Warrior Merit Medal (Prussia)

Warrior Merit Medal Krieger-Verdienstmedaille
Warrior Merit Medal, 1872 version
Type	Military decoration
Description	25 mm, silver medal
Eligibility	Soldiers not in Prussian service
Original ribbon (1835-1872) Combatant's ribbon (1872-1918) Non-combatant's ribbon (1888-1918)

The Warrior Merit Medal German: Krieger-Verdienstmedaille) was a military decoration of Prussia. Established by Friedrich Wilhelm III, it was primarily awarded to troops not in Prussian service. The first recipients were members of the Imperial Guard grenadier company guarding the Russian imperial residence during Friedrich Whilhelm's visit to St. Petersburg in 1835.

Appearance

Both versions of the medal are circular and silver, 25 mm in diameter. The first version depicts the crowned cypher of Friedrich Wilhelm III on the obverse of the medal. The reverse bears the inscription KRIEGER VERDIENST (Warrior Merit) surrounded by a wreath of two laurel sprigs, tied at its base with a bow. The medal is suspended by a ring suspension and hangs from the ribbon of the Order of the Red Eagle.

The later version of the medal depicts the crowned cipher of King Wilhelm I on the obverse. The reverse is also inscribed KRIEGER VERDIENST and surrounded by a thicker laurel wreath than the early version. The medal is suspended by a ring suspension and hangs from the black with white stripes kämpferband (combatants ribbon) or the white with black stripe nichtkämpferband (non-combatants ribbon).

External links

• Friedrich Wilhelm III version of medal, Deutsches Historisches Museum.