Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
Encyclopedia
The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (German: Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich) is a state decoration
of the Republic of Austria. It includes 15 classes and forms part of the national honours system of that country
.
in 1952. It is conferred by the Republic of Austria to honour people (from Austria and abroad) who have rendered meritorious services to the country. Recipients are selected by the government, the awards are made by the President
in accordance with the respective laws. The President of Austria
automatically receives the "Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria" by being elected to the office and holds this honour for life. The decoration should not be confused with other decorations in the Austrian honours system such as the "Austrian Decoration for Science and Art".
The "Gold Medal for Services to the Republic of Austria" may also be conferred as "Gold Medal with Red Riband" when awarded for bravery during an act of lifesaving.
State decoration
State decorations are orders, medals and other decorations granted by a state. International decorations are similar, but are not granted by a specific nation but rather an international organization....
of the Republic of Austria. It includes 15 classes and forms part of the national honours system of that country
Honours system in the Republic of Austria
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....
.
History
The "Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria" was established by the National CouncilNational Council of Austria
The National Council is one of the two houses of the Austrian parliament. According to the constitution, the National Council and the complementary Federal Council are peers...
in 1952. It is conferred by the Republic of Austria to honour people (from Austria and abroad) who have rendered meritorious services to the country. Recipients are selected by the government, the awards are made by the President
President of Austria
The President of Austria is the federal head of state of Austria. Though theoretically entrusted with great power by the constitution, in practice the President acts, for the most part, merely as a ceremonial figurehead...
in accordance with the respective laws. The President of Austria
President of Austria
The President of Austria is the federal head of state of Austria. Though theoretically entrusted with great power by the constitution, in practice the President acts, for the most part, merely as a ceremonial figurehead...
automatically receives the "Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria" by being elected to the office and holds this honour for life. The decoration should not be confused with other decorations in the Austrian honours system such as the "Austrian Decoration for Science and Art".
Classes
The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria is divided into the following 15 classes:- Grand Star (Groß-Stern).
- Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash (Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen am Bande).
- Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Sash (Großes Silbernes Ehrenzeichen am Bande).
- Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star (Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen mit Stern).
- Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Star (Großes Silbernes Ehrenzeichen mit Stern).
- Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold (Grosses Goldenes Ehrenzeichen).
- Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver (Grosses Silbernes Ehrenzeichen).
- Grand Decoration of Honour (Großes Ehrenzeichen).
- Decoration of Honour in Gold (Goldenes Ehrenzeichen).
- Decoration of Honour in Silver (Silbernes Ehrenzeichen).
- Decoration of Merit in Gold (Goldenes Verdienstzeichen).
- Decoration of Merit in Silver (Silbernes Verdienstzeichen).
- Gold Medal (Goldene Medaille).
- Silver Medal (Silberne Medaille).
- Bronze Medal (Bronzene Medaille), which is no longer awarded.
The "Gold Medal for Services to the Republic of Austria" may also be conferred as "Gold Medal with Red Riband" when awarded for bravery during an act of lifesaving.
Notable recipients
Below a list with names of all Grand Star recipients and other notable recipients, in chronologic order and with between brackets the year that they received the honour:Grand Star recipients
- Haile Selassie, Emperor of EthiopiaEmperor of EthiopiaThe Emperor of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974. The Emperor was the head of state and head of government, with ultimate executive, judicial and legislative power in that country...
between 1930 and 1974 (1954) - Adolf SchärfAdolf SchärfAdolf Schärf was, from 1957 to his death, the sixth President of Austria. Born into a poor working class family, he put himself through law school working part time and with a scholarship granted for academic excellence...
, President of AustriaPresident of AustriaThe President of Austria is the federal head of state of Austria. Though theoretically entrusted with great power by the constitution, in practice the President acts, for the most part, merely as a ceremonial figurehead...
from 1957 to 1990 (1957) - Mohammad Reza PahlaviMohammad Reza PahlaviMohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
, Emperor of Persia from 1941 to 1979 (1958) - Franz JonasFranz JonasFranz Josef Jonas was an Austrian political figure. He served as the seventh President of Austria, between 1965 and 1974....
