Harman Patil (Editor)

Order of Michael the Brave

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Type
  
Military Award

First awarded
  
1916

Eligibility
  
Military personnel on active service

Status
  
Awarded only in time of war

Established
  
1916, re-instituted 2000

Last awarded
  
1944 and disbanded in 1947

The Order of Michael the Brave (Romanian: Ordinul Mihai Viteazul) is Romania's highest military decoration, instituted by King Ferdinand I during the early stages of the Romanian Campaign of the First World War, and was again awarded in the Second World War. The Order, which may be bestowed either on an individual or on a whole unit, was named in honor of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul), a late 16th-century Prince of Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldavia.

Contents

Data

Requirements: Awarded to officers only for exceptional deeds on the battlefield. It is the highest ranking Romanian military order. Classes: 3rd, 2nd and 1st Date Instituted: September 26, 1916 Number awarded: 2184 During WW1: 1st class: 16 2nd class: 12 3rd class: 336 (of which 43 awarded to military units) During WW2: 1st class: 15 2nd class: 76 (of which 13 awarded to military units) 3rd class: 1628 (of which 118 awarded to military units)

First Class

The First Class Insignia is referred to as a Grand Commander of the Order.

  • Special Class - During its time as an order of the Kingdom of Romania, this grade was only reserved for the Sovereign, who would receive the insignia of: Collar, Necklet, Medal and Star. Since the revival of the Order, the Grand Master (President of Romania) does not wear the Collar.
  • First Class - During the institution of the Order, this grade was awarded to members of the Romanian Royal Family who took part in active service within the military, Foreign Monarchs, Members of the Romanian Government and also people at the Sovereigns pleasure. Since its revival this grade has rarely been awarded.

    • Second Class

    The Second Class Insignia of the Order is referred to as a Commander of the Order.

    Third Class

    The Third Class Insignia of the Order is referred to as an Officer of the Order. This grade was widely awarded rather than the higher grades.

    Recipients

  • Józef Piłsudski
  • King George V of United Kingdom
  • Ion Antonescu
  • Josip Broz Tito
  • Vasile Atanasiu
  • Alexandru Averescu
  • Radu Bâldescu
  • Nicolae Dabija
  • Corneliu Dragalina
  • Grigore Gafencu
  • Eremia Grigorescu
  • Michael I of Romania (as Commander-in-Chief of the Romanian Army in 1941)
  • John J. Pershing
  • Radu Korne
  • Mihail Lascăr
  • Leonard Mociulschi
  • Ioan Pălăghiţă
  • Constantin Prezan
  • Corneliu Teodorini
  • Constantin Mihalcea
  • Gheorghe Bâgulescu
  • Virgil Bădulescu

    • During the Second World War, at a time when Romania was allied with Germany, the Order was awarded to several members of the military forces of other Axis Powers, many in the Wehrmacht:

  • Erwin Rommel
  • Theodor Busse
  • Fedor von Bock
  • Walther von Brauchitsch
  • Karl Dönitz
  • Hermann Göring
  • Hermann Hoth
  • Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
  • Erich von Manstein
  • Friedrich Paulus
  • Wolfram von Richthofen
  • Gerd von Rundstedt
  • Wilhelm Schöning
  • Walter Warlimont
  • Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist
  • Helmuth von Pannwitz

    • References

    Order of Michael the Brave Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA