The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 5, January 30, 2005, Article 21

POUR LE MERITE MEDAL: THE BLUE MAX

An article in the Kansas City Star reports that "The
Liberty Memorial Museum has received a rare German
Pour le Merite medal, also known as the Blue Max.

The medal was the highest honor awarded by the imperial
German government until the end of World War I in 1918.
It was part of a collection of war artifacts donated by a
Kansas City man.

“It's a German medal with a French name,” said Eli Paul,
the museum's director."

To read the full article, see: Full Story

The web has a number of sources of information about
the medal:

"Although it may sound incongruous Germany's highest
military medal awarded during World War One was the
decidedly French sounding Pour le Merite (also known
the as 'The Blue Max').

The award dates back to 1667 when, in the German
state of Brandenburg, the Ordre de la Generosite - the
Order of Generosity - was created by Frederick
William I. Given that French was the language of the
royal court the naming of the merit award would have
appeared a natural choice.

The award's name was subsequently modified in
June 1740 to Pour le Merite by Frederick the Great."
Full Story

See also: 
speedace.info
pourlemerite.org

So, dear readers: who was the most famous awardee
of The Blue Max medal? No fair snooping around!

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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