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German Cross

{{Short description|Military award of Nazi Germany}}

{{Distinguish|Iron Cross}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Use shortened footnotes|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox award

|name=German Cross
{{lang|de|Deutsches Kreuz}}

|image=140px140px|caption=German Cross in Gold (left) and Silver (right)

|presenter=Nazi Germany

|type=Military Order

|eligibility=Military personnel

|awarded_for=Gold: for repeated exceptional acts of bravery or troop leadership
Silver: for continued distinguished acts of service in the war effort

|campaign=World War II

|status=Obsolete

|description=

|clasps=

|established=28 September 1941

|firstawarded=

|lastawarded=

|total_awarded=~25,964 in Gold
~ 2,471 in Silver{{sfn|Maerz|2009|pp=53}}

|total_awarded_posthumously=

|total_recipients=

|individual=

|higher=

|same=

|lower=Iron Cross (1939) 1st Class
Clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st Class
War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords

|related=

|image2=DK Übersicht.JPG

|image2_size=290px

|caption2=German Cross in Silver, Gold, and with Diamonds. Post-war de-nazified versions below.

}}

The War Order of the German Cross ({{langx|de|Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz}}), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or Deutsches Kreuz, was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repeated acts of bravery or military leadership; and in silver for distinguished non-combat war service. The German Cross in Gold ranked higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, while the German Cross in Silver ranked higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords.{{sfn|Angolia|1976|pp=327–334}}

Eligibility

The German Cross was issued in two versions: gold and silver (the color of the laurel wreath around the swastika). The gold version was awarded to military personnel for repeated acts of bravery in combat, or of military leadership, with 6–8 acts as a rule of thumb.Note: Littlejohn & Dodkins p 123 says 7–12 further acts. The silver version was awarded for multiple distinguished services in the war effort and was considered a continuation of the War Merit Cross with swords. Where a recipient had been awarded both the silver and gold versions, only the gold version was authorized for wear.{{sfn|Littlejohn|Dodkins|1968|pp=122–124}}

Article three of the law governing the German Cross states that to qualify for the German Cross in gold or silver, the recipient must be a holder of the Iron Cross (1939) 1st Class or Clasp to the 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class, or the War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords.{{sfn|Reichsgesetzblatt|1941}} The award of the German Cross was not a prerequisite for the award of the Knight's Cross of either the Iron Cross or War Merit Cross, and the German Cross could be awarded to Knight's Cross holders.{{sfn|Klietmann|1981|pp=47–49}}

While civilians were not eligible, awards could be made to members of uniformed formations including the police and railway workers.{{sfn|Littlejohn|Dodkins|1968|p=123}}

From 30 August 1944, recipients of the gold class of the Close Combat Clasp were normally also awarded the German Cross in gold, without the need for further justification,{{sfn|Klietmann|1981|p=106}}{{sfn|Michaelis|2008|p=29}} although the additional award was not made in all cases.{{sfn|Williamson|2002|p=6}}

While estimates vary, approximately 25,964 gold and 2,471 silver crosses were awarded.{{sfn|Maerz|2009|pp=53}}Note: Klietmann page 48 estimates 17,000 gold and 900 silver awards to the army and Waffen-SS alone.

Appearance

The order consists of a star badge, containing a swastika. It had a diameter of 6.5 cm and was worn on the right-hand side of the tunic.{{sfn|Angolia|1976|pp=327–334}}

From June 1942 the gold version was officially available in cloth form, for easier wear on the combat uniform.{{sfn|Klietmann|1981|pp=47–49}} This had the same dimensions as the original decoration, with the wreath circling the swastika, the only metal part of the badge. The backing cloth reflected the arm of service: field grey for the army, or navy dark blue or air force pale blue.{{sfn|Littlejohn|Dodkins|1968|p=123}}

Twenty specimen copies of a special grade, the German Cross in Gold with Diamonds, were manufactured in 1942, but this grade was never formally instituted or bestowed.{{sfn|Littlejohn|Dodkins|1968|p=123}}

=1957 version=

The wearing of Nazi-era decorations was banned in Germany after the war, as was any display of the swastika. In 1957, the Federal Republic of Germany authorized the wearing of alternative de-nazified replacement versions of a number of war decorations. These included the German Cross, with the swastika replaced by a representation of the Iron Cross for the gold division, and the War Merit Cross with Swords for the silver division. Qualifying members of the Bundeswehr wore the award on their ribbon bar, represented by a small replica of the decoration on a field grey ribbon.{{sfn|Littlejohn|Dodkins|1968|p=225}}

File:Verleihung des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold an Stauffenberg.jpg|Award certificate: German Cross in Gold to Count Claus von Stauffenberg 8 May 1943

