Decorations

Order of the Iron Crown

Kaiserlicher Orden der Eisernen Krone

Order of the Iron Crown

The Holy Roman Empire, ruled by the Habsburg dynasty, gave way to the Empire of Austria, between 1804 and 1806. The last Holy Roman Emperor, Franz II, was proclaimed Emperor Franz I of Austria. His daughter, the Archduchess Maria Louise, was Napoleon’s second wife and Empress Consort, and the mother of Napoleon’s only legitimate son and heir, Napoleon, Duke of Reichstadt. With the collapse of Napoleon’s empire, Imperial Austria regained its traditional control of Lombardy. Emperor Franz re-established the Order of the Iron Crown as an Austrian order.

The Austrian order was also divided into three distinct classes of knighthood, recognized as the First, Second, and Third Classes. Investment of this order carried an Imperial patent of nobility. With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in 1918, all but one (the Order of the Golden Fleece) of the chivalric orders of its monarchy was formally abolished.

During the Great War, awards "with swords" were given to symbolize personal valor of the knight that led to his award. Hence, ordinary knights medals were also frequently adorned with crossed swords, pinned to the tri-fold ribbon.


CommanderDate  Command
Kptlt. Adam, Hans1916  
Kptlt. Arnauld de la Perière, Lothar von1 Jan 1917  U 35

LSL. Falkhausen, Hugo von1 Jan 1916  k.u.k. U6
Kptlt. Fischel, Hermann von2 Oct 1918  
LSL. Fähndrich, Friedrich3 Jan 1916  k.u.k. U15

Oblt. Heimburg, Heino von   
LSL. Holub, Josef1 Jan 1917  k.u.k. U21
LSL. Hudecek, Zdenko3 Jan 1917  

LSL. Jüstel, Hermann1 Jan 1917  

Kptlt. Krafft, Ernst3 Jan 1918  UB 51
LSL. Krsnjavi, Johann4 Jan 1917  k.u.k. U11

LSL. Leschanowsky, Lothar2 Jan 1916  

Kptlt. Marschall, Wilhelm1 Jan 1918  

LSL. Prásil, Leo4 Jan 1917  

Kptlt. Rücker, Claus1 Jan 1917  

Kptlt. Saalwächter, Alfred12 May 1914  
LSL. Schlosser, Friedrich2 Jan 1916  k.u.k. U5
Kptlt. Schultze, Otto1 Feb 1918  
LSL. Seyffertitz, Hugo von3 Jan 1917  
Singule, Rudolf3 Jan 1916  k.u.k. U4
Oblt. Steinbrinck, Otto   UB 10
Kptlt. Studt, Ferdinandprewar  

LSL. Teufl von Fernland, Robert2 Jan 1917  
LSL. Trapp, Georg Ritter von2 Jan 1917  k.u.k. U14

Kptlt. Valentiner, Max1 Jan 1917  U 38

Kptlt. Zitzewitz, Gehrard vonprewar  

26 officers decorated with Order of the Iron Crown (Kaiserlicher Orden der Eisernen Krone) located.

Note: This listing is still being compiled and some recipients might be missing.

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