The rarest from the north

[JensF.]

Hi,

here is a beautiful medal-bar (sorry for the bad picture) with the rarest of the three Hanseatic-crosses from WWI. Its the cross of the city of Luebeck; just about 8000 were awarded!

From left to right:

EKII 1914 (Maker "Fr" = Friedlaender, Berlin)
Hanseatenkreuz Luebeck
Long Service Cross for NCOs for 15 years
Kyffhaeuser Commemorative Medal 1914-18

The Kyffhaeuser medal is a not official medal of one of the bigger war veterans associations called the Kyffhaeuser-Bund. This cross would be replaced by the (official) Hindenburg cross with swords in 1934. This is also the reason why on some bars the Hindenburg cross is worn as the last decoration; it replaced an unofficial one which was worn as last medal on the bar.

Note the very big and wide variant of the EKII.

Best regards

[Zach]

Here's my Lübeck Hanseatic Cross (from Detlev).

[mott5ranch]

Majorpayne and Zach, those are nice. Now I want one. You can see Carl's under Carl's duets or click here

[URL=http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6756]

I wonder where the other 7,997 medals are?

[Rick Research]

I've got ONE! (Used to have three...) It's in the Three Hanseatic Crosses thread here in the back pages.

[Tom Y]

7,995 still unaccounted for

[Bill M]

7,994...

[Eric Stahlhut]

Whittling down the count

two more!

[Daniel Cole]

Here's another one.

[Tom Y]

Anyone,

I notice some of the eagles have red feet and some black. Is this due to different manufacturers or what?

[Frank Heukemes]

I remember Rick Lundström telling us in one post that red claws means actually awarded pieces if I remember that right. Rick, can you shed some additional light, please?

Cheers, Frank H.

[JensF.]

Brought up due this recent acquisition. This cross is like new! I am not sure if this is an original cardbox for the Lübeck Hanseatic Cross.

[Tom Y]

Posted for Stevenn:

[JensF.]

Very nice! These crosses are always simple but elegant and very well made except for the fragile enamel.

Two questions: Whats the last medal on the medal-bar? Is there the crest of a maker on the triangular ribbon?

[JensF.]

Always watch for the eagles feet on the Lübecker Hanseatenkreuz. If it was made during the war it should have red feet. Later produced crosses including this 1957 made cross have black feet:

[Luc M]

Very nice examples all

Let me wipe away the drool....