Question about German cross in cloth

[BassD]

Hello!

I have a few questions about the the german cross in cloth and hope (or better i'm sure ) that somebody can answer my questions.

Ok here we go.

#1 Were the cloth versions of the German cross in gold directly delivered by the Präsidialkanzlei?

#2 Which companies produced the German cross in gold in the cloth version?

#2a Were these companies which already had a PKA number respectively also produced the German cross in gold in metal version?

#3 Why was there no private sale of the German cross in the cloth version via the LDO?

#4 Can the distinctive stamping fault on top of the 9 in 1941 be found on all cloth versions and may we therefore possibly assign this to a certain manufacturer?

#5 There exist contemporary German crosses in silver in the cloth version. But why were these never officially delivered?

#6 Are there any manufacturers of such German crosses in silver in the cloth version?

Thanks

BassD

[Dietrich Maerz]

Hi Bastian,

I'll answer here - the other site already provided some insight:

to 1: I would think so since in the Uniformenmarkt dated 20.12.1943 it is mentioned (by the PKZ) that both versions (metal and cloth) are not licensed for private dealers (fuer den privaten Handel nicht freigegeben)

to2: I only know of 2 types of marking but I know of more types unmarked. All of those I know where not the metal type makers.

to 3: see above

to 4: the flaw - as it is the case with all flaws - did grow over time. And no, not all have the flaw developed. Interestingly, the 'flawed' wreath was also used by Juncker. So they either produced that wreath or got it from somebody who also delivered to the cloth version makers.

to 5: as our German friend pointed out: no need for a cloth version for silver since no danger of damage. Sound plausible. But was it the real reason? I don't know.

to 6: the cloth silver cross I have and the very few I've seen do show the same manufacturing characteristics as the gold cloth version (including the flaw). So, at this point in time I would say that (at least some) where made by the same manufacturers as the gold version.

Hope that helps.

Dietrich

[BassD]

Thanks Dietrich. Your answers helps me a lot.

Can you tell me the name of the two makers of the cloth version?

[Dietrich Maerz]

Schauerte & Hohfeld
CA Westmann (sticker! could be just for sales..)
unmarked and this as attached. Don't know who that is.

[byterock]

I beleive the main reason for the cloth version was simply pratical and a little political.

The DKG despite is present populatiry with the colectors was despised by many. It did not get the name 'Hitlers fried egg' because of love.
Remember many who were to get the RK in 42 were given this instead a very bitter pill sor sume.

For pratical reasons many holders refused to wear them under the grouds that front-line Soilders did not want to have a shiny target just over thier hearts.

So the cloth version was devleoped to remidy this.

Just my 2c

[FW 200]

Wasn't the DKIG worn on the right side of the uniform? Charlie

[Jørgen E]

It was indeed, so maybe not directly over the heart, but close enough

[FW 200]

Well, how about gold/silver WBs, with IABs,GABs, etc.? They would make excellent heart target groups as well, one would think. Charlie

[Luftm40]

There were practical reasons involved, but IMHO they had nothing to do w/ the use of the DKig as a target. The early crosses, while inpressively made, were extremely heavy, clunky awards prone to damage. The later metal versions used lighter weight alloys to limit this problem. The cloth versions were practical because they were light weight and hard to damage...