Maximilian Gritzner

Adolf Maximilian Ferdinand Gritzner (29 July 1843 – 10 July 1902) was a German expert on heraldry and a herald in the Ministry of the Interior in Berlin. His reference book on orders of knighthood was still in print in 2000. Gritzner was born in Sorau (Żary) and died in Berlin.

According to Bruno Bernard Heim, Gritzner "coined the definitive terms of the German heraldry". In 1893 Gritzner published his authoritative book on faleristics and as a herald in the Prussian Home-Office he was involved in exposing several phoney noblemen.

Gritzner was "Königlich Preussischer Kanzleirat und Premierleutnant ausser Dienst" (German for " Royal council to the Chancellery and First Lieutenant on leave"). Gritzner's son, Dr. Erich Gritzner, was also a herald and a publicist. Provided by Wikipedia