Questions and thoughts regarding DK article.

[Dez H]

Hell all

I would fist like to thank François and Jacques for taking the time and effort to compile and write this excellent article. I have a few questions and thoughts about the DK and the article that are stirring in my head so I thought I would share them and see what we can come up with.
Ok here is a quote from the article:

http://wehrmacht-awards.com/german_c...cross_main.htm

Other companies began to manufacture this decoration, without the authorization of the LDO (trade association charged with defining the exact regulations for the manufacture and quality control of awards), up until the written prohibition of the Chancery, signed by Dr Heinrich Doehle and dated August 1942. This was the case with the firm of MEYBAUER in Berlin, unauthorized by the LDO (Leistungsgemeinschaft Deutscher Ordenshersteller), whose first Crosses were marked ‘’7’’ on the pin. It is possible that this firm continued to manufacture the decoration, but to this day, the authors have yet to observe an original example from this maker, marked or not.

The German Cross was created by Adolf Hitler on the 28 September 1941, the LDO put their foot down about who could and couldn’t produce award pieces and private purchase pieces in August 1942, this basically leaves 1 year where unauthorised companies could produces these awards. The German Cross has always been a rare award and faked to death like all other pieces. Today there are countless dangerous looking fakes on the market, some are very close to the originals in look, size and weight. How are we to really know for 100% sure who did and didn’t produce these? Out of the multitudes of fakes, questionable pieces and the iffy ones how are we really to know? As collectors we tend to stick with the tried and tested pieces that are classic in their appearance and need no explanation whatsoever. I would be interested to hear other peoples thoughts and opinions on this. Thanks in advance.


Regards
Dez

[Gordon Williamson]

Dez,

It was in the Summer of 1941 that restrictions were first placed on the retail selling of high level decorations. These restrictions were placed by the Ordenskanzlei, not the LDO. So, whatever further proclamations may have been made at a later date, the restrictions were in place a couple of months before the DK was instituted, which is why theoretically you should never find an LDO marked DK and unlike the case with the RK, there should not be any variants by unauthorised firms.