Military Order of the Iron Trefoil
Encyclopedia
Military Order of the Iron Trefoil (shorter Iron Trefoil), also known under name Croatian Cross, was the highest military decoration of Independent State of Croatia
, and it was rewarded for "acts of war, achieved by personal incentive, for efforts and good leadership in ventures, which had remarkable success against the enemy."
Order had four classes, the 1st Class is worn on a necklace around her neck, 2nd Class without the ribbon on the left chest, 3rd Class on ribbon on buttonhole, 4th Class on triangular ribbon on left chest. For exceptional merits the Order was rewarded togethter with Oak Branches. The recipients of the 1st and 2nd Class had right on title "Vitez" (Knight).
The Military Order of the Iron Trefoil was hard to be awarded. The only holder of the 1st Class with Oak Branches was Poglavnik
dr. Ante Pavelić
, and 1st Class was awarded to only two high-ranking Croatian officer, and one of them was a Vojskovođa and former Austro-Hungarian
Colonel
Slavko Kvaternik
.
This Order is very esteemed between collectors because it is very rare and very made in high quality.
The Master of the order of the Poglavnik of the Independent State of Croatia.
Order of Iron Trefoil is the highest military order of the Independent State of Croatia, and it is rewarded for the acts of war, achieved by personal incentive, for efforts and good leadership in ventures, which had remarkable success against the enemy.
The Order confers on officers, NCOs and Home Guards, and Ustashas of Croatian Armed Forces.
Members of allied or friendly armed forces, who successfully fought to achieve independence of the Croatian State, or who later fought shoulder to shoulder with the Croatian detachments, may also be awarded with this Order.
Sign of the Order was made in the form of the Croatian Trefoil of black iron with a narrow silver edge. The ribs of the leafs are made of silver triple wattle
ornament. In the middle of Trefoil is located Croatian coat of arms with the Ustasha symbol (the letter "U" in blue, and it burst with a flame). On the reverse of the Trefoil there is inscription in the middle: "READY FOR HOME", above the inscription is "10 IV." and below is "1941." For exceptional merit to any Class can be added two green Oak Branches, which will frame the Croatian coat of arms. Order of the 1st and 2nd Class is rewarded for special military acts, which need to be tested and confirmed by special military commission.
Order has four Classes, namely:
The ribbon is read with white edge on each side; the width of whole ribbon is 40mm and 6mm of white edge.
Holders of the 1st and 2nd Class have right on title "vitez" (knight).
The Order is awarded by Poglavnik by a charter.
Unauthorized wearing of the order is punishable by judicial imprisonment up to month or a fine up to 50.000 Kuna
s.
The implementation of these legislative provisions is entrusted to the Head of Department of Decorations in Poglavnik's Office, and he will issue regulation on awarding and carrying the Order.
This provision will be in legal power on the day of proclamation in the Official Gazette.
Zagreb, 27 December 1941.
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
, and it was rewarded for "acts of war, achieved by personal incentive, for efforts and good leadership in ventures, which had remarkable success against the enemy."
Order had four classes, the 1st Class is worn on a necklace around her neck, 2nd Class without the ribbon on the left chest, 3rd Class on ribbon on buttonhole, 4th Class on triangular ribbon on left chest. For exceptional merits the Order was rewarded togethter with Oak Branches. The recipients of the 1st and 2nd Class had right on title "Vitez" (Knight).
The Military Order of the Iron Trefoil was hard to be awarded. The only holder of the 1st Class with Oak Branches was Poglavnik
Poglavnik
Poglavnik was the title used by Ante Pavelić, leader of World War II Croatian fascist movement Ustaše and of the Independent State of Croatia between 1941 and 1945.-Etymology and usage:...
dr. Ante Pavelić
Ante Pavelic
Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...
, and 1st Class was awarded to only two high-ranking Croatian officer, and one of them was a Vojskovođa and former Austro-Hungarian
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Slavko Kvaternik
Slavko Kvaternik
Slavko Kvaternik was a Croatian military commander and a collaborator with Nazi Germany. He was noted for military service in World War I, later as a deputy leader and founding member of the Croatian Ustaša movement in the 1930s who then became one of the leaders of the "Independent State of...
.
This Order is very esteemed between collectors because it is very rare and very made in high quality.
1st Class
Three holders:- Vojskovođa Slavko KvaternikSlavko KvaternikSlavko Kvaternik was a Croatian military commander and a collaborator with Nazi Germany. He was noted for military service in World War I, later as a deputy leader and founding member of the Croatian Ustaša movement in the 1930s who then became one of the leaders of the "Independent State of...
