Order of Michael the Brave

The Order of Michael the Brave (Ordinul Mihai Viteazul) is Romania's highest military decoration, instituted by King Ferdinand I during the early stages of the Romanian Campaign of World War I, and was again awarded in World War II. The Order, which may be bestowed as an individual medal or as a unit award, was named in honor of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul), a late 16th-century Prince of Wallachia, of Transylvania and of Moldavia.

Data

 * Requirements: Awarded to officers only for exceptional deeds on the battlefield. It is the highest ranking Romanian military order.
 * Classes: 3rd, 2nd and 1st
 * Date Instituted: September 26, 1916
 * Number awarded: 2184
 * ''During WW1:
 * 1st class: 16
 * 2nd class: 12
 * 3rd class: 336 (of which 43 awarded to military units)
 * ''During WW2:
 * 1st class: 15
 * 2nd class: 76 (of which 13 awarded to military units)
 * 3rd class: 1628 (of which 118 awarded to military units)

Recipients


During World War II, at a time when Romania was allied with Germany (see Romania during World War II), the Order was awarded to several members of the Axis military forces:
 * Ion Antonescu
 * Josip Broz Tito
 * Vasile Atanasiu
 * Alexandru Averescu
 * Radu Bâldescu
 * Nicolae Dabija
 * Corneliu Dragalina
 * Grigore Gafencu
 * Eremia Grigorescu
 * Michael I of Romania (as Commander-in-Chief of the Romanian Army in 1941)
 * John J. Pershing
 * Radu Korne
 * Mihail Lascăr
 * Leonard Mociulschi
 * Ioan Palaghiţă
 * Constantin Prezan
 * Corneliu Teodorini
 * Constantin Mihalcea
 * Gheorghe Bâgulescu


 * Erwin Rommel
 * Fedor von Bock
 * Walther von Brauchitsch
 * Karl Dönitz
 * Hermann Göring
 * Hermann Hoth
 * Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
 * Erich von Manstein
 * Friedrich Paulus
 * Wolfram von Richthofen
 * Gerd von Rundstedt
 * Wilhelm Schöning
 * Walter Warlimont
 * Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist