The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the president of the United States. The Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal are the highest civilian awards of the United States. The presidential medal seeks to recognize those people who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors". The award is not limited to U.S. citizens and, while it is a civilian award, it can also be awarded to military personnel and worn on the uniform. It was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, superseding the Medal of Freedom that was established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 to honor civilian service during World War II.
The Iron Cross is a former military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). It was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia on 17 March 1813 during the Napoleonic Wars. The award was backdated to the birthday of his late wife Queen Louise. Louise was the first person to receive this decoration (posthumously). The recommissioned Iron Cross was also awarded during the Franco-Prussian War, World War I, and World War II. The Iron Cross that was awarded during World War II has a swastika in the center. The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. Two such examples were Hanna Reitsch, who received the Iron Cross 2nd Class and Iron Cross 1st Class, and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, who received the Iron Cross 2nd Class. Both were civilian test pilots during World War II.
The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime. Param Vir Chakra translates as the "Wheel of the Ultimate Brave", and the award is granted for "most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy". The medal of the PVC was designed by Savitri Khanolkar, whose daughter's brother-in-law, Major Somnath Sharma, was coincidentally awarded the first PVC. As of January 2018, the medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts. Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army, and one has been from the Indian Air Force. A number of central and state governments and ministries of India provide allowances and rewards to recipients of the PVC. Only 21 military personnel have received this award to date.
Awards and Decorations of Nazi Germany were military, political and civilian decorations that were bestowed between 1923 and 1945, first by the Nazi Party and later the state of Nazi Germany.
The War Merit Cross was a decoration of Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to military personnel and civilians alike. By the end of the war it was issued in four degrees; and had a related civil decoration. It was reissued in 1957 by the Bundeswehr in a de-Nazified version for veterans.
The War Merit Medal (Kriegsverdienstmedaille) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to recognize outstanding service by civilians in relation to the war effort. It was instituted on 19 August 1940 and usually awarded to those workers in factories who significantly exceeded work quotas. The War Merit Medal was awarded only to Germans and non-Germans civilians, to men and women. An estimated 4.9 million medals were awarded by the end of the war in Europe. It was closely related to the War Merit Cross, which could be awarded to military personnel and civilians alike for outstanding service to the war effort.
The Distinguished Service Medal of the National People's Army, or "Medal of Merit of the National People's Army", was a medal issued in the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
The Danzig Cross was a Nazi decoration of the Free City of Danzig. The Cross was instituted on 31 August 1939 as a two grade decoration by Danzig Gauleiter Albert Forster. It was awarded to those, both in Danzig and in the wider Reich, who contributed to building up the Nazi Party in the Free City prior to its incorporation into Germany on 1 September 1939.
By December 1939, 88 first class and 253 second class crosses had been awarded, most of them in a ceremony on 24 October 1939. Hans Frank was a recipient of the award on 19 May 1940.
Memory Medal for Advancing Latvia's Membership to NATO is the Minister's of Defence Award. It was established on 19 March 2004 due to the admission of the Republic of Latvia to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – NATO.
The Military Merit Cross was a decoration of the Empire of Austria and, after the establishment of the Dual Monarchy in 1867, the Empire of Austria-Hungary. It was first established on October 22, 1849 and underwent several revisions to its design and award criteria over the years of its existence. It became obsolete in 1918 with the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The Military Merit Medal was a military decoration of the Empire of Austria-Hungary. It was founded by Emperor Franz Joseph I on March 12, 1890. The Military Merit Medal is often referred to as the "Signum Laudis" after the inscription on the reverse of the medal.
The honours system in the Republic of Austria is a means of rewarding individuals' personal achievement, or service to Austria by state decorations and medals.
The Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen, often shortened to Ordensgesetz, is a federal law of Germany detailing the treatment and handling procedures for civilian and military decorations. The law was put into effect on July 26, 1957, and fulfilled two primary purposes. First, it stipulated how medals and military decorations from before 1945 should be handled. Second, it was intended to describe treatment and procedures for medals in the Federal Republic of Germany.
The Medal for Exemplary Border Service was a national award issued in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was established on 28 May 1954, by the Council of Ministers of the GDR with Order No. 47/54 from the Ministry of Interior on 16 June 1954. The first presentation ceremony took place on 1 July 1954, to members of the German Border Police.
The Order of Merit for Science and Art was established on 30 July 1873 by Duke Friedrich I of Anhalt. It was awarded to acknowledge and reward excellent and outstanding achievements in the field of science and art at home and abroad.
The Medal "For Distinction in the Protection of Public Order" is a state decoration of the Russian Federation retained from the awards system of the Soviet Union established to recognise outstanding service by members of law enforcement bodies or to civilians for courage in assisting law enforcement personnel in their duties.
The Decoration "For Impeccable Service" is a state decoration of the Russian Federation aimed at recognising impeccable civilian or military service to the state beyond the scope of normal long service medals.
The Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika is a medal of the Republic of Malta. The medal is awarded by the President of Malta, with the written approval of the Prime Minister of Malta, for distinguished service to Malta. The award is presented to Maltese citizens and organizations, but may be awarded to foreigners on an honorary basis for service which merits recognition. No more than ten Maltese citizens may be awarded the medal over the course of a year. The medal may be awarded posthumously.
The German Flood Service Medal 2013 is a military and civil award of Germany. Established 2 July 2013 by joint decree of the Federal Minister of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich and Federal Minister of Defence Thomas de Maizière, the medal is awarded for approved service during the 2013 European floods. It was approved by the President of Germany on 23 October 2013.
The Mine Rescue Decoration is a state award of the Republic of Austria, established on February 24, 1954 by the National Council. The award is presented by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Reconstruction, currently known as the Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs, to both members and non-members of the mine rescue services.
