on a ribbon on the left chest. The medals and crosses do not confer membership in the order upon the recipient. Foreigners may also be made members of the order, and it is common as a diplomatic award. The order was used as well in World War II to reward a handful of Allied officers who had helped liberate Luxembourg from the rule of Nazi Germany. Because of the small size of Luxembourg, and its minor role as a campaign theater, membership of the order was not awarded as frequently as other major World War II honours, such as the Croix de Guerre. Insignia The badge of the order is a gold cross, enamelled in white and featuring eight points, each of which ends in a gold pearl. The central disc of the front side bears the gold letter "A" in Gothic script the crowned by an imperial crown. The whole is encircled by a laurel crown on a blue-enamelled background on which the motto "Virtute" is inscribed in gold letters. The other side has the inscriptions "1292" (in that year that Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg was crowned as King of the Romans) and "1858" (this was the year of creation of the order by Adolphe, Duke of Nassau), in gold letters on a white-enamelled background. The military division shows two additional crossed swords under the central medallion. The classes of the crown have a gold crown attached above the badge. The plaque (breast star) of the civil division of the order is (for Grand Cross) an eight-pointed faceted silver star, or (for Grand Officer) a faceted silver Maltese Cross with silver rays between the arms. The central disc is the same to that of the badge. The plaque of the military division shows two additional crossed swords under the central medallion, with gold hilts and silver blades, and the corresponding badge shows two crossed swords in gold. The cross is shaped in the same form as the batch, but non-enamelled, and made of plain gold or silver. The medal is roundly shaped, made of gold, silver or bronze, and with the portrait of Adolph, Duke of Nassau depicted on it. The ribbon of the order is blue moiré with a small orange stripe at each edge. Award criteria "Honorary distinctions of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg" : "The Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau recognises, in