR OF SOUTH AFRICA: ITS ORIGINS, DEVELOPMENT, CHARACTER AND PROBLEMS! BY Dr S. MONICK * INTRODUCTION from sound and firmly anchored prec- edents, established over several centu- ries. Second, the Order points to the The Order of the Star of South Africa is manner in which a medal pantheon the Republic's premier order. It super- forms an index of political-social-cul- seded the Star of South Africa (insti- tural development in a nation's history. tuted in 1952), which was formally For the development of the Order of classed as a decoration (and awarded the Star of South Africa has coincided in one class only). For students of the with a period in which the SADF has South African award structure it is piv- occupied an extremely high and ag- otal, in two major respects. First, it has gressive profile in the collective con- exhibited an undeniable restlessness sciousness of the South African public.3 and instability since its inception in Thus, the institution of the Order of the 1975; having experienced two major Star of South Africa in 1975 was the phases of reorganization and restruc- fountainhead, so to speak, of a verita- turing, its final form, to date, appearing ble plethora of either new or reconsti- in 1988. In this respect, it is clearly tuted awards. The year 1975 also wit- symptomatic of the unstable and con- nessed the institution .of the: Honoris tinually fluctuating character of the Crux Decoration - Gc5ld (HCG), Silver South African award structure, a theme (HCS) and Decoration (HC); Southern that has been explored in several pub- Cross Medal; Pro Merito Medal; South- lished sources, written by the author of ern Cross Decoration (SD), Pro Merito the present article.2 Most importantly, Decoration (PM D): South African De- the source of this instability is encapsu- fence Force Good Service Medal (Gold, lated in the Order: viz the departure Silver, Bronze - for 30, 20 and 10 years 1 The present article is derived from the following sources: (a) Monick, S. South African military awards 1912-1987. Johannesburg: South Afri can National Museum of Military History, 1988, pp 43-48. (b) Monick, S. South African civil awards 1910-1990. Johannesburg: South African National Museum of Military History, 1988, pp 131-141. (c) Monick, S. Profile of a research project: the medal publications of the South African National Museum of Military History. Militaria, 21/1, pp 21-42. (d) Monick, S. The awards of the South African Armed Forces: an overview and analysis. Armed Forces (SA), June 1988, pp 29-32; July 1988, pp 28-34: August 1988, pp 28-32. The following article is, essentially, a consolidation of the material contained in the above sources. 2 These sources are as follows: . (i) Monick, S. Profile of a research project: the medal publications of the South African National Museum of Military History. Militaria 21/1, 1991, pp 21-42. (Ii) Monick, S. The awards of the South African Armed Forces: an overview and analysis. Armed Forces (SA), June 1988, pp 29-32; July 1988, pp 28-34; August 1988, pp 28-32. 3 Monick, S. The forging of a strike force. Militaria, 22/3, 1992, pp 20-56. Militaria 23/7 1993 Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 23, Nr 1, 1993. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za meritorious service in the Permanent longer as official state awards); as is Force/Citizen Force/Commandos re- also the case with the Order of St John spectively); and SADF Champion Shot and its Catholic sister order, the Order Medal. of Malta. The continually evolving character of These religious orders of chivalry were the Order is, to reiterate, rooted in the confirmed by the Pope and directly lack of a firm historical foundation. subordinated to the Papacy, but oth- Thus, any discussion of the Order of the erwise acted independently under the Star of South Africa must first examine leadership of a Grand Master, elected the traditional fabric of orders, as it has for life by the Knights of the Order, as- developed in Europe since the Middle sisted by the College of Arms com- Ages. It is this fabric which has shaped posed of the official bearers of the the European orders (including those highest dignitaries of the order. of Great Britain) and established con- sistent precedents from which the South African order has departed, to Subordination to the state its considerable cost in terms of consist- ency and stability. Whilst the orders remained directly sub- ordinated to the Pope, they became THE ORIGIN AND increasingly dependent upon the State, DEVELOPMENT OF ORDERS although maintaining their religious character, Symptomatic of this process was the assumption by monarchs of Religious origins the office of Grand Master, the office becoming