, commander of Croatian Armed ForcesCroatian Armed ForcesThe Croatian Armed Forces were the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia which were formed in 1944 with the uniting of the Croatian Home Guard and the Ustaše militia forces.... - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Rafael BobanRafael BobanRafael "Ranko" Boban was a member of the Croatian World War II Ustaše regime, and the commander of the Black Legion.... - SS-ObergruppenführerObergruppenführerObergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
Artur PhlepsArtur PhlepsArtur Martin Phleps was an Austro-Hungarian-born Romanian and German officer who held the rank of Obergruppenführer in the Waffen-SS during World War II. An Austro-Hungarian Army officer in World War I, he served in the Romanian Army during the interwar period, before joining the military forces...
3rd Class
Sixty four holders, and two of them are:- ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Jure FrancetićJure FranceticJure Francetić was an World War II Ustaše Commissioner of Bosnia and Herzegovina, responsible for the massacre of Bosnian Serbs and Jews.-Early life and activities prior to formation of NDH:...
, commander of Black Legion - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Franjo ŠimićFranjo ŠimicFranjo Šimić was a Croatian colonel, and later general, in the Croatian Home Guard. Prior to World War II he served as Maria of Romania's adjutant.Šimić retook Šuica and Tomislavgrad in August 1942...
Provision
Military Order of the Iron Trefoil is founded, Order serves as a visible sign of decoration for a particularly successful actions against the enemy.The Master of the order of the Poglavnik of the Independent State of Croatia.
Order of Iron Trefoil is the highest military order of the Independent State of Croatia, and it is rewarded for the acts of war, achieved by personal incentive, for efforts and good leadership in ventures, which had remarkable success against the enemy.
The Order confers on officers, NCOs and Home Guards, and Ustashas of Croatian Armed Forces.
Members of allied or friendly armed forces, who successfully fought to achieve independence of the Croatian State, or who later fought shoulder to shoulder with the Croatian detachments, may also be awarded with this Order.
Sign of the Order was made in the form of the Croatian Trefoil of black iron with a narrow silver edge. The ribs of the leafs are made of silver triple wattle
Croatian wattle
The Croatian wattle, known as the pleter or troplet in Croatian, is a type of interlace, most characteristic for its three-ribbon pattern. It is one of the most often used patterns of pre-romanesque Croatian art...
ornament. In the middle of Trefoil is located Croatian coat of arms with the Ustasha symbol (the letter "U" in blue, and it burst with a flame). On the reverse of the Trefoil there is inscription in the middle: "READY FOR HOME", above the inscription is "10 IV." and below is "1941." For exceptional merit to any Class can be added two green Oak Branches, which will frame the Croatian coat of arms. Order of the 1st and 2nd Class is rewarded for special military acts, which need to be tested and confirmed by special military commission.
Order has four Classes, namely:
- a) the First Class, height and width of Trefoil is 52mm, a diameter of the extent in the middle is 13mm; it is worn around the neck on the prescribed ribbon;
- b) Second Class, designed as the First Class, it is worn without ribbon on left chest;
- c) Third Class, height and width is 42mm, a diameter of extent in the middle is 12mm; it is carried on the ribbon on the buttonhole;
- d) Fourth Class, designed as the Third Class; it is worn on triangular ribbon on left chest.
The ribbon is read with white edge on each side; the width of whole ribbon is 40mm and 6mm of white edge.
Holders of the 1st and 2nd Class have right on title "vitez" (knight).
The Order is awarded by Poglavnik by a charter.
Unauthorized wearing of the order is punishable by judicial imprisonment up to month or a fine up to 50.000 Kuna
Croatian kuna
The kuna is the currency of Croatia since 1994 . It is subdivided into 100 lipa. The kuna is issued by the Croatian National Bank and the coins are minted by the Croatian Monetary Institute....
s.
The implementation of these legislative provisions is entrusted to the Head of Department of Decorations in Poglavnik's Office, and he will issue regulation on awarding and carrying the Order.
This provision will be in legal power on the day of proclamation in the Official Gazette.
Zagreb, 27 December 1941.
- Polavnik of the
- Independent State of Croatia
- Dr. ANTE PAVELIĆ v. R.
- Number CDLXIII - 2167-Z-1941.
- Minister of Justice and worship:
- Dr. MIRKO PUK, v. R.