Station: [12] New Station

You are standing here before the Prussian Crown Jewels, the highlight of the exhibition. Even at first glance, it is clear how closely splendor, rank, and ceremony are intertwined here.

On the left, in the foreground, you can see a marshal’s baton belonging to Emperor Wilhelm II. It is set with diamonds and rubies. The Prussian Army presented it to the Emperor on the occasion of his 25th anniversary on the throne. It is a gift that is not only precious but also speaks very clearly of power and military rank.

Directly behind it is the Prussian royal crown from 1889. Emperor Wilhelm II commissioned it. It is set with 142 rose-cut diamonds, 18 brilliant-cut diamonds, 8 pear-shaped pearls, and a large blue sapphire. This crown resembles the original crown from 1701. All that remains of that early crown today is the crown frame. It is on loan from the House of Hohenzollern and is housed at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin. This is what makes this piece particularly fascinating: it showcases not only precious jewelry but also a deliberate reference to the beginnings of the Prussian monarchy.

Another impressive object is the embroidery for the back panel of a canopy. It was created around 1890 in Berlin. It was made using gold and silver thread, silk, wool, and cardboard. The embroidery was part of a canopy used at the Prussian royal court for the public lying-in-state of members of the royal family prior to their burial. This portable canopy is believed to have been the last of its kind. The elaborate work depicts the Prussian eagle in the center of a crowned cartouche.

Next to it, you can see part of the parade uniform of the Garde du Corps regiment from the collection of Emperor Wilhelm II. The Garde du Corps regiment was the most important and distinguished cavalry regiment of the Prussian Life Guard. Emperor Wilhelm II preferred this particularly picturesque uniform for public appearances. It included a shiny breastplate and a gold-colored helmet crowned by a silver Prussian eagle. Before the outbreak of World War I, he wore a simple interim uniform of this regiment almost daily.

This section is rounded out by high orders and their insignia. The chain and star of the High Order of the Black Eagle came from the collection of King Charles I of Romania of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. This order was the highest Prussian decoration. Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg established it as a house order on the eve of his coronation, on January 17, 1701. Above it, you can see the chain of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, which was established in 1850 at Hohenzollern Castle.