The present work “Verdient um Bayern und das bayerische Volk - Die Träger des Bayerischen Verdienstordens 1985-1988” (Meritorious Service to Bavaria and the Bavarian People - Recipients of the Bavarian Order of Merit 1985-1988) represents a significant documentation of awards of Bavaria's most important civil decoration. This publication, issued in 1988 by Verlag R. S. Schulz in Percha am Starnberger See, comprises 264 pages with color illustrations and systematically documents the recipients of this prestigious honor during a four-year period.

The Bavarian Order of Merit (Bayerischer Verdienstorden) was established on June 11, 1957, by Minister President Wilhelm Hoegner, replacing older Bavarian decorations from the monarchical era. The foundation was enacted through the Bavarian Law on Titles, Orders, and Decorations. The order serves to recognize outstanding merits to the Free State of Bavaria and the Bavarian people in all areas of public life, whether in politics, economy, science, art, culture, or social affairs.

The order's structure is divided into several grades: the simple Medal of Merit, the Order of Merit, the Order of Merit with Crown, and as the highest grade, the Grand Order of Merit. Awards are conferred by the Bavarian Minister President, with candidate selection subject to rigorous examination procedures. Approximately 50 to 80 individuals receive the order annually, underscoring the high selectivity of this honor.

Documentation such as the present work is of considerable historical value, as it not only records the names of honorees but also provides insight into the social values and priorities of the respective era. The period 1985-1988 falls within the government tenure of Minister President Franz Josef Strauß (until 1988) and the beginning of Max Streibl's term. These years were characterized by significant political and social developments in Bavaria, including economic prosperity and cultural flourishing.

The color illustrations in the volume likely show both the various order grades and possibly portraits of selected recipients. Such pictorial documentation is of particular interest to the study of orders and decorations (phaleristics), as it documents the material design and wearing style of the awards. Verlag R. S. Schulz in Percha am Starnberger See specialized in military-historical and phaleristic publications, contributing to the scholarly documentation of Bavarian decorations.

The systematic recording of order recipients serves multiple purposes: it preserves the memory of distinguished personalities, enables genealogical and biographical research, and documents the conferral practices of state decorations. For historians, such directories offer valuable insights into social hierarchies, networks, and public recognition of various fields of achievement.

Within the context of the German orders landscape after 1945, the Bavarian Order of Merit occupies a special position, as German federal states were permitted to establish their own orders of merit, while at the federal level the Federal Cross of Merit represents the highest civil decoration. The Bavarian tradition of conferring orders consciously connects to the long history of Bavarian decorations since the Kingdom of Bavaria, without however using monarchical symbols.

The condition rating of “2” for the present copy indicates very good preservation with only minimal signs of use. The dust jacket and hardcover binding protect the work and contribute to its long-term preservation. For collectors of military-historical and phaleristic literature, such documentation represents important reference works that are now sometimes difficult to obtain.