Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria

The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria or Order of Merit of the Austrian Republic (Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich) is a national honour awarded by the Republic of Austria.

The Order comprises 15 grades and is Austria's highest national honour.

History
The "Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria" was established by the National Council in 1952. It is conferred by the Republic of Austria to honour people (from Austria and abroad) who have rendered meritorious services to the country. Recipients are selected by the government, the awards are made by the President in accordance with the respective laws. The President of Austria automatically receives the "Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria" by being elected to the office and holds this honour for life. The decoration should not be confused with other decorations in the Austrian honours system such as the "Austrian Decoration for Science and Art".

Classes
The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria is divided into the 15 classes as follows:
 * 1) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 1st Class BAR.png Grand Star (Groß-Stern).
 * 2) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 2nd Class BAR.png Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash (Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen am Bande).
 * 3) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 3rd Class BAR.png Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Sash (Großes Silbernes Ehrenzeichen am Bande).
 * 4) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 4th Class BAR.png Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star (Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen mit Stern).
 * 5) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 5th Class BAR.png Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Star (Großes Silbernes Ehrenzeichen mit Stern).
 * 6) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 6th Class BAR.png Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold (Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen).
 * 7) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 7th Class BAR.png Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver (Großes Silbernes Ehrenzeichen).
 * 8) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 8th Class BAR.png Grand Decoration of Honour (Großes Ehrenzeichen).
 * 9) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 9th Class BAR.png Decoration of Honour in Gold (Goldenes Ehrenzeichen).
 * 10) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 10th Class BAR.png Decoration of Honour in Silver (Silbernes Ehrenzeichen).
 * 11) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 11th Class BAR.png Decoration of Merit in Gold (Goldenes Verdienstzeichen).
 * 12) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 12th Class BAR.png Decoration of Merit in Silver (Silbernes Verdienstzeichen).
 * 13) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - Gold Medal BAR.png Gold Medal (Goldene Medaille).
 * 14) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - Silver Medal BAR.png Silver Medal (Silberne Medaille).
 * 15) AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - Bronze Medal BAR.png Bronze Medal (Bronzene Medaille), which is no longer awarded.

The "Gold Medal for Services to the Republic of Austria" may also be conferred as "Gold Medal with Red Riband" awarded for bravery and lifesaving.

Notable recipients
See also List of Austrian Honours awarded to Heads of State and Royals

Below a list with names of all Grand Star recipients and other notable recipients, in chronological order with the year of award in brackets:

Grand Star recipients

 * Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia between 1930 and 1974 (1954)
 * Adolf Schärf, President of Austria from 1957 to 1965 (1957)
 * Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Emperor of Persia from 1941 to 1979 (1958)
 * Albert II, King of the Belgians since 1993 (1958)
 * Franz Jonas, President of Austria from 1965 to 1974 (1965)
 * Josip Broz Tito, President of Yugoslavia from 1953 to 1980 (1965)
 * Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms since 1952 (1966)
 * Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince consort of Queen Elizabeth II (1966)
 * Olav V, King of Norway from 1957 to 1991 (1966)
 * Rudolf Kirchschläger, President of Austria from 1974 to 1986 (1974)
 * Kurt Waldheim, Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and President of Austria from 1986 to 1992 (1974)
 * Thomas Klestil, President of Austria between 1992 and 2004 (1992)
 * Paola, Queen of the Belgians since 1993 (1997)
 * Akihito, Emperor of Japan since 1989 (1999)
 * Emil Constantinescu, President of Romania from 1996 to 2000 (1999)
 * Árpád Göncz, President of Hungary from 1990 to 2000 (1999)
 * Michiko, Japanese empress consort since 1989 (1999)
 * Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, President of Greece from 1995 to 2005 (1999)
 * Petar Stoyanov, President of Bulgaria von 1997 bis 2002 (1999)
 * Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan since 1990 (2000)
 * Abdullah II, King of Jordan since 1999 (2001)
 * Stjepan Mesić, President of Yugoslavia in 1991, and President of Croatia since 2000 (2001)
 * Rania, Jordanian queen consort since 1999 (2001)
 * Qabus ibn Said, Sultan of Oman since 1970 (2001)
 * Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of Italy from 1999 to 2006 (2002)
 * Jorge Sampaio, President of Portugal from 1996 to 2006 (2002)
 * Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria since 1999 (2003)
 * Heinz Fischer, President of Austria since 2004 (2004)
 * Giorgio Napolitano, President of Italy from 2006 to Present (2007)
 * Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden since 1973
 * Hassan II, King of Morocco from 1961 to 1999
 * Jacques Chirac, President of France from 1995 to 2007
 * Harald V, King of Norway since 1991
 * Ferdinand Marcos, President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986

Other select recipients

 * Dimitri Shostakovich (Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver, 1967)
 * Willy Brandt, Chancellor of Germany from 1969 to 1974 (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash, 1972)
 * Anna Freud (1975)
 * Shoichiro Toyoda (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star, 1999).
 * Randolph M. Bell (Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver, 2004)
 * Jeanette Schmid (Decoration of Merit in Gold, 2004)
 * Stuart Eizenstat (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star, 2005)
 * Andreas Maislinger (Decoration of Honour in Silver, 2005)
 * Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006 (Grand Decoration in Gold with Sash, 2007)
 * Gerhard Rühm, author, composer and artist (Decoration of Honour in Gold, 2007)
 * Ertuğrul Günay, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey (Grand Decoration in Gold with Sash, 2010)
 * Prince Hassan bin Talal, (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash), 2004.
 * Christoph Schönborn, Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Vienna (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash, 2008)
 * Alois Mock, Vice-Chancellor of Austria from 1987 to 1989 (Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash)
 * Walter Schwimmer (Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Star)
 * Simon Wiesenthal
 * Ruth Wodak (Decoration of Honour in Silver, 2011)
 * Elisabeth Bleyleben-Koren