Military Order of the White Lion
Encyclopedia
The Military Order of the White Lion , also known as the Military Order of the White Lion "For Victory", was an award established on 9 February 1945 to reward military merit, either personal acts of bravery or leadership.
The order was presented in five different classes, the first class decorations being a gold breast star, while the second class was a silver breast star. The third class was in the form of a silver cross, enameled in red, and worn suspended from a ribbon on the chest. The fourth and fifth classes were a gold and silver medal respectively. The insignia of the first and second classes borrowed heavily in design from the Order of the White Lion
. Both orders utilized an eight pointed star, with the center medallion containing the crowned white lion of the Coat of arms of Czechoslovakia
. The difference came with the color of the medallion's border and motto that it contained, being blue on the Military Order of the White Lion. The motto was "Za vítězství" (For victory), versus the Order of the White Lion's motto of "Pravda vítezí" (Truth conquers).
The order was presented in five different classes, the first class decorations being a gold breast star, while the second class was a silver breast star. The third class was in the form of a silver cross, enameled in red, and worn suspended from a ribbon on the chest. The fourth and fifth classes were a gold and silver medal respectively. The insignia of the first and second classes borrowed heavily in design from the Order of the White Lion
Order of the White Lion
The Order of the White Lion is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners....
. Both orders utilized an eight pointed star, with the center medallion containing the crowned white lion of the Coat of arms of Czechoslovakia
Coat of arms of Czechoslovakia
Several coats of arms were used during Czechoslovakia’s history, some alongside each other.-References:* *...
. The difference came with the color of the medallion's border and motto that it contained, being blue on the Military Order of the White Lion. The motto was "Za vítězství" (For victory), versus the Order of the White Lion's motto of "Pravda vítezí" (Truth conquers).
| Ribbon bars of the Military Order of the White Lion | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Class Gold Star |
Second Class Silver Star |
Third Class Cross |
Fourth Class Gold Medal |
Fifth Class Silver Medal |
Notable recipients
- Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
- Douglas EvillDouglas EvillAir Chief Marshal Sir Douglas Claude Strathern Evill, GBE, KCB, DSC, AFC, RAF was a Royal Naval Air Service pilot during World War I and senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II.-Early life:...
- František FajtlFrantišek FajtlLieutenant General František Fajtl was a Czech fighter pilot of World War II. He was a RAF squadron and wing commander and led a group of Czechoslovak fighter pilots who formed an air regiment under Soviet Air Force command, supporting the Slovak National Uprising in 1944...
- Jozef GabčíkJozef GabcíkJozef Gabčík was a Slovak soldier of Czechoslovak army involved in Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of acting Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia, SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich....
- Douglas MacArthurDouglas MacArthurGeneral of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
- Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of AlameinBernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of AlameinField Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
- Adolf OpálkaAdolf OpálkaFirst Lieutenant Adolf Opálka was a Czechoslovak soldier. He was a member of the Czech sabotage group Out Distance, a World War II anti-Nazi resistance group, and a participant in Operation Anthropoid, the successful mission to kill Reinhard Heydrich.Opálka was born into a middle-class family in...
- James RobbJames Robb (RAF officer)Air Chief Marshal Sir James Milne Robb GCB, KBE, DSO, DFC, AFC, RAF, was a senior Royal Air Force commander. After early service in the First World War with the Northumberland Fusiliers, Robb joined the Royal Flying Corps and became a flying ace credited with seven aerial victories...
- Josef Broz Tito
- Georgy ZhukovGeorgy ZhukovMarshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov , was a Russian career officer in the Red Army who, in the course of World War II, played a pivotal role in leading the Red Army through much of Eastern Europe to liberate the Soviet Union and other nations from the Axis Powers' occupation...