It was named after the Prussian Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, who was seen as a hero in the GDR for his part in defeating the invading army of Napoleon Bonaparte.

[1] The decoration was never awarded as the GDR was never in a state of war; However on 25 January 1985, the National Defence Council ordered that 8,000 were to be minted immediately.

Some of the remaining Blücher Orders are now on display in the Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr.

The cross was attached to a red ribbon with two yellow stripes on its edges.

Its ribbon was yellow with blue stripes down its center according to the medal class.