Civic Decoration

{{Infobox military award |name=Civic Decoration (Belgium) |image= Deco civique croix 1 cl.jpg |image_size= 150px |caption= Civic Cross First Class (For Long Service in the Administration) |presenter=18px Kingdom of Belgium |type= Decoration (cross and medal) |eligibility= Belgian civilians |awarded_for= Meritorious, long service or exemplary behaviour or act |status= Currently awarded |description= |clasps= |established= 21 July 1867 |firstawarded= |lastawarded= |total_awarded= |total_awarded_posthumously= |total_recipients= |individual= |higher= Order of Leopold II |same= |lower= |image2= |caption2= }}

The '''Civic Decoration''' ({{langx|fr|Décoration Civique|}}, {{langx|nl|Burgerlijke Ereteken|}}) is a civilian decoration of the Kingdom of Belgium. It was first established by royal decree on 21 July 1867 to reward exceptional acts of bravery, devotion or humanity.<ref name="decree1867">{{cite web | authorlink = Belgian government | title = Royal Decree of 21 July 1867 creating the Civic Decoration | publisher = Belgian Government | date = 1867-07-21 }}</ref> A further royal decree of 15 January 1885 extended the award to state civil servants for long service by a mere change of ribbon.<ref name="decree1885">{{cite web | authorlink = Belgian government | title = Royal Decree of 15 January 1885 extending the Civic Decoration to the Civil Functions of the State Administration | publisher = Belgian Government | date = 1885-01-15 }}</ref> The award statute was once again amended by royal decree in 1902 to include long service in the Civic Guard and firefighters, each with its distinctive ribbon.<ref name="decree1902">{{cite web | authorlink = Belgian government | title = Royal Decree of 1902 extending the Civic Decoration to the Civic Guard and firefighters | publisher = Belgian Government | year = 1902 }}</ref>

Two wartime variants were created to reward civilians who distinguished themselves during the World Wars. The Civic Decoration 1914–1915 (later dated 1918) was created on 18 May 1915 to reward civilians and non-combatants who served their country with distinction during World War I.<ref name="decree1915">{{cite web | authorlink = Belgian government | title = Royal Decree of 18 May 1915 creating the Civic Decoration 1914–1915 | publisher = Belgian Government | date = 1915-05-18 }}</ref> A similar Decoration was also established for World War II on 21 July 1944 by the Belgian government in exile.<ref name="decree1944">{{cite web | authorlink = Belgian government | title = Decree of 21 July 1944 creating the Civic Decoration 1940–1945 | publisher = Belgian Government | date = 1944-07-21 }}</ref>

The Civic Decoration, previously solely awarded by Royal Decree, has been awarded directly by regions and communities since the 1993 federalisation of Belgium.

==Award statute==

===Classes=== The Civic Decoration is awarded in two categories:<ref name="decree1867"/> * The '''Civic Cross''' (further subdivided into a First and a Second Class); * The '''Civic Medal''' (further subdivided into a First, Second and Third Class). These classes are common to all the types of the Civic Decoration.

===Award criteria=== The Civic Decoration for long and distinguished service in the administration and firefighters is awarded:<ref name="decree1885"/> * Civic Cross: for 35 years of meritorious service, with the First Class going to employees of higher rank; * Civic Medal: for 25 years of meritorious service, with the First Class going to employees of higher rank.

The Civic Medal Third Class (bronze), which was principally intended for award to indigenous personnel in the colonies, is no longer awarded.

The Decoration for exceptional acts of bravery, devotion or humanity is awarded on a case-by-case basis. The Civic Cross First Class for exceptional acts of bravery, devotion or humanity is only awarded posthumously.<ref name="decree1867"/>

==Award description== The badge of the Civic Cross is a white enamelled maltese cross with the central medallion bearing the monogram of King Leopold I<ref name="decree1867"/> or of King Albert I (for the 1914–1918 Cross) on the obverse and reverse. Between the arms of the Cross are: * Crossed swords for the Civic Cross 1914–1918<ref name="decree1915"/> * Crossed flaming torches for the Civic Cross 1940–1945;<ref name="decree1944"/> * A Burgundy Cross for the Civic Cross for administrative services and for services as a firefighter.<ref name="decree1867"/> The cross 1st class is gilt, the second class is silver.

The Medal is vaguely octagonal and looks like a closed florian cross, it bears the relief image of the Civic Cross.<ref name="decree1867"/> The medal for 1914–1918 is topped with crossed swords,<ref name="decree1915"/> the medal for 1940–1945 is topped with crossed flaming torches.<ref name="decree1944"/> The medal first class is gold, the second class is silver and the third class is bronze.<ref name="decree1867"/>

The ribbons of the Civic Decoration and Medal differ with the type of award: * The ribbon is red with three vertical black stripes when the award is for long and distinguished service in the administration;<ref name="decree1885"/> * The ribbon is red with two vertical black stripes bordered on each side by a yellow line when the award is for exceptional acts of bravery, devotion or humanity;<ref name="decree1867"/> * The ribbon is green with two vertical white stripes when the award is for long and distinguished service as a firefighter;<ref name="decree1902"/> * The ribbon is pale green with vertical black, yellow and red stripes on each edge (black towards the center) and a central vertical gold stripe for the 1914–1918 award;<ref name="decree1915"/> * The ribbon is saffron with vertical black, yellow and red stripes on each edge (red towards the center) and a central vertical black stripe for the 1940–1945 award.<ref name="decree1944"/> The ribbons of the war time awards are adorned with a metal clasp bearing 1914–1918 or 1940–1945.<ref name="decree1915"/><ref name="decree1944"/>

