Just wanted to share with you all my surprise on the publication of my letter to The Economist magazine ((May 3rd edition) in reply to an article they ran about medals in the (modern) German army. The text ran as follows:
"SIR – Your article about the German army’s quest to restore a military medal for gallantry should have mentioned that the award most coveted by
Manfred von Richthofen, more popularly known as the Red Baron, was the Pour le Mérite (“Guts, but no iron”, April 12th). This was Prussia’s highest military decoration, founded in 1740 by Frederick the Great.
It is this medal that the German government should consider reintroducing. Its French appellation would lend it a more European flavour without stirring up fears of a revival of Prussian militarism, even though ardent particularists from such places as Bavaria, Wϋrttemberg and Saxony might raise their voices in protest.
Marc Cannizzo
Bucharest"
yours truly,
crankcase