Pour le Mérite by Gebrüder Friedländer. "FR", "938"
Pour le Mérite by Gebrüder Friedländer. "FR", "938"
- Product Code:3-16981
- Availability:In Stock
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€23.500
Pour le Mérite by Gebrüder Friedländer, Berlin. 938 silver construction with enameled front and reverse. Maker marked "FR" and silver content marked "938" below the 6 o'clock arm. Extra silver content mark on the ring and additional "R" or "K" marking on one of the eagle heads. Excellent condition with nearly perfect enamel and very small signs of age. Enamel shows very small signs of wear, micro scratching but almost not visible. Weight 27.44gr. No repairs, no damage.
Fantastic piece! Pour le Mérite crosses in this condition have become very difficult to find!
The "Pour le Mérite" cross was instituted in 1740 by no-one less than Friedrich II of Prussia ("Frederic the Great", more commonly known to the Germans as "der alte Fritz"/The old Fritz) to value extraordinary military merit on the battlefield during the 2nd Silesian war against the Austro-Hungarian empire. From the institution in 1740 until 1918, there were only 5430 recipients. The medal was also awarded during the later wars against Denmark (1864), Austria (1866), France (French-German war of 1870) and during the First World War. Only officers were eligible. Some very well known recipients are Helmut von Moltke, Paul Von Hindenburg, Manfred von Richthofen (The red baron), Erwin Rommel and Ernst Jünger, the last recipient to pass away (1998). Jünger wrote a book about what he had gone through in World War I : "In Stahlgewittern" (The storm of steel). A shocking, very factual and neutrally written book. A must read for everyone interested in WWI. This book is by some people (who probably didn't read it) denounced as a glorification of war, but it definitely isn't... After reading this book, you will feel no urge to storm into trenches with a bayonet and gun...
A one time chance to own a perfect, textbook, rare Friedlander PLM.