Order of Adolph of Nassau
Encyclopedia
The Civil and Military Order of Merit of Adolphe of Nassau was a chivalric order
Chivalric order
Chivalric orders are societies and fellowships of knights that have been created by European monarchs in imitation of the military orders of the Crusades...

 of the Duchy of Nassau and now of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which was created in the year 1858 by the Duke of Nassau, and future Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the sovereign monarch and head of state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has been a grand duchy since 15 March 1815, when it was elevated from a duchy when placed in personal union with the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...

, Adolphe
Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Adolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...

. The award recognises those persons that have performed meritorious actions or heroic deeds in the name of Luxembourg.

Grades

The Order consists of eight grades, with two crosses and three medals attached to the order:
  1. Grand Cross - wears the badge with a crown on a sash on the right shoulder, and the plaque on the left chest (unlike the civil version, the military version of the Grand Cross bears two swords on its badge and plaque);
  2. Grand Officer - wears the badge with a crown on a necklet, and the plaque on the left chest;
  3. Commander of the Crown - wears the badge with a crown on a necklet;
  4. Commander (male) / Cross of Honour for Ladies (female) - men wear the badge on a necklet; women wear the badge with a crown on a ribbon tied as a bow at the left chest (the crown of the Cross of Honour for Ladies is slightly smaller and the sash slightly different from that of the Commander of the Crown, and the badge bears four letters on the outside);
  5. Officer of the Crown - wears the badge with a crown on a chest ribbon with rosette
    Rosette (decoration)
    A rosette is a small, circular device that is presented with a medal. The rosettes are primarily for situations where wearing the medal is deemed inappropriate. Rosettes are issued in nations such as France, Italy and Japan...

     on the left chest;
  6. Officer - wears the badge on a chest ribbon with rosette
    Rosette (decoration)
    A rosette is a small, circular device that is presented with a medal. The rosettes are primarily for situations where wearing the medal is deemed inappropriate. Rosettes are issued in nations such as France, Italy and Japan...

     on the left chest;
  7. Knight of the Crown - wears the badge with a crown on a chest ribbon on the left chest;
  8. Knight - wears the badge on a chest ribbon on the left chest;
  9. Crosses in Gold and Silver - wears the cross on a ribbon on the left chest;
  10. Medals in Gold, Silver and Bronze - wears the medal on a ribbon on the left chest.


Members belong to either the Civil or the Military Division. The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the Grand Master of the Order.

The Order of Adolphe of Nassau may also be issued to foreigners and is common as a diplomatic order. The decoration was issued as well in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 to a handful of Allied officers who had helped liberate Luxembourg from the rule of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...

. Because of the small size of Luxembourg, and its minor role as a campaign theater, the Order of Adolphe of Nassau was not issued as frequently as other major World War II orders, such as the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...

.

Insignia

  • The badge of the order is a gold cross, enamelled in white and featuring eight points, each of which ends in a gold pearl. The central disc of the front side bears the gold letter "A" in Gothic script the crowned by an imperial crown. The whole is encircled by a laurel crown on a blue-enamelled background on which the motto "Virtute" is inscribed in gold letters. The other side has the inscriptions "1292" (in that year the Adolf, Count of Nassau-Weilburg
    Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg
    Adolf was the King of Germany from 1292 until 1298. Though his title in his lifetime was Rex Romanorum , he is usually known as Adolf of Nassau...

     was crowned as King of the Romans
    King of the Romans
    King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...

    ) and "1858" (this was the year of creation of the order by Adolphe, Duke of Nassau
    Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
    Adolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...

    ), in gold letters on a white-enamelled background. The military division shows two additional crossed swords under the central medallion. The classes of the crown have a gold crown attached above the badge.
  • The plaque of the civil division of the Order is (for Grand Cross) an eight-pointed faceted silver star, or (for Grand Officer) a faceted silver Maltese Cross
    Maltese cross
    The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...

     with silver rays between the arms. The central disc is the same to that of the badge. The plaque of the military division shows two additional crossed swords under the central medallion, with gold hilts and silver blades, and the corresponding badge shows two crossed swords in gold.
  • The cross is shaped in the same form as the batch, but non-enamelled, and made of plain gold or silver.
  • The medal is roundly shaped, made of gold, silver or bronze, and with the portrait of Adolph, Duke of Nassau depicted on it.
  • The ribbon of the order is blue moiré
    Moire (fabric)
    In textiles, a moire is a fabric with a wavy appearance produced mainly from silk, but also wool, cotton and rayon. The watered appearance is usually created by the finishing technique called calendering...

    with a small orange stripe at each edge.

External links

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