The Warrior Merit Medal (or Krieger-Verdienstmedaille in German) is a military decoration of Prussia established by Friedrich Wilhelm III and awarded primarily to troops not in Prussian service.
The first recipients of the Warrior Merit Medal were members of the Imperial Guard grenadier company guarding the Russian imperial residence during Friedrich Whilhelm’s visit to St. Petersburg in 1835.
The Warrior Merit Medal Design
There are two versions of the Warrior Merit Medal. Both versions are circular and struck in silver, and measure 25 mm in diameter.
The first version depicts the crowned cypher of Friedrich Wilhelm III on the obverse of the medal. The reverse bears the inscription KRIEGER VERDIENST (Warrior Merit) surrounded by a wreath of two laurel sprigs, tied at its base with a bow. The medal is suspended by a ring suspension and hangs from the ribbon of the Order of the Red Eagle.
The later version of the medal depicts the crowned cipher of King Wilhelm I on the obverse. The reverse is also inscribed KRIEGER VERDIENST and surrounded by a thicker laurel wreath than the early version.
The medal is suspended by a ring and hangs from the black with white stripes kämpferband (combatants ribbon) or the white with black stripe nichtkämpferband (non-combatants ribbon).
