Order of the Star of Romania
Encyclopedia
The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: Steaua României or Ordinul Naţional "Steaua României" - National Order "Star of Romania") is Romania
's highest civil order
. It is awarded by the President of Romania
. It has 6 ranks, from lowest to the highest: Knight (Cavaler), Officer (Ofiţer), Commodore or Commander (Comandor), Grand Officer (Mare Ofiţer), Grand Cross (Mare Cruce) and Sash (Colan).
to contact a well-known jewellery house, to manufacture a decoration
. The Krétly House presented a model, immediately accepted by the domnitor
, and based on his agreement, 1,000 pieces of the order would be made. It was established that the award would have five ranks: Knight (Cavaler), Officer (Ofiţer), Comandor (Comandor), Grand Officer (Mare Ofiţer), and Grand Cross (Mare Cruce).
Unlike all the other projects of decorations, realized in the country, or inspired by the French
Légion d'honneur
, or by other orders that had as their insignia a Maltese cross
, the model proposed by the Krétly house was a blue cross crosslet (cruce repetată), a design that, at that time, was not used before in decoration design.
Cuza decided that the name of the decoration would be "The Order of the Union" ("Ordinul Unirii"). It was planned to institute it on January 24, 1864, when it would be celebrated the fifth anniversary of his election, moment that marked the Small Union
. Because of this, tha motto of the order was established to fit the event: "GENERE ET CORDES FRATRES" ("BROTHERS THROUGH ORIGINS AND FEELINGS"). The obverse would bear the numbers "5" and "24", the days of January when he was elected in Moldova
and Wallachia
.
Being unable to institute and award the decoration, Cuza gives the insignia as a personal present, not as an actual decoration. Most of the insignia remained stored in the Royal Palace
's dungeons.
In April 1877, as the war
with the Ottoman Empire
, the debate regarding the institution of a Romanian decoration was revived. Mihail Kogălniceanu
, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the I. C. Brătianu
cabinet, took part in the debates in the Assembly of Deputies
regarding the institution of a national decoration. Because of the supply of "The Order of The Union", it was decided that the shape of the decoration would be the same, modifying only the domnitor
's seal. The motto was also changed, because the old one was not appropriate to the moment, to "IN FIDE SALUS" ("IN FAITH IS THE SALVATION"). Regarding the name, Kogălniceanu
insisted on "Steaua Dunării" ("The Star of The Danube").
The name "Steaua României" ("The Star of Romania") appeared on May 10, 1887, when the law was voted in the Parliament
, as the first law of the Sovereign Romania
.
By Royal Decree no. 1545/1932, King Carol II
modified the shape and the place of the decoration in the national hierarchy. As a result, in 1932, it dropped from first place (where it had been since 1906) to fourth place (after the Order Carol I and the Order Ferdinand I). In 1937, it dropped to seventh place. The main shape of the order, the blue repeated cross (called also "Romanian cross") was kept, but the rays between the cross' arms were replaced by four heraldic eagles with wings spread, the insignia of King Carol I was placed on the obverse, and the reverse bore the year of its establishment, "1877". Also the number of persons that could be awarded The Star of Romania is increased, as follows:
In 1938, the order was given a superior rank, called "Clasa I" (First Class in English
), between the Grand Officer rank and the Grand Cross rank, with a maximum of 50 civilians and 15 military personnel.
The rules established by King Carol II were changed by General
Ion Antonescu
(who became Conducător
on September 4, 1940). Generally, the rules were the ones used during World War I
. The order "The Star of Romania" became the second in the national hierarchy, after The Order "Michael the Brave".
Inspired by the German
Iron Cross
, Ion Antonescu
decided that the first three grades of the orders the Star of Romania and the Crown of Romania, with spades (swords), and the ribbon of The Medal "The Military Virtue" would be awarded for exceptionally brave acts with an oak leaf, attached to the ribbon.
After 1948, all the existing decorations were outlawed, and their wearing was forbidden. Just by keeping the insignia one was considered a delinquent in the first years of communism.
After many attempts, in 1998/1999 the National Order "The Star of Romania" was reinstituted, with a design similar to the one used in 1932, but without the insignia of King Carol I
, and with the republican insignia.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
's highest civil order
Order (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...
. It is awarded by the President of Romania
President of Romania
The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
. It has 6 ranks, from lowest to the highest: Knight (Cavaler), Officer (Ofiţer), Commodore or Commander (Comandor), Grand Officer (Mare Ofiţer), Grand Cross (Mare Cruce) and Sash (Colan).
