The Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown (Verdienstorden der Preußischen Krone) was an award of civil and military merit established 18 January 1901 by King Wilhelm II on the occasion of the bicentennial of the establishment of the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was presented in one class and consisted of a badge and a breast star. For military merit the award was presented with crossed swords. The order was presented once with diamonds. Description of the award The order consists of a badge, worn on a sash from right shoulder to the left hip, and a star worn on the left chest: The badge of the order is a blue-enamelled, eighteen-karat, yellow-gold Maltese cross with a granular border. In each of the compartments between the four arms of the cross is a red-enamelled crown surmounting the royal monogram ("W II", for Wilhelm II). The central disc on the obverse of the badge shows a golden crown with red enamel, surrounded by a blue-enamelled circular band bearing the gold-lettered motto, "Gott Mit Uns". The disc on the reverse bears the intertwined initials "IR W II" (for "Imperator Rex Wilhelm II": "Emperor King William II"), encircled by the date "18 January 1901". The star of the order is a golden eight-pointed star with straight rays, displaying the central disc from the obverse of the badge. The sash of the order is blue, edged with orange stripes. Awards The medal was awarded only 57 times. General von Gossler was the only person who received the awards in both departments. Recipients King William II of Prussia on 18 January 1901 Prince Albert of Prussia, Regent of the Duchy of Braunschweig on 18 January 1901 Baron Walter von Loë, Prussian colonel general of cavalry and adjutant general on 18 January 1901 Count Vladimir Lamsdorf, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs on 21 September 1901 Count Paul von Hatzfeldt zu Wildenburg, German Ambassador to London, on 8 November 1901 Küçük Mehmet Sait Pasha Ottoman Grand Vizier on 24 May 1902 Crown Prince Vajiravudh of Siam, on 30 May 1902, during a visit to Berlin Giulio Prinetti, Italian Foreign Minister, in late August 1902, during the visit to Germany of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy Otto von Berg Strub, Prussian general of infantry, 21 October 1902 Prince Hermann von Hatzfeldt zu Trachenberg, Prussian Chief President on 22 June 1903 Konrad Ernst von Gossler, Prussian general