Physical Description

A smooth oval medal with a raised edge, constructed of silvered war material. The obverse features the right-facing portraits of Grand Duchesses Feodora and Maria Paulowna with the circular inscription ‘FEODORA - MCMXV - MARIA PAVLOWNA - MDCCCXV - GROSSHERZOGINNEN VON SACHSEN’. The reverse features the crowned intertwined monogram ‘WEF’ and the date ‘XV. AVGVST MCMXV’, with the semi-circular inscription ‘FRAUEN - VERDIENST - IM KRIEGE’ (‘female merit in war’). On a loop for suspension, on a red ribbon with a narrow inner green and a broader outer white border on each side.

History

The War Merit Honour Medal for Women was founded by Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst. It was awarded to women for distinguished services within wartime activities.

The medal was originally designed to be manufactured from silver, but due to wartime shortages the medals were made with silvered war material.