History
In 1863 Alexandru Ioan Cuza asked the Romanian representative to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to contact a well-known jewellery house, to manufacture a decoration
Military decoration
A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform....
. The Krétly House presented a model, immediately accepted by the domnitor
Domnitor
Domnitor was the official title of the ruler of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia between 1859 and 1866....
, and based on his agreement, 1,000 pieces of the order would be made. It was established that the award would have five ranks: Knight (Cavaler), Officer (Ofiţer), Comandor (Comandor), Grand Officer (Mare Ofiţer), and Grand Cross (Mare Cruce).
Unlike all the other projects of decorations, realized in the country, or inspired by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, or by other orders that had as their insignia a Maltese cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
, the model proposed by the Krétly house was a blue cross crosslet (cruce repetată), a design that, at that time, was not used before in decoration design.
Cuza decided that the name of the decoration would be "The Order of the Union" ("Ordinul Unirii"). It was planned to institute it on January 24, 1864, when it would be celebrated the fifth anniversary of his election, moment that marked the Small Union
Danubian Principalities
Danubian Principalities was a conventional name given to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which emerged in the early 14th century. The term was coined in the Habsburg Monarchy after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca in order to designate an area on the lower Danube with a common...
. Because of this, tha motto of the order was established to fit the event: "GENERE ET CORDES FRATRES" ("BROTHERS THROUGH ORIGINS AND FEELINGS"). The obverse would bear the numbers "5" and "24", the days of January when he was elected in Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
and Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
.
Being unable to institute and award the decoration, Cuza gives the insignia as a personal present, not as an actual decoration. Most of the insignia remained stored in the Royal Palace
National Museum of Art of Romania
The National Museum of Art of Romania is located in the former royal palace in Revolution Square, central Bucharest, Romania, completed in 1937...
's dungeons.
In April 1877, as the war
Romanian War of Independence
The Romanian War of Independence is the name used in Romanian historiography to refer to the 1877-1878 Russo-Turkish war, following which Romania, fighting on the Russian side, gained independence from the Ottoman Empire...
with the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the debate regarding the institution of a Romanian decoration was revived. Mihail Kogălniceanu
Mihail Kogalniceanu
Mihail Kogălniceanu was a Moldavian-born Romanian liberal statesman, lawyer, historian and publicist; he became Prime Minister of Romania October 11, 1863, after the 1859 union of the Danubian Principalities under Domnitor Alexander John Cuza, and later served as Foreign Minister under Carol I. He...
, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the I. C. Brătianu
Ion Bratianu
Ion C. Brătianu was one of the major political figures of 19th century Romania. He was the younger brother of Dimitrie, as well as the father of Ionel, Dinu, and Vintilă Brătianu...
cabinet, took part in the debates in the Assembly of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Romania
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house in Romania's bicameral parliament. It has 315 seats, to which deputies are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms...
regarding the institution of a national decoration. Because of the supply of "The Order of The Union", it was decided that the shape of the decoration would be the same, modifying only the domnitor
Domnitor
Domnitor was the official title of the ruler of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia between 1859 and 1866....
's seal. The motto was also changed, because the old one was not appropriate to the moment, to "IN FIDE SALUS" ("IN FAITH IS THE SALVATION"). Regarding the name, Kogălniceanu
Mihail Kogalniceanu
Mihail Kogălniceanu was a Moldavian-born Romanian liberal statesman, lawyer, historian and publicist; he became Prime Minister of Romania October 11, 1863, after the 1859 union of the Danubian Principalities under Domnitor Alexander John Cuza, and later served as Foreign Minister under Carol I. He...
insisted on "Steaua Dunării" ("The Star of The Danube").
Parliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
, as the first law of the Sovereign Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
By Royal Decree no. 1545/1932, King Carol II
Carol II of Romania
Carol II reigned as King of Romania from 8 June 1930 until 6 September 1940. Eldest son of Ferdinand, King of Romania, and his wife, Queen Marie, a daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria...
modified the shape and the place of the decoration in the national hierarchy. As a result, in 1932, it dropped from first place (where it had been since 1906) to fourth place (after the Order Carol I and the Order Ferdinand I). In 1937, it dropped to seventh place. The main shape of the order, the blue repeated cross (called also "Romanian cross") was kept, but the rays between the cross' arms were replaced by four heraldic eagles with wings spread, the insignia of King Carol I was placed on the obverse, and the reverse bore the year of its establishment, "1877". Also the number of persons that could be awarded The Star of Romania is increased, as follows:
- Knight (Cavaler): 1,000 civilians and 350 military;
- Officer (Ofiţer): 500 civilians and 150 military;
- Commodore or Commander (Comandor): 200 civilians and 75 military;
- Grand Officer (Mare Ofiţer): 75 civilians and 25 military;
- Grand Cross (Mare Cruce): 35 civilians and 10 military.
