Decorations

Order of the Crown

Kronenorden

Order of the Crown

The Order of the Crown was a Prussian order of chivalry. Established in 1861, it could only be awarded to commissioned officers (or civilians of approximately equivalent status), but there was a medal associated with the order which could be earned by warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted men.

Officially the Order of the Red Eagle and the Order of the Crown were equal. Most officers and officials however preferred to be appointed to the more senior and prestigious Order of the Red Eagle. The Order of the Crown was often used as a decoration for those the Prussian government felt had to be recognized for their service but who it did not want to award the Order of the Red Eagle.

The Order had six classes:

  • Grand Cross - wore the Grand Cross badge on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest;
  • 1st Class - wore the badge on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest;
  • 2nd Class - wore the badge on a necklet, plus the star on the left chest;
  • 3rd Class - wore the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
  • 4th Class - wore the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
  • Medal - wore the medal on a ribbon on the left chest.

Most awards to officers that would go on to command U-boats came before the war. These officers all received the 4th Class of the order though a few awards were of the 4th Class with Swords (Jeß, Prittwitz und Gaffron, Reinhart von Rabenau, and von Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim).


CommanderDate  Command
Oblt. Adam, Hans3 Oct 1912  
Ltn. Arnauld de la Perière, Lothar von26 Mar 1907  

Oblt. Becker, Franz28 Feb 1914  
Oblt. Bothmer, Thorwald von19 Sep 1912  

Oblt. Canaris, Wilhelm26 Sep 1913  
Oblt. Carls, Rolf19 Sep 1912  

Oblt. Edeling, Karl19 Sep 1912  

Oblt. Fürbringer, Gerhardt23 Jul 1913  

Oblt. Georg, Carl-Siegfried Ritter von20 Jul 1913  
Oblt. Gercke, Hermann5 Sep 1909  
Oblt. Gerth, Erich15 Jul 1913  
Oblt. Glasenapp, Alfred von26 Jul 1914  
Oblt. Günzel, Erich19 Sep 1912  
Oblt. Götze, Alfred8 Feb 1913  

Oblt. Hartmann, Richard23 Dec 1913  
Ltn. Howaldt, Hans28 Jul 1913  

Oblt. Jeß, Heinrich26 Apr 1911  

Oblt. Klasing, Johannes6 May 1912  
Oblt. Korte, Alfred5 Sep 1909  
Krapohl, FranzSept. 1916  

Oblt. Lepsius, Reinhold3 Oct 1912  

Oblt. Middendorff, Heinrich29 Aug 1910  
Oblt. Moraht, Robert5 Sep 1909  

Ltn. Niemer, Hans Ewald28 Jul 1913  

Oblt. Paech, Georg28 Jul 1913  
Oblt. Petersen, Friedrich29 Sep 1908  
Ltn. Prinz, Athalwin26 Mar 1907  
Ltn. Prittwitz und Gaffron, Eberhard von26 Apr 1911  

Oblt. Rabenau, Helmuth von27 Jan 1914  
Ltn. Rabenau, Reinhard von26 Apr 1911  

Oblt. Schmidt, Georg26 Mar 1907  
Oblt. Schwieger, Walther3 Oct 1912  
Oblt. Sieß, Gustav19 Sep 1912  
Oblt. Speth-Schülzburg, Rudolf von17 Jul 1914  
Oblt. Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim, Edgar von26 Apr 1911  
Oblt. Stenzler, Heinrich12 Apr 1913  
Oblt. Strackerjan, Friedrich3 Oct 1912  
Oblt. Suchodoletz, Ferdinand von13 Jul 1909  

Oblt. Valentiner, Max12 Jul 1908  

Oblt. Wachendorff, Siegfried3 Oct 1912  
Ltn. Walther, Hans7 Sep 1907  
Ltn. Werner, Wilhelm24 Jun 1911  

42 officers decorated with Order of the Crown (Kronenorden) located.

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

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