Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg)

This article refers to several orders of knighthood in continental Europe.



The Order of St. John in Germany is known as "der Johanniterorden", and officially known as the  Brandenburg Bailiwick of the Knights' Order of the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem (Balley Brandenburg des Ritterlichen Ordens Sankt Johannis vom Spital zu Jerusalem), the German Protestant branch of the Knights Hospitaller.

The "Johanniter Orde in Nederland" based in the Netherlands, and the "Johanniterorden i Sverige" based in Sweden, are semi-autonomous branches of the order. The order also has commanderies or associations in Austria, Finland, France, Hungary and Switzerland.

These are all primarily Protestant, and together with the British Order of Saint John, forms the "Alliance of the Orders of St. John," officially recognizing the modern Catholic branch as a sister organization.

Function
The order today is one of the major providers of health and ambulance services existing in Germany, similar to the St. John Ambulance in many Anglo-Saxon countries.

History
Following the Protestant Reformation, large parts of the German langue of the Knights Hospitaller under the leadership of the Brandenburg bailiwick accepted Lutheran theology, but remained in subordination to the Roman Catholic order and its Grand Master. In 1812 the branch was turned into a merit Order by King Frederick William III of Prussia. The Prussian merit order Pour le Mérite, also known as the "Blue Max," was also based on the design of the Johanniter neck cross. The Johanniter Order was restored as a Prussian Order of the Knights Hospitaller in 1852.

The Johanniter Order and its associated branches in Austria, Finland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden became fully independent of the Grand Master in Rome, under the patronage of the King of Prussia the Johanniter Order had its headquarter at Sonnenburg Castle in Brandenburg's Neumark east of the Oder River (now in Poland). After World War II the headquarters was moved to West Germany. Now it is settled in Potsdam/Berlin after the Berlin Wall came down.

Over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries the order became largely a charitable organisation, owning and supporting a plethora of hospitals, ambulance services, and first-aid training.

Today the order is led by its Grand Master, Prince Oskar of Prussia, a great grandson of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany.