Manufacturing The first section deals exclusively with the technical specifications and manufacturing of the Cross. It contains detailed blueprints, descriptions of manufacturing, and acatalog  with photos and characteristics of each maker.  This is one of the principal sections of the article. Embroidered/ Cases Because the German Cross was a heavy award, a cloth (embroidered) version was authorized for wear.  This type was particularly popular with Pilots, Tank Crews and others forced to operate in tight work environments.  This section also covers the cases the awards were presented in. Documents This section delves into the documentation that accompanied the Order.  It covers the annotations in personal documents (Soldbuch, Wehrpass), transitional award documents, and official award documents of the Heer, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine. Conditions Recipient he ultimate reason the award even existed - the men of the Wehrmacht - are reviewed in this division of the study.  How many won the award?   What did they have to do to get it?  These questions and more are answered here. Other & 1957 There are exceptions to every rule, and the authors were able to find three which are detailed in this subdivision.  Also covered here are the miniature version of the cross, meant to be worn on the lapel, and the 1957 "denazified" version to be worn by surviving veterans. Reproductions All German decorations have been faked, and until recently the complicated construction of the DK made it a very difficult award to copy.  Because this has all changed, this segment of the investigation focuses on the issue of reproductions. German Cross Index Wehrmacht-Awards.com Index

 

We would like to thank the following collectors and friends who have made this article possible,

• Richard LUNDSTRÖM 
• Stephen PREVITERA
• Gordon WILLIAMSON 
• Jody BELTRAM
• PETER von LUKACS 
• Detlev NIEMANN
• Piere-Marie ROUSSEAU 
• Gene ASHTON
• Sebastian BIANCHI 
• Angel FARRÉ
• Mark MILLER 
• Stijn DAVID 
• Eric QUEEN
• Paul WILLIAMS 
• Jean-Pierre EHRMANN
• Michel LEGRAND
• Richard WHITE
• Bruno KONIECZNY

We would also like to express our gratitude and note that the photos extracted from the book “The Iron Time“ by Stephen PREVITERA are only reproduced here with his kind permission, and they may not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES be reproduced or copied without the prior permission of the author.

We would also like to specify that this article should not be taken as definitive, but rather as a condensation of information gathered by collectors on the subject.


Primary Bibliography:

War Order of the German Cross (article de Jody Beltram, internet)
International Militaria Magazine (IMM, J.M. Hörmann, C