Order of Merit of the Free State of Thuringia explained

Order of Merit of the Free State of Thuringia
Presenter:	the Free State of Thuringia
Country:	Germany
Type:	Order of merit
Established:	19 September 2000
Firstawarded:	22 November 2000

The Order of Merit of the Free State of Thuringia (German: Verdienstorden des Freistaats Thüringen) is the highest order which is bestowed by the Free State of Thuringia. The number of living holders of the order is limited to 300 persons.^[1]

Notable recipients

• Iris von Arnim
• Rolf-Dieter Arens
• Alan Bern
• Andreas Birkmann^[2]
• Yehoshua Büchler
• Tankred Dorst^[2]
• Josef Duchac^[2]
• Helmut Fritsche
• Stéphane Hessel
• Ivan Ivanji
• Sarah Kirsch^[2]
• Hans-Reinhard Koch
• Hilmar Kopper^[2]
• Reiner Kunze^[2]
• Werner Leich^[2]
• Peter Maser
• Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann^[2]
• Peter Röhlinger
• Stephan Schambach
• Lothar Späth^[2]
• Bernhard Vogel^[2]
• Nike Wagner
• Günter Weiler^[2]

Notes and References

1. http://www.thueringen.de/de/tsk/orden/thueringer_verdienstorden/gesetz/ Text of the law for the Order of Merit of the Free State of Thuringia
2. Web site: Thüringer Verdienstorden > Ordensträger . 2012-04-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100205110304/http://www.thueringen.de/de/tsk/orden/thueringer_verdienstorden/ordenstraeger/ . 2010-02-05 . dead .