The Prussian Red Eagle Order

Among all of the Prussia's orders the Red Eagle Order seams to be the most interesting. Going through time the design surely changed and additions to the orders statues were made adding more an more interesting variations to the order. This introduction will give a good overview over all models and their possible outward forms.

Please go through the following tables. Besides the description and a picture you will find the number of awards. Those numbers are approximate values, but nevertheless fairly accurate. Please keep in mid, that all order decorations were awarded and therefore had to be returned to the Prussian orders chancellery. The actual number of still existing decorations should be much smaller than the number shown.

The 3rd class 1st type was the same size then the 2nd class (neck badge), but had the suspension loop attached in a vertical manner to be able to wear the decoration on the breast. In 1817, influenced by the Russian order system, the size was altered to fit the size of the Russian St. George order 4th class. This was the size the 3rd class badge would keep until 1918.

The bow was issued January 22, 1832 and indicates an award of the Red Eagle Order to the 3rd class to somebody who had already been awarded with the 4th class of the Red Eagle Order.

The swords for war merit were issued September 16, 1848 and worn through the middle of the order. With this edict was stated, that after receiving a higher grade of the order the swords awarded to a lower grade will be worn as "swords on the ring", meaning that the swords are attached above the cross.

January 18, 1849 a crown an scepter was given to by Friedrich Wilhelm during the annual order celebration to all those participating.

December 19, 1851, the jubilee number "50" was issued. Those were awarded to state employees who did serve for 50 consecutive years.

October 12, 1861, the bow for war merit was issued for any sword awards to Prussians.

In 1864 miniature St. John crosses were awarded to the members of the order of St. John that were involved into Medicare activities during the wars of 1864 -66.

In some cases Red Eagle Orders had been awarded on the ribbon of the house order of Hohenzollern.

King Wilhelm I. did create the possibility to wear swords together with swords on the ring on February 27, 1864.

The black-white ribbon for war merit (swords) was issued July 5, 1864. In addition to this it was possible to being just awarded the black-white ribbon to the Red Eagle Order without swords for military officials.

Red Eagle Order 4th Model 1854 - 1918
Variation	number of awards	picture
3rd class with crown and bow	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with crown and bow and jubilee "50"	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with crown and bow and swords	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with crown and bow (black-white) and swords	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with crown and bow and swords on the ring	9
3rd class with crown	457
3rd class with crown and swords	10
3rd class with bow	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow on the black-white ribbon	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow on the white-black ribbon	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow on the Hohenzollern ribbon	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow and St. John cross	4
3rd class with bow and jubilee "50"	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow and swords	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow (black white) and swords	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow and swords on the two times black- and three times white striped ribbon	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow and swords on the white-black ribbon	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow and swords on the ring	841
3rd class with bow, jubilee "50" and swords on the ring	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class with bow swords and swords on the ring	11
3rd class with bow swords and swords on the ring and St. John cross on the white ribbon to Theodor Graf zu stolberg-Wernigerode, Major a.D.	1
3rd class	21300
3rd class on the black-white ribbon	number of awards with bow are included in other numbers
3rd class on the Hohenzollern ribbon	number of awards are included in other numbers
3rd class with St. John cross	3
3rd class with jubilee "50"	number of awards are included in other numbers
3rd class with swords	411
3rd class with swords on the white-black ribbon	number of awards are included in other numbers
3rd class with swords on the regular ribbon	number of awards are included in other numbers