, President of Austria from 1965 to 1974 (1965) - Josip Broz TitoJosip Broz TitoMarshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
, President of Yugoslavia from 1953 to 1980 (1965) - Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth RealmCommonwealth RealmA Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s since 1952 (1966) - Prince Philip, Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, Prince consort of Queen Elisabeth II (1966) - Olav VOlav V of NorwayOlav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
, King of Norway from 1957 to 1991 (1966) - Rudolf KirchschlägerRudolf KirchschlägerRudolf Kirchschläger was an Austrian diplomat, politician, judge and, from 1974 to 1986, the eighth President of Austria.-Education and early life:...
, President of Austria from 1974 to 1986 (1974) - Kurt WaldheimKurt WaldheimKurt Josef Waldheim was an Austrian diplomat and politician. Waldheim was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and the ninth President of Austria, from 1986 to 1992...
, Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and President of Austria from 1986 to 1992 (1974) - Thomas KlestilThomas KlestilThomas Klestil was an Austrian diplomat and politician. He was elected the tenth President of Austria in 1992 and was re-elected to the position in 1998...
, President of Austria between 1992 and 2004 (1992) - AkihitoAkihitois the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In...
, Emperor of JapanEmperor of JapanThe Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
since 1989 (1999) - Emil ConstantinescuEmil ConstantinescuEmil Constantinescu was President of Romania from 1996 to 2000.He graduated from the law school of the University of Bucharest, and subsequently started a career as a geologist...
, President of RomaniaPresident of RomaniaThe President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
from 1996 to 2000 (1999) - Árpád GönczÁrpád GönczÁrpád Göncz is a Hungarian liberal politician and former President of Hungary . Göncz played a role in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956...
, President of Hungary from 1990 to 2000 (1999) - Michiko, Japanese empress consortJapanese empressesIn Japan, empress may refer to either or .- Empresses regnant :There were eight female imperial reigns in Japan's early history between 593 and 770, and two more in the early modern period...
since 1989 (1999) - Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, President of GreecePresident of GreeceThe President of the Hellenic Republic , colloquially referred to in English as the President of Greece, is the head of state of Greece. The office of the President of the Republic was established after the Greek republic referendum, 1974 and formally by the Constitution of Greece in 1975. The...
from 1995 to 2005 (1999) - Petar StoyanovPetar StoyanovPetar Stefanov Stoyanov is a former President of Bulgaria from 1997 until 2002. He was elected as a candidate of the Union of Democratic Forces...
, President of Bulgaria von 1997 bis 2002 (1999) - Nursultan NazarbayevNursultan NazarbayevNursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation received its independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union...
, President of KazakhstanPresident of KazakhstanPresident of Kazakhstan is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Kazakhstan. The authorities of this position are described in special section of Constitution of Kazakhstan....
since 1990 (2000) - Abdullah II, King of Jordan since 1999 (2001)
- Stjepan MesićStjepan MesićStjepan "Stipe" Mesić is a Croatian politician and former President of Croatia. Before his ten-year presidential term between 2000 and 2010 he held the posts of Speaker of the Croatian Parliament , Prime Minister of Croatia , the last President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , Secretary General...
, President of Yugoslavia in 1991, and President of CroatiaPresident of CroatiaThe President of Croatia , officially styled the President of the Republic represents the Republic of Croatia in the country and abroad as the head of state, maintains the regular and coordinated operation and stability of the national government system, and safeguards the independence and...
since 2000 (2001) - Rania, Jordanian queen consort since 1999 (2001)
- Qabus ibn Said, Sultan of OmanSultan of Oman-List of Imams :-Nabhan Dynasty :-Ya'ariba Dynasty :-Banu Ghafir Dynasty :-Ya'ariba Dynasty :-Al Said Dynasty :-See also:...
since 1970 (2001) - Carlo Azeglio CiampiCarlo Azeglio Ciampidr. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi is an Italian politician and banker. He was the 73rd Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and was the tenth President of the Italian Republic from 1999 to 2006...