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MS-0976-18, Ordensverleihung an U-Boot-Besatzung.jpg|Award of a Marine (submarine crew) with the German Cross in Gold (1942)

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2006-0115, Alfred Jaedtke.jpg|Worn on chest pocket of the field blouse (Captain Alfred Jaedtke, 1944)

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R63335, Siegfried Lemke.jpg|Cloth version worn on Luftwaffe flight suit (Lieutenant Siegfried Lemke, 1944)

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-732-0127-02A, Oberfeldwebel der Div. »Großdeutschland«.jpg|Worn on the field uniform by an Oberfeldwebel of the Großdeutschland Division in Central Russia, 1943

File:DeutschesKreuzinGoldStoff.jpg|German Cross in Gold (cloth form)

Recipients

Select recipients of both gold and silver grades included:

=Foreign recipients=

In October 1942, eligibility for the German Cross in Gold was extended to the armed forces of allied countries on the same basis as awards to German forces.{{sfn|Klietmann|1981|pp=47–49}}

Select foreign recipients of the German Cross in Gold include:

;Belgium

;Croatia

;Estonia

  • Senior Lieutenant {{ill|Hando Ruus|et|Hando Ruus}}, 30 December 1944

;Finland

;Italy

;Latvia

;Romania

;Spain

In all, some 26 non-German volunteers of the Waffen-SS from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands and Norway received the German Cross in Gold.

Nicknames

Colonel Hans von Luck called it "Hitler's fried egg", in response to its gaudiness.{{sfn|Von Luck|1989}}

Another name for the decoration was "The Party Reflector for the Near-Sighted"{{sfn|Fowler|1992}}

References

;Citations

{{Reflist}}

;Bibliography

{{Refbegin}}

  • {{cite book |last= Angolia |first= John |title= For Führer and Fatherland: Military Awards of the Third Reich |publisher= R. James Bender Publishing |year= 1976 |isbn= 0-912138-14-9}}
  • {{cite book |last= Fowler |first= EWW |title= Nazi Regalia |publisher=Brompton Books Corp. |year=1992 |isbn= 1-55521-767-2}}
  • {{cite book|last= Klietmann|first=Kurt-Gerhard|title=Auszeichnungen des Deutschen Reiches. 1936–1945, 11 Auflage|publisher= Motorbuch, Stuttgart|year=1981|isbn=3-87943-689-4 |language=de}}
  • {{cite book|last1= Littlejohn|first1= David|last2= Dodkins|first2 = Colonel C. M.|title = Orders, Decorations, Medals and Badges of the Third Reich |publisher= R. James Bender Publishing, California |year= 1968 |isbn= 978-0854200801}}
  • {{cite book|last=Lumsden|first= Robin|title= Medals and Decorations of Hitler's Germany |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd, Shrewsbury |year= 2001 |isbn= 978-1840371789}}
  • {{cite book |last=Von Luck |first=Hans |title=Panzer Commander |publisher=Praeger Publishers, New York |year=1989 |isbn=0-440-20802-5}}
  • {{cite book |last=Maerz |first=Dietrich |title=The German Cross in Gold and Silver |publisher=B&D Publishing, Richmond, MI |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-9797969-2-0}}
  • {{cite book|last=Michaelis|first=Rolf|title=Deutsche Kriegsauszeichnungen 1939–1945 Heer – Waffen-SS – Polizei|publisher= Winkelried Verlag, Leisnig|year=2008 |isbn= 978-3930849314|language=de}}
  • {{Cite book |last1=Patzwall |first1=Klaus D. |last2=Scherzer |first2=Veit |year=2001 |title=Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945. Geschichte und Inhaber, Band II |trans-title=The German Cross 1941–1945. History and Recipients, Volume 2 |language=de |location=Norderstedt, Germany |publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall |isbn=978-3-931533-45-8}}
  • {{cite book|title=Reichsgesetzblatt|at=Teil I, S. 593 |url=http://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=dra&datum=1941&page=621&size=45|publisher=Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior)|access-date=19 August 2014 |format=PDF |via=Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, alex.onb.ac.at|date=2 October 1941 |language=de|ref={{sfnref|Reichsgesetzblatt|1941}} }}
  • {{cite book |last= Williamson |first= Gordon |title= World War II German Battle Insignia |publisher= Osprey Publishing |year= 2002 |isbn= 1841763527 }}

{{refend}}

{{List of military decorations of the Third Reich |state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1941 establishments in Germany

Category:Awards established in 1941

Category:Courage awards

Category:Military awards and decorations of Nazi Germany

Category:Recipients of the German Cross