Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr
| Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr | |
|---|---|
  Obverse and reverse of the Bundeswehr Medal of Honour |
|
| Awarded by the Federal Republic of Germany | |
| Type | Military Medal |
| Eligibility | Soldiers of the German armed forces and of allied nations |
| Awarded for | Valor or meritorious service |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Description | Comes in five classes: gold with clasp for bravery. Gold, silver, bronze crosses & bronze medal |
| Statistics | |
| Established | October 29, 1980 |
  Ribbons of the Cross of Honor for Bravery and Cross of Honor in Gold |
|
The Bundeswehr Crosses & Medal of Honor (German: Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr) is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany for meritorious service.
The decoration is usually awarded for long and meritorious service. However, it may also be awarded for valor in combat and other acts of merit regardless of time of service. It may be awarded to foreign soldiers as well as all German soldiers.
The decoration has five grades:
- Bundeswehr Medal of Honor (Ehrenmedaille der Bundeswehr) An individual may become eligible after completing a minimum of seven months of service and being nominated for exemplary service within that period.
- Bundeswehr Cross of Honor in Bronze (Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Bronze) An individual may become eligible after completing a minimum of five years of service and being nominated for exemplary service within that period.
- Bundeswehr Cross of Honor in Silver (Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Silber) An individual may become eligible after completing a minimum of ten years of service and being nominated for exemplary service within that period.
- Bundeswehr Cross of Honor in Gold (Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Gold) An individual may become eligible after completing a minimum of 20 years of service and being nominated for exemplary service within that period.
- Bundeswehr Cross of Honor for Bravery (Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit) An individual may become eligible after performing deeds which "greatly exceed the expected degree of bravery".
The medal is round, on its center is displayed the German eagle on the Bundeswehr version of the Iron Cross surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves. On the reverse it reads "FÃœR BESONDERE VERDIENSTE BUNDESWEHR" (German: For Special Merits - Bundeswehr). There is an oak leaf above the word Bundeswehr and that side is also surrounded by an oak leaves wreath.
The four higher grades are in the shape of a cross and in the center is the round design of the lowest medal, the reverse reads "For Service".
The ribbon is black with two red stripes beside it and golden stripes on the edges as the colors of the German flag, the ribbon bar has a small clasp of the decoration grade attached to it.
The medal is the same for the Bundeswehr Cross of Honor in Gold, but both the ribbon and the medal are adorned with a clasp in the shape of stylized double oak leaves.
See also
