Blue Cross

The Blue Cross Medal, formerly the Hahreink Medal, is awarded by Pepperland Armed Forces to service members wounded or killed in combat. It is the equivalent of the American Purple Heart.

by Daniel Ziegler

History

When Uroboros invaded the newly formed Confederation of Pepperland Kingdoms the new nation had to go to war without forming a central military. Which includes awards. It wasn't until 1436, 30 years after the war and after a national army had been organized, General David Hahreink proposed a medal for those who were wounded in combat. A year later, The Hahreink Medal was introduced. Originally, it was only awarded to those who were injured and not to those killed in combat, and only in the Army.
Sons of Pepperland Legion, a veteran's activist group formed after the first Uroboros war by veteran's families, often petitioned the military for retroactive awards. The military was slow to respond to most cases. Very few retroactive awards were handed out in the early days. 1483 The Zeakrieg Stroeks von Pepper Land adopted the Hahreink Medal.
The Hahreink Medal was seldom awarded. When you were injured you had to apply for it. Either or your commanding officer would write a letter to Awards and Commissions, they'd review it to verify and then give you the award. The problem was that most soldiers and the general public didn't even know the medal existed much less how to apply for it, resulting in few applications being sent.
1540 during the Galleng military reforms awards were also redone. The Hahreink medal was reformed into the Blue Cross, offered to all branches of the military, awarded automatically in most cases, and now awarded to those who died in combat.

Manufacturing process

Casted in gold, with less valuable metals used for the pins. The ribbon is made of silk. The blue and white on the medal are ceramic paints.

Significance

In Pepperland it is considered a great honor to receive a Blue Cross. Veterans are honored and celebrated in Pepper Culture, and one who has been wounded in action or even given the ultimate sacrifice even more so.

Symbolism

The original medal, The Hahreink Medal, was a round bronze disk with General David Hahreink's portrait on it, adorned with a blue ribbon. When it became The Blue Cross it was completely redesigned to be more fitting and symbolic.
It is called The Blue Cross because the color blue is generally associated with healing and medicine in Pepperland, the same for crosses. In the center of the cross is a circle with blue and white rays coming out of the center just like on the Pepperland Flag, the white here represents purity. Around the cross are four golden leaves of an eulich tree. In ancient time oil from eulich trees were used to treat infections, like from battle injuries.
The ribbon is blue with three stripes, two black and one red stripe. The large red stripe down the middle represents blood shedded. The two black stripes represent death. At the top of the ribbon is a gold band with the word "Feißekreig" engraved in the metal. Feißekreig (fy-szen-kreeg) means sacrifice in Pepper.

Item type

Jewelry / Valuable

Manufacturer

The Graand Republik of Pepper Land

Related ethnicities

• Pepper

Rarity

The Blue Cross is only awarded to service members who were injured or killed in combat, so they are considered uncommon awards except during war time. Over 1 million were awarded During the first Pepper-Sapporo War.

Weight

1.15 lbs

Raw materials & Components

Gold