Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium

Belgium has established numerous orders of knighthood, decorations and medals since its creation in 1830.Below is a list of those awards.The order of precedence is difficult to establish as Belgium does not keep an up-to-date listing with dormant and active awards. However, André Borné has established such a list[1] that is used as a basis.

National orders

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Orders displayed on a white background are active; those on a grey background are dormant or no longer awarded.

Order of LeopoldOrder of the African StarRoyal Order of the LionOrder of the CrownOrder of Leopold II

Current awards and decorations

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Military awards

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Military decoration for exceptional service or acts of bravery or extraordinary devotionMilitary CrossMilitary Decoration for faithful serviceCross of honour for service abroadCommemorative medal for armed humanitarian operationsCommemorative medal for foreign missions or operationsCommemorative medal for missions or operations regarding the operational defense of the territoryMeritorious service medal

Civilian awards

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Civil Decoration for acts of bravery, selfsacrifice and philanthropyCarnegie hero fund medalCivil Decoration for long serviceLabour decorationLaureate of labour

Military marching medals

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Commemorative medal for the European remembrance and friendship marchCommemorative medal 'Yser march'

Historical awards and decorations

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These medals and decorations are currently no longer awarded.

Belgian Revolution (1830–31)

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Merit medal of the civil guard1830 Star of honourIron cross and iron medal1830 volunteers commemorative cross

World War I (1914–1918)

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Medals are shown in order of precedence.

War cross '14-'18Yser medalFire crossMaritime decoration of the WarCivil decoration of the WarKing Albert medalQueen Elisabeth medalVolunteer combatant medal
Victory medal '14-'18Commemorative medal of the War '14-'18Commemorative medal of the African campaigns '14-'17Medal of the political prisoner '14-'18Deportees cross '14-'18Colonial commemorative medalMedal of the national committee for aid and nourishmentMedal for the national restorationLiège Medal

World War II (1940–1945) and the Korean War (1954)

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Medals are shown in order of precedence.

War cross '40-'45Armed resistance medalPolitical prisoner's cross '40-'45Civil decoration '40-'45Escaper's crossMedal of Belgian gratitude '40–'45Medal of the war volunteer '40-'45Commemorative medal of the war '40-'45Foreign operational theatres commemorative medal


Prisoner of war medal '40-'45Maritime medalCommemorative medal of the Ethiopian campaign '40-'41African war medal '40-'45Civilian resistance medalCivilian disobedience medalColonial war effort medal '40–'45Military combatant medal '40-'45Medal for resistance against nazism in the annexed territoriesWorld War II Recruiting centres medal

Other medals and awards

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Awards and medals listed below are either obsolete or have never been awarded.

War crossThe service starThe meritorious service medal for native chiefsThe royal household medalThe native service medalThe Arab campaign medal
The medal for sports meritThe medal for family meritThe medal for agricultural and artisanal meritThe medal for services rendered

Commemorative medals

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Commemorative medal of the visit to BrazilCommemorative medal 1870-1871Commemorative medal of the 100 anniversary of the national independenceCommemorative Decoration of the 50th Anniversary of the creation of the railroadsCommemorative medal of the reign of King Leopold ICommemorative medal of the reign of King Leopold IICommemorative medal of the reign of King Albert ICommemorative decoration for the 50th anniversary of the Ostend-Dover LineCommemorative medal of the VIIth olympics
Commemorative medal for the 75th anniversary of the telegraph serviceCommemorative medal for the 100th anniversary of the telegraph serviceCommemorative medal for the 75th anniversary of the Belgian postal servicesCommemorative medal for the 100th anniversary of the Belgian postal servicesCommemorative medal for CongoCommemorative cross of the House of King AlbertCommemorative decoration for the 50th anniversary of the Royal donation fundMedal for the 50th anniversary of Belgian Congo

Belgian Red Cross

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Order of the Belgian red crossBlood donor's medalCross of honour of the Belgian red cross '40-'45Red cross decoration '40-'45Commemorative medal 22 March Red Cross Flemish Brabant

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Borné A.C., 1985, Distinctions honorifiques de la Belgique, 1830-1985 (Brussels)
  • Quinot H., 1950, Recueil illustré des décorations belges et congolaises, 4e Edition. (Hasselt)
  • Cornet R., 1982, Recueil des dispositions légales et réglementaires régissant les ordres nationaux belges. 2e Ed. N.pl., (Brussels)
  • Borné A.C., 1985, Distinctions honorifiques de la Belgique, 1830–1985 (Brussels)
  • Van Hoorebeke, 2007, P., 175 Ans de l'Ordre de Léopold et les Ordres Nationaux Belges (MRA Brussels)
  • André Borné, 1982, Honneur au travail: Distinctions honorifiques pour les travailleurs 1830–1980, (Brussels)

Further reading

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  • Clark, Samuel (2016). Distributing Status: The Evolution of State Honours in Western Europe. Montreal: McGill-Queen's university press. ISBN 9780773546844.
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