ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Orders, decorations, and medals of Imperial Germany

Okay kiddo, have you ever seen someone wearing a special pin on their shirt or jacket? It might look like a star, a cross or a pretty ribbon. Well, in Imperial Germany, fancy pins like these were given to people who did something really important, brave, or special for the country. These special pins were called orders, decorations, and medals.

Orders are the fanciest and most important kind of pin. They are given to people by the Emperor himself. To get an order, you have to be someone very special like a king, a military leader, or a president. Orders usually have lots of different parts, like a big shiny star in the middle, and some ribbons hanging down below it.

Decorations are special pins that are given to people who did something really great but not quite as important as someone who gets an order. Decorations might be given to soldiers who showed bravery in battle, or to doctors who helped lots of sick people.

Medals are usually given out for specific events, like a big birthday celebration or the anniversary of a war victory. They are usually smaller and simpler than orders and decorations.

So you see, orders, decorations, and medals are all special pins that people in Imperial Germany could earn for doing something really great for their country. They were a way of saying thank you and recognizing the important contributions of people who helped make Germany a strong and proud nation.