hereditary within their own The origin of orders must be sought in families. As these international religious the medieval organization of the Catholic orders became increasingly dynastical- Church, of which the monastic com- ly dependent, the concept of an order munities formed an integral part. The became extended to embrace the dy- word 'order' (from the Latin 'ordo') re- nastic, or temporal, orders of chivalry. ferred in the medieval period to an as- The dynastic, or temporal, order of sociation of a limited circle of persons chivalry was expressed in the form of who imposed upon themselves certain Royal Knighthoods, the object of which obligations, and who subjected them- was no longer primarily to fight the infi- selves to certain rules. At the time of del but to strengthen the prestige and the Crusades, commencing in 1098 AD, power of the monarchy. The kings the foundation of orders in the monas- themselves occupied the office of tic system was extended to embrace Grand Master, but the meetings (the religious orders of chivalry, thereby fus- 'Chapters') were still held in a special ing the traditions of chivalry (the basis chapel of the orders in church. Simi- of knighthood) and Catholic Christen- larly, these temporal orders, as in the dom. The most well known of these re- case of their religious ancestors, gener- ligious orders - the essential objects of ally had a patron saint and sought pa- which were to fight for the Christian pal confirmation. The number of mem- . faith and care for the sick - were the bers in these temporal orders was Knights Templor (founded 1118), the limited, and there was only one class of Order of St John (founded 1113) and membership. Admission was condi- the Order of Teutonic Knights (founded tional upon noble birth, and initiation 1190). Reference should also be made was conducted at a solemn ceremony, to religious orders founded in the Ibe- including a vow of fidelity and the re- rian Peninsula, as part of the 'Recon- ceiving of an accolade. The members quis ta' (ie the expulsion of the Moslem wore a habit and the insignia of the or- power from Spain between the 11thand der was often a jewel with a picture of 15th centuries). These included the Or- the patron saint of the order, worn on a der of Alcantora (1156), the Order of chain around the neck. Members who Calatrava (1158), the Order of Aviz enjoyed these privileges were required (1162), the Order of Sant'lago (1170) to lead a blameless life, to support and the Order of Monteza (1319), all of charity by lavish almsgiving, to always which ore extant today (albeit no bear the insignia of the order and, 2 Militaria 23/7 7993 Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 23, Nr 1, 1993. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za above all, to constantly promote the ferred to as the Grand Cross, Com- power and prestige of the monarch; mander and Knight. This division into failure to comply with these obligations classes became the pattern for these being punishable by fines or, if re- orders of merit. peated, by expulsion from the order. Orders of merit may assume the follow- Originally, membership of one order ex- ing forms: cluded membership of another, at least with regard to an order against whose king (and Grand Master) an- (a) Military orders of merit: These can other went to war. Several of these or- be either military orders, or mixed ders remain extant to this day; eg the orders which have both military British Order of the Garter (founded and civil divisions. 1348), the Danish Order of the Elephant (1462) and the Swedish Order of the Purely military orders: Among Seraphim (1748). those purely military orders which are still extant are the Swedish Or- der of the Sword (1522), the Dutch Democratization of orders: Military Order of William (1815) orders of merit and the Finnish Order of the Lib- erty Cross (1918). The last named As societies became increasingly de- award is peculiar in so far as, in mocratized (ie the power of the bour- common with the German Iron geoise, and later that of the prole- Cross (1813) it can be awarded tariat, replaced that of the monarch, only in times of war, and also that often through the medium of Parlia- it distinguishes between combat- mentary government), orders of merit ants and non-combatants. The replaced those of Royal Knighthood. greater number of new orders Thus there arose an order awarded founded after World War ]I within purely for services to the state, irre- the Soviet orbit of influence (com- spective of social class, of which the monly referred to as 'people's de- French Legion of Honour (1802), with its mocracies') are solely military or- division in 1805 into five classes, be- ders.