History

The Order was instituted by Adolf Hitler in 1937, as an honorary award conferred upon notable foreigners, particularly diplomats, who were considered sympathetic to the Nazi Regime and its ideals.

There were official amendments made to the Order laws on April 10, 1939, and December 27, 1943. In the 1939 amendment, swords were added as a possible award attribute for military merit. While in 1943, the Order was expanded from six classes to nine classes.

The suspension attachments of the Order also changed over time. From 1937 to 1939, the awards were attached to the suspension by a ring, and from 1939 to 1945, the awards were attached to the suspension by a fan.

All awards with swords feature “fan” suspenders.

Countries who did not conferrer orders upon Germans did not receive the German Eagle Order. These countries include: USSR, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, and Norway.

As a guideline certain ranks were expected to receive certain medal grades: Ministers, Ambassadors and commanding Generals often received the Grand Cross, General Lieutenants often received the Merit Cross with Star, Colonels often received the Merit Cross I Class, Majors often received the Merit Cross II class, Captains often received the Merit Cross III Class, and non-Officers often received the Merit Medal.

However, this guideline was changed later.

The Order became obsolete after the Second World War and the fall of the Nazi Government.

The I Class Decorations were founded in 1943, and feature four eagles between the cross arms. The I Class is the only grade to feature silver eagles.

The I Class grade differs from the Grand Cross grade by size and by the colouration of the eagles. The eagles on the Grand Cross awards are gold in colour (gilt), while the eagles on the I Class awards are silver (frosted silver).