{| align="center" border="1" cellpadding="2" ! style="background:#efefef;" | Civic Cross First Class ! style="background:#efefef;" | Civic Cross Second Class ! style="background:#efefef;" | Civic Medal First Class ! style="background:#efefef;" | Civic Medal Second Class ! style="background:#efefef;" | Civic Medal Third Class |- | align="center" | 135px | align="center" | 120px | align="center" | 120px | align="center" | 125px | align="center" | 140px |- ! style="background:#efefef;" | Ribbon for World War 1 service ! style="background:#efefef;" | Ribbon for service in the administration ! style="background:#efefef;" | Ribbon for exceptional acts of bravery, devotion or humanity ! style="background:#efefef;" | Ribbon for long and distinguished service as a firefighter ! style="background:#efefef;" | Ribbon for World War 2 service |}

==Notable recipients (partial lists)== 150px|thumb|Baron Auguste Goffinet, a recipient of the Civic Cross 2nd class

150px|thumb|Henri Bernard, a recipient of the 1914–1918 Civic Medal 1st class

===Civic Cross 1st class===  *Count Beaudoin de Lichtervelde<ref name="ARS"/>*Baron Albert Houtard<ref name="ARS"/> *Count Edmond Carton de Wiart<ref name="ARS"/> *Count Louis Cornet d’Elzius de Ways Ruart<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron Émile de Cartier de Marchienne<ref name="ARS"/> *Viscount Jacques Davignon<ref name="ARS"/> *August de Schryver<ref name="ARS"/> *Ambassador Jacques Delvaux de Fenffe<ref name="ARS"/> *Vicount Gaston Eyskens<ref name="ARS">{{cite web | authorlink = ARS MORIENDI | title = Recipients of the Civic Decoration compiled from the ARS MORIENDI website | publisher = ARS MORIENDI | date = 2012-07-06 | url = http://www.ars-moriendi.be/index%20FR.htm | language = French | accessdate = 2012-09-14 | archive-date = 2011-09-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110906163645/http://www.ars-moriendi.be/index%20FR.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref> *Camille Huysmans<ref name="ARS"/> *Edmond Leburton<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron Albert Lilar<ref name="ARS"/> *Hendrik Marck<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron Charles Papeians de Morchoven<ref name="ARS"/> *Louis Roppe<ref name="ARS"/> *Count Jean-Charles Snoy et d’Oppuers<ref name="ARS"/> *Paul van den Boeynants<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron Joseph van der Elst<ref name="ARS"/> *Alfons Vranckx<ref name="ARS"/>

===Civic Cross 2nd class=== *Civic Guard Colonel Baron Auguste Goffinet<ref name="ARS"/> *Civic Guard Colonel Baron Constant Goffinet<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron Paul Kronacker<ref name="ARS"/> *Michel Lévie<ref name="ARS"/> *Sir Donald Stewart, 1st Baronet

===Civic Medal 1st class=== *Jozef De Saeger<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron Raoul du Sart de Bouland<ref name="ARS"/> *Albert Lavens<ref name="ARS"/> *Anthony Sadler *Spencer Stone *Geraard van den Daele<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron François-Xavier van der Straden Waillet<ref name="ARS"/>

===1914–1918 Civic Cross 1st class=== *Paul Charles<ref name="ARS"/> *Gérard Cooreman<ref name="ARS"/> *Count Charles de Broqueville<ref name="ARS"/> *Cardinal Désiré Mercier<ref name="ARS"/> *Viscount Georges Terlinden<ref name="ARS"/>

===1914–1918 Civic Cross 2nd class=== *Count Arnold t’Kint de Roodenbeke<ref name="ARS"/>

===1940–1945 Civic Cross 1st class=== *Baron Albert Houtard<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron Charles Poswick<ref name="ARS"/> *Baron Pierre van Outryve d’Ydewalle<ref name="ARS"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Other sources== * 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)

==External links== * [http://www.mauquoy.com/en/official_decorations/civilian_decorations.aspx The Civic Decoration at Mauquoy Medal Company] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827092629/http://www.mauquoy.com/en/official_decorations/civilian_decorations.aspx |date=2014-08-27 }}, one of the last manufacturers of the decoration * [https://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/foreignguide/belgian/civil_decoration_1914.htm The Civic Decoration 1914–1918 at Northeast Medals] * [http://www.medailles1914-1918.fr/belgique-decoraa.html History and pictures of the Civic Decoration 1914–1918] * [http://www.eretekens.be/index.htm Information about Belgium orders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602222522/http://www.eretekens.be/index.htm |date=2009-06-02 }} Website BONNE & VERBEKE (in Dutch) *[http://www.ars-moriendi.be/index%20FR.htm ARS MORIENDI Notables from Belgian history] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906163645/http://www.ars-moriendi.be/index%20FR.htm |date=2011-09-06 }} (In French and Dutch)

Category:Civil awards and decorations of Belgium Category:Awards established in 1867 Category:Awards established in 1915 Category:Awards established in 1944 Category:1867 establishments in Belgium