Order of the Falcon
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The Order of the Falcon is a national Order (decoration) of Iceland. The award was established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland. The order drafted new statutes July 11, 1944, when Iceland became independent. It may be awarded to both Icelanders and foreigners for achievements in Iceland or internationally.
The President of Iceland is the designated Grand Master of the Order. A five-member council makes recommendations on awards to the Grand Master, who then grants the award. However, the Grand Master may award the Order without recommendations of the Order Council. The Grand Master and the Chairman of the Order Council then sign the Letters Patent, which are given to those who receive the awards.
Classes
The order has four classes, in order of rank:
- Grand Cross - wears the badge on a collar or a sash on the right shoulder, plus a star on the left chest;
- Commander with Star - wears the badge on a necklet, plus a star on the left chest;
- Commander - wears the badge on a necklet;
- Knight - wears the badge on a chest ribbon.
If one is already holds a rank and is awarded a higher one, then the lower rank's insignia should be returned. The insignia is retained by person during their lifetime; after their death, the award is supposed to be returned to the Icelandic Government.
Insignia
The collar is in gold, consists of links bearing the Icelandic coat-of-arms and blue-enamelled discs bearing the white falcon.
The badge consists of a gilt cross, enamelled in white, with a blue-enamelled central disc bearing the white falcon.
The star is a silver, eight-pointed star. For the Grand Cross class it has the badge of the Order superimposed upon it; for the Commander with Star class it has a blue-enamelled central disc bearing the white falcon.
The ribbon is blue with white-red-white border stripes.
Some Recipients
- David Architzel (Rear Admiral, US Navy)
- Knut O.H.A Hammarskjöld (Swedish Foreign Service)
- Sue McCourt Cobb (US Ambassador to Jamaica)
- George P.L. Walker (Vulcanologist)
- Michael D. Haskins (Vice Admiral, US Navy)
- Erling Blöndal Bengtsson (Cellist)
- Orri Vigfússon (Chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund)
- Warren W. Rosenthal, awarded 1983
- Margrethe II (Queen of Denmark)
- Sigrún Eðvaldsdóttir, awarded 1988
- Helgi Tomasson (New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet) awarded 1990
- Evelyn Stefansson Nef, awarded 2001
- Baldur Stefansson, awarded 2002
- Philip Cronenwett, awarded 2003