Royal Prussian High Festival of Orders
The Royal Prussian Hohes Krönungs- und Ordensfest (English: High Coronation and Order Festival), commonly referred to simply as the Ordensfest (Order Festival), was held annually on the third Sunday in January in the White Hall (Weißer Saal) of the Berlin Palace.
History
The official occasion commemorated the anniversary of the foundation of the Kingdom of Prussia on 18 January 1701 (the coronation of Frederick I of Prussia at Königsberg). Consequently, the festival was customarily scheduled for the Sunday closest to or immediately following that date, which in practice almost invariably meant the third Sunday in January. Only in rare exceptional cases (e.g., when 18 January itself fell on a Sunday or for calendrical or logistical reasons) was it moved to the second or fourth Sunday; the third Sunday remained the firm rule.
At this ceremony the highest Prussian orders of chivalry were conferred, most prominently:
- the Order of the Black Eagle (the supreme order of the kingdom and empire)
- the Order of the Red Eagle (especially the Grand Crosses and the classes with star and brilliants/diamonds)
- the Order of the Crown, 1st Class
- the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, etc.
The sovereign (Prussian King or, after 1871, German Emperor) appeared in full uniform, the knights and recipients in court gala dress. The event comprised a chapter of the orders, a grand cour, and a ceremonial banquet (Gala-Tafel). It ranked among the most splendid and symbolically significant court functions of the annual calendar.
