State Flag (Landesflagge) 1826-1918

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg Herzogtum Sachsen-Altenburg

Ducal Standard (Herzogsstandarte), 1909-1918

About the Duchy Awards of the Combined Saxon Duchies Military Awards of the Duchy Links

About the Duchy   Awards of the Combined Saxon Duchies - The Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order and Medal The Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order and its associated medal was an award common to all three Saxon duchies - Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and Saxe-Meiningen - in existence during the Imperial era. It was created on December 25, 1833 and revised in 1864. Until 1864, a letter in the upper arm of the cross of the order distinguished the duchies; after 1864 they were identical. The medals of the order, however differed in having each state's own duke on the obverse.   Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden Military awards of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order were limited to officers, and, as with most orders, the rank of the recipient usually determined the grade of the order to be received. The Knights 1st and 2nd Class were intended for junior officers, with the 1st Class typically going to captains (Hauptleute) and the 2nd Class typically going to Leutnante and Oberleutnante. The numbers awarded is unclear, as none of the three duchies had a complete roll for all of the war years of World War One. Aviation historian Neal O'Connor arrived at an estimate based on looking at the most complete rolls for particular years in the different duchies (apparently, each duchy kept a consolidated list for the order) and extrapolating from them. Based on the Meiningen rolls for 1914, 1915 and 1916 and the Coburg rolls for 1917 and 1918, he estimated 62 awards of the Grand Cross, 68 of the Commander's Cross with Star (AKA Commander 1st Class), 410 of the Commander's Cross (AKA Commander 2nd Class), 879 of the Knight's Cross 1st Class and 2,027 of the Knight's Cross 2nd Class. These included awards with and without swords and with the date numeral on the arm.   Grand Cross with Swords Großkreuz mit Schwertern Reverse Photo credit: UBS Commander's Cross with Swords Komturkreuz mit Schwertern Reverse   Knight's Cross 1st Class with Swords Ritterkreuz 1. Klasse mit Schwertern Reverse        Knight's Cross 2nd Class with Swords Ritterkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern Reverse   Merit Cross of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order - Saxe-Altenburg Verdienstkreuz des Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens - Sachsen-Altenburg The Merit Cross of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order was a silver cross and could be awarded with or without swords. It was intended for mid-level civilian and military officials and certain senior non-commissioned officers and officer candidates. Awards during World War One without swords for merit on the homefron carried the date "1914" on the upper arm and, after 1914, the date of award - "1915", "1916", "1917" or "1918" - on the lower arm. Photo credit: Hermann-Historica oHG, Munich/Germany Photo credit: UBS   Gold and Silver Merit Medals of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order - Saxe-Altenburg goldene und silberne Verdienstmedaillen des Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens - Sachsen-Altenburg The merit medals of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order were intended for NCOs and enlisted personnel. The Golden Merit Medal typically went to mid-level and senior non-commissioned officers (e.g. Feldwebel, Vizefeldwebel). The Silver Merit Medal was typically for corporals, lance corporals and privates. Combat awards from the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg came with crossed swords on the ribbon and military awards for merit on the homefront carried a date clasp without swords. During the Franco-Prussian War, these were in the form of a swords clasp and a date clasp dated "1870/1". During World War One, there was no swords clasp, just a pair of crossed swords, and homefront awards carried a date clasp dated "1914". Military Awards of the Duchy Besides the various grades of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order and its associated medals, the Duke of Saxe-Altenburg had three other decorations which were often awarded to military personnel. These were the Duke Ernst Medal, the Duke Ernst Medal, 1st Class with Swords, and the Bravery Medal.   Duke Ernst Medal Herzog Ernst Medaille The Duke Ernst Medal was a medal for merit established in 1906. It originally came in gold and silver versions. In 1915, the duke authorized awards with a clasp "1914" as well as authorizing an intermediate grade of the silver medal with crown. Swords were also authorized for awards to military personnel, although only seven were awarded with swords out of a total of some 1,300 wartime awards of the medal.   Duke Ernst Medal, 1st Class with Swords Herzog Ernst Medaille 1. Klasse mit Schwertern Although the names are similar and the design of the center medallion the same, there was no apparent connection between the Duke Ernst Medal and the Duke Ernst Medal, 1st Class with Swords. The latter was created on June 29, 1918 and only 86 were ever awarded - 44 on October 17, 1918 and 42 a few weeks later on November 7. It was a silver pinback cross similar to the Iron Cross in that it was awarded without regard to rank. However, its requirements were otherwise strict: the recipient must have been a native of the duchy or have served in the 8. Thüringisches Infanterie- Regiment Nr.153 and must have already received the Iron Cross 1st Class.   Photo credit: Claudio Ortelli   Bravery Medal Tapferkeitsmedaille The last Altenburg medal discussed here is the Bravery Medal. Created on February 20, 1915, this was the duchy's principal award for NCOs and enlisted soldiers. Originally made in bronze, later versions were in zinc, both coppered and not. Two examples are shown below - one in coppered zinc and one in the late-war zinc alloy known as Kriegsmetall.         Photo credit: JF