, President of Italy from 1999 to 2006 (2002) - Jorge Sampaio, President of PortugalPresident of PortugalPortugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
from 1996 to 2006 (2002) - Abdelaziz BouteflikaAbdelaziz BouteflikaAbdelaziz Bouteflika is the ninth President of Algeria. He has been in office since 1999. He continued emergency rule until 24 February 2011, and presided over the end of the bloody Algerian Civil War in 2002...
, President of AlgeriaPresident of AlgeriaThe President of Algeria is the head of state and chief executive of Algeria, as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the Algerian armed forces.-History of the office:...
since 1999 (2003) - Heinz FischerHeinz FischerHeinz Fischer GColIH is the President of Austria. He took office on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010. Before he took office, Fischer was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria...
, President of Austria since 2004 (2004) - Carl XVI GustafCarl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
, King of Sweden since 1973 - Hassan IIHassan II of MoroccoKing Hassan II l-ḥasan aṯ-ṯānī, dial. el-ḥasan ettâni); July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999...
, King of Morocco from 1961 to 1999 - Jacques ChiracJacques ChiracJacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
, President of France from 1995 to 2007 - Harald VHarald V of NorwayHarald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...
, King of Norway since 1991 - Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, President of the PhilippinesPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
from 1965 to 1986
Other select recipients
- Dimitri Shostakovich (Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver, 1967)
- Willy BrandtWilly BrandtWilly Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
, Chancellor of GermanyChancellor of GermanyThe Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
from 1969 to 1974 (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash, 1972) - Anna FreudAnna FreudAnna Freud was the sixth and last child of Sigmund and Martha Freud. Born in Vienna, she followed the path of her father and contributed to the newly born field of psychoanalysis...
(1975) - Shoichiro ToyodaShoichiro Toyodais a Japanese business leader, serving as chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation between 1992–1999 and also serving as chairman of the powerful , beginning in May 1994 through May 1998.- Family tree :...
(Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star, 1999). - Randolph M. BellRandolph M. BellRandolph Marshall Bell is a former Ambassador of the United States.- Education :Randolph Marshall Bell went to the College of William and Mary and to the Cambridge University. Further he completed Advanced East European Area Studies at the Foreign Service Institute and attended the National...
(Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver, 2004) - Jeanette SchmidJeanette SchmidJeanette Schmid was a professional transsexual whistler.Born Rudolf Schmid in Volary, Sudetenland , Schmid began to dress in feminine clothing at a young age and loved singing and dancing...
(Decoration of Merit in Gold, 2004) - Stuart Eizenstat (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star, 2005)
- Andreas MaislingerAndreas MaislingerAndreas Maislinger is an Austrian historian and founder of the Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service and Braunau Contemporary History Days.- Studying and learning :...
(Decoration of Merit in Silver, 2005) - Kofi AnnanKofi AnnanKofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
, Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006 (Grand Decoration in Gold with Sash, 2007) - Christoph Schönborn, Roman CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
and Archbishop of ViennaArchbishop of ViennaThe Archbishop of Vienna is the prelate of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna who is concurrently the metropolitan bishop of its ecclesiastical province which includes the dioceses of Eisenstadt, Linz and St. Pölten....
(Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash, 2008) - Alois MockAlois MockAlois Mock is a politician and member of the Austrian People's Party . He was Vice Chancellor of Austria from 1987 to 1989. As foreign minister he helped take Austria into the European Union....
, Vice-Chancellor of Austria from 1987 to 1989 (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash) - Walter SchwimmerWalter SchwimmerWalter Schwimmer is a former politician and diplomat from Austria.After being a member of the Austrian Parliament for 28 years, serving as chairperson of several committees and deputy leader of his political group , he was elected Secretary General of the Council of...
(Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Star) - Simon WiesenthalSimon WiesenthalSimon Wiesenthal KBE was an Austrian Holocaust survivor who became famous after World War II for his work as a Nazi hunter....