Romanian Order of the Star with the award document for the Wehrmacht Hauptmann, 1942

Silver, enamel. A rather rare and interesting set, including the Order of the Star of Romania in the original case, complete with the owner's document. An interesting feature of the award is that the German captain of the 399th Infantry Regiment was awarded the order. Excellent condition of all elements of the lot. Guarantee of authenticity.

The Order of the Star of Romania (rum. Ordinul Steaua României) is the highest state award of Romania. The Order of the Star of Romania is actually the first award of the independent Romanian state. In 1864, Prince Alexandru Cuza, lord of the Wallachian-Moldavian Principality, established the Order of the Star in six degrees: Grand Cross, Cross of the First Class, Grand Officer's Cross, Commander's Cross, Officer's and Knight's Crosses. However, a number of necessary formalities were not observed. On May 10, 1877, Prince Karol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen corrected this situation by his Supreme Decree 1108/1877 and "for the second time" established the order in five degrees (the Cross of the first class disappeared). On February 12, 1937, another degree of the order was restored — the Cross of the First class, which was in seniority between the Grand Cross and the Grand Officer's Cross. On June 26, 1943, King Mihai I established an Oak Leaf for the Order, which was awarded to servicemen who received three (or more) wounds in battles.

In 1941-1944, the Order of the Star of Romania was repeatedly awarded to German officers. In the summer of 1944, the order was awarded to several ships of the Romanian Navy that distinguished themselves during the evacuation of the German-Romanian group from the Crimea. After the abdication of Mihai I in 1947, the order was abolished. Instead, in 1948, the Republican Order of the same name was created, which existed until the fall of the communist regime in Romania. In 1998, the Order of the Star of Romania was revived as the country's highest award.

According to the statute, there were strict criteria by which the Order of the Star of Romania could be awarded to military personnel and civilians for serving the interests of the State in peacetime and selfless performance of duty and heroism during the war. All proposals for awarding were sent to the office of the Order, which determined for each year the possible number of awards of the order of one degree or another. These restrictions did not apply to the awarding of foreigners, which were within the competence of the king. The Order was headed by a master (king). He was subordinate to the Chancellor, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Honorary Consul. All decisions regarding changes in the statute of the order, the rules of wearing were made by the office, which also kept the register and certificates of all awardees.