In 1938, the order was given a superior rank, called "Clasa I" (First Class in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
), between the Grand Officer rank and the Grand Cross rank, with a maximum of 50 civilians and 15 military personnel.
The rules established by King Carol II were changed by General
General
A 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....
Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu
Ion Victor Antonescu was a Romanian soldier, authoritarian politician and convicted war criminal. The Prime Minister and Conducător during most of World War II, he presided over two successive wartime dictatorships...
(who became Conducător
Conducator
Conducător was the title used officially in two instances by Romanian politicians, and earlier by Carol II.-History:...
on September 4, 1940). Generally, the rules were the ones used during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The order "The Star of Romania" became the second in the national hierarchy, after The Order "Michael the Brave".
Inspired by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
, Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu
Ion Victor Antonescu was a Romanian soldier, authoritarian politician and convicted war criminal. The Prime Minister and Conducător during most of World War II, he presided over two successive wartime dictatorships...
decided that the first three grades of the orders the Star of Romania and the Crown of Romania, with spades (swords), and the ribbon of The Medal "The Military Virtue" would be awarded for exceptionally brave acts with an oak leaf, attached to the ribbon.
After 1948, all the existing decorations were outlawed, and their wearing was forbidden. Just by keeping the insignia one was considered a delinquent in the first years of communism.
After many attempts, in 1998/1999 the National Order "The Star of Romania" was reinstituted, with a design similar to the one used in 1932, but without the insignia of King Carol I
Carol I of Romania
Carol I , born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was reigning prince and then King of Romania from 1866 to 1914. He was elected prince of Romania on 20 April 1866 following the overthrow of Alexandru Ioan Cuza by a palace coup...
, and with the republican insignia.
First issue (1877-1948)
- Ernesto BurzagliErnesto BurzagliErnesto Burzagli CB was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Italy during the early 20th century. During a lifetime career in the Italian Royal Navy , he rose to the rank of Admiral and Chief of Staff...
, No. 67616. - Archduke Eugen of AustriaArchduke Eugen of AustriaArchduke Eugen Ferdinand Pius Bernhard Felix Maria of Austria-Teschen was an Archduke of Austria and a Prince of Hungary and Bohemia...
(1881) - Jan KarczJan KarczJan Karcz was a Polish Army Colonel, posthumously promoted to the rank of a Brigadier General.During the Second World War he was murdered in the German concentration camp Auschwitz....
- Aristide RazuAristide RazuDivisional General Aristide Razu, CB, was Commander of the 22nd Romanian Infantry Division in the 1916 Romanian Campaign against the Central Powers, and of the 5th Romanian Infantry Division during the Battle of Mărăşeşti , in World War I...
(1918) - Hendrik Pieter Nicolaas MullerHendrik Pieter Nicolaas MullerHendrik Pieter Nicolaas Muller, GON, RNL, FRGS was a Dutch businessman, diplomat, world traveller, publicist, and philanthropist...
(1922) - 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...
(1920, 1933) - Edward Rydz-Śmigły
- Amha Selassie of EthiopiaAmha Selassie of EthiopiaAmha Selassie, GCMG, GCVO, GBE was the last Emperor of Ethiopia. First proclaimed Emperor during the unsuccessful coup attempt by the Imperial Guards against his father Haile Selassie I in December 1960, he initially went along with this proclamation under duress. The coup collapsed within days...
- Rudolf WaldenRudolf WaldenKarl Rudolf Walden was a Finnish industrialist and general.He received his military education in Hamina Cadet School 1892–1900....
- Fritz WittFritz WittFritz Witt was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler before taking command of the 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend...
(1942) - Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala (1935)
See also
- List of military decorations
- National Decorations System (Romania)National Decorations System (Romania)The National Decorations System of Romania is divided into six categories, listed below. It was re-established in 1998, after a 50-year period of during which Romania used a Soviet-style system of decorations...