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| type = [[Military decoration]]
| type = [[Military decoration]]
| eligibility =
| eligibility =
| for = "An act of gallantry in the face of exceptional danger to life and limb whilst demonstrating staying power and serenity in order to fulfill the militay mission in an ethically sound way."
| for = "An act of gallantry in the face of exceptional danger to life and limb whilst demonstrating staying power and serenity in order to fulfill the militay mission in an ethically sound way."<ref name=ops/>
| campaign =
| campaign =
| status = Currently awarded
| status = Currently awarded
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| clasps =
| clasps =
| post-nominals =
| post-nominals =
| established = 13 August 2008
| established = 13 August 2008<ref name=ops/>
| first_award = 6 July 2009<ref name=spiegel/>
| first_award = 6 July 2009<ref name=spiegel/>
| last_award =
| last_award =
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The '''Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour''' ({{lang-de|Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit}}) is the highest [[military decoration]] of the [[Bundeswehr]]. It is the highest class of the the [[Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr|Bundeswehr Cross of Honour]]. The decoration is the first combat valour award presented by Germany since World War II.<ref name=spiegel>{{cite web|title=Germany Awards Military Cross of Courage|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,634601,00.html|work=http://www.spiegel.de/international/|publisher=Der Spiegel-Gruppe.|date=6 July 2009|accessdate=3 May 2012}}</ref>
The '''Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour''' ({{lang-de|Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit}}) is the highest [[military decoration]] of the [[Bundeswehr]]. It is the highest class of the the [[Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr|Bundeswehr Cross of Honour]]. The decoration is the first combat valour award presented by Germany since World War II.<ref name=spiegel>{{cite web|title=Germany Awards Military Cross of Courage|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,634601,00.html|work=http://www.spiegel.de/international/|publisher=Der Spiegel-Gruppe.|date=6 July 2009|accessdate=3 May 2012}}</ref>

==History==
Since World War II, Germany has seen it's military as a defensive force, but during the 1990's Germany began playing a bigger role with its military within the European Union. After the [[September 11 attacks]] on the United States, Germany joined [[ISAF]] in Afghanistan and has continued to deploy Bundeswehr troops to areas under combat conditions. In 2007, the Petitions Committee of the Bundestag made a recommendation to create a decoration to recognize military personnel for valour.<ref name=ops>{{cite web|title=The Bundeswehr on Operations|url=http://www.bundeswehr.de/resource/resource/MzEzNTM4MmUzMzMyMmUzMTM1MzMyZTM2MzEzMDMwMzAzMDMwMzAzMDY3NmE2ODdhNjg2YjcxNzUyMDIwMjAyMDIw/The|publisher=Federal Ministry of Defence|accessdate=3 May 2012|location=Berlin|date=June 2009}}</ref> In 2008, [[Ernst-Reinhard Beck]], the president of the German Reservists Association, suggest the reestablishment of the [[Iron Cross]]. From it's establishment by the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1813 until 1945, the Iron Cross had recognized valour by German soldiers. However, the historical connotations assigned to the Iron Cross from World War II provoked criticism from some groups.<ref name=spiegel/> [[Federal Ministry of Defence (Germany)|Federal Defence Minister]] Dr. [[Franz Josef Jung]] a new level to the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour to recognize bravery and valour in combat on 13 August 2008. The [[President of Germany]] [[Horst Köhler]] granted authorization for this valour decoration on 18 September 2008. On 10 October 2008, the directive creating the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour became law upon being published in the Federal Law Gazette and the Federal Gazette.<ref name=ops/> The first recipients of the Cross of Honour for Valour were four soldiers caught up in a suicide attack by Taliban forces on 20 October 2008 southwest of [[Kunduz]], [[Afghanistan]]. Two German soldiers were wounded and two were killed in the attack. Five Afghan children died, while one was injured. Disregarding the fact that their armored vehicle was on fire and munitions were exploding around them, these four soldiers rushed to the scene to try to help the wounded without regard for their own safety.<ref name=spiegel/>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 04:04, 3 May 2012

Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour
Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit
The Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour
TypeMilitary decoration
CountryGermany
StatusCurrently awarded
Established13 August 2008[1]
Ribbon bar of the decoration

The Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour (German: Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit) is the highest military decoration of the Bundeswehr. It is the highest class of the the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour. The decoration is the first combat valour award presented by Germany since World War II.[2]

History

Since World War II, Germany has seen it's military as a defensive force, but during the 1990's Germany began playing a bigger role with its military within the European Union. After the September 11 attacks on the United States, Germany joined ISAF in Afghanistan and has continued to deploy Bundeswehr troops to areas under combat conditions. In 2007, the Petitions Committee of the Bundestag made a recommendation to create a decoration to recognize military personnel for valour.[1] In 2008, Ernst-Reinhard Beck, the president of the German Reservists Association, suggest the reestablishment of the Iron Cross. From it's establishment by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1813 until 1945, the Iron Cross had recognized valour by German soldiers. However, the historical connotations assigned to the Iron Cross from World War II provoked criticism from some groups.[2] Federal Defence Minister Dr. Franz Josef Jung a new level to the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour to recognize bravery and valour in combat on 13 August 2008. The President of Germany Horst Köhler granted authorization for this valour decoration on 18 September 2008. On 10 October 2008, the directive creating the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour became law upon being published in the Federal Law Gazette and the Federal Gazette.[1] The first recipients of the Cross of Honour for Valour were four soldiers caught up in a suicide attack by Taliban forces on 20 October 2008 southwest of Kunduz, Afghanistan. Two German soldiers were wounded and two were killed in the attack. Five Afghan children died, while one was injured. Disregarding the fact that their armored vehicle was on fire and munitions were exploding around them, these four soldiers rushed to the scene to try to help the wounded without regard for their own safety.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "The Bundeswehr on Operations". Berlin: Federal Ministry of Defence. June 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d "Germany Awards Military Cross of Courage". http://www.spiegel.de/international/. Der Spiegel-Gruppe. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2012. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
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