What Cross is this?

[John F.]

I am reading the book “the killing of Reinhard Heydrich” (who by the way needed killing a lot sooner then he was) by Callum MacDonald. In the book there is a picture of Heydrich standing next to his Gestapo Chief, Karl Frank. They are standing in front of a formation of SS men giving the extended arm salute as the SS flag is being raised over Prague. On Heydrich’s left pocket at the 9' o-clock position is a badge that I have not seen before. It looks like a white cross with a superimposed black cross in the center and a crown on top. Does anyone know what that badge is, and what it was awarded for?

Thanks,

John

[Yuri D.]

That is the rare Danzig Cross 1st class.

Yuri

[ERIC S.]

Try This

Hi John,
A good photo exists of Heydrich wearing this decoration and of the decoration itself on pages 264 & 265 of Formans 3rd edition book, if you can wiggle it out from beneath the table leg!!
ERIC

[Ken Jasper]

The Danzig Cross is very rare; supposedly only 88 of the First Class were issued and 253 of the Second Class.

[François SAEZ]

posted for RAZ

[John F.]

Thanks for the identification, reference and posting of the pic. By the way, what was this awarded for?

John

[Mike Dunn]

Any reason for the double crosses? Mike

[Bryan Poon]

Hi Raz

I think you read this thread. A very nice cross.

BP

[Ken Jasper]

Mike,

The twin crosses and the coronet were taken from the Danzig crest. This cross was awarded for "meritorious service in building up the Nazi Party within the Free City of Danzig." It was instituted on 31 August 1939 by Albert Forster, the Gauleiter of Danzig.