List of recipients of the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts
This is the list of winners of the Order Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts by recording date.
"The Order Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts,
- King Frederick William IV of Prussia, advised by Alexander von Humboldt, on May 31, 1842 1740 by Frederick the Great instituted the Order Pour le Mérite has added peace as its class for the contributions to the sciences and the arts,
- After the end of the monarchy and a general prohibition of the Order of the German Empire with the permission of the Prussian State Ministry of 4 March 1924 as a self- complementary "free association of scholars and artists " could exist,
- And was prevented by 1933 elections,
Has expanded and renewed in the Federal Republic of Germany at the suggestion of President Theodor Heuss with 31 May 1952 cooptation in accordance with the Statutes of 1924. " Although not an official Order of the Federal Republic of Germany, the respective head of state protector of the Order and is considered the Order as one of the most prestigious awards for science and art.