Pour le Mérite

E7249

Pour le Mérite was the Kingdom of Prussia’s highest military order of merit, famously awarded for extraordinary bravery and leadership in battle.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf military order
order of merit
alsoKnownAs Blue Max
surface form: "Blauer Max"

Blue Max
awardFor extraordinary bravery in battle
outstanding military leadership
awardingBody Wilhelm II, German Emperor
surface form: "German Emperor (as King of Prussia)"

Frederick I of Prussia
surface form: "King of Prussia"
centralDevice Prussian royal monogram
civilClassContinuedBy Germany
surface form: "Federal Republic of Germany"
countryOfOrigin Prussia
surface form: "Kingdom of Prussia"
eligibility Prussian military personnel
later German Empire military personnel
enamelColor blue
foundedBy Frederick II of Prussia
hasCivilClassSuccessor Order Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts
surface form: "Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts"
higherAward none (highest Prussian military order)
inception 1740
languageOfName French
lastAwarded 1918
laterAwardedFor both officers and, in special cases, non‑commissioned officers
lowerAward Order of the Red Eagle
material gold
militaryClassDiscontinued 1918
motto Pour le Mérite
mottoLanguage French
mottoMeaning For Merit
namedAfter Maximilian von Forckenbeck (nickname origin disputed)
notableRecipient Erich Ludendorff
Erwin Rommel
Manfred von Richthofen
Max Immelmann
Oswald Boelcke
Paul von Hindenburg
obverseInscription Pour le Mérite
originallyAwardedFor military merit
partOf Prussian honours system
region Prussia
religiousAffiliation originally Protestant Prussian order
reverseFeature Prussian eagles
ribbonColor black with silver stripes (for some variants)
shape Maltese cross
status military class discontinued
symbolizes highest recognition of Prussian military gallantry and leadership
usedInConflict Franco-Prussian War
surface form: "Franco‑Prussian War"

Napoleonic Wars
Seven Years' War
World War I
wornWith neck ribbon

Referenced by (34)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Albert Kesselring awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Erich Ludendorff awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Erich Raeder awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Erich von Manstein awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Erwin Rommel awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Fedor von Bock awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Ferdinand Schörner awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Franz von Hipper awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Gerd von Rundstedt awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Gotthard Heinrici awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Günther von Kluge awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Hermann Göring awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Hugo Sperrle awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Manfred von Richthofen awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Max Immelmann awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Maximilian von Spee awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Maximilian von Weichs awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Oswald Boelcke awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Paul von Hindenburg awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Walter Model awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Wilhelm List awardReceived Pour le Mérite
subject surface form: "Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb"
Wilhelm von Leeb awardReceived Pour le Mérite
Johannes Blaskowitz awarded Pour le Mérite
Blue Max hasFormalName Pour le Mérite
Blue Max hasMotto Pour le Mérite
Blue Max informalNameOf Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite motto Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite obverseInscription Pour le Mérite
Erich Dietl receivedAward Pour le Mérite
Ernst Busch receivedAward Pour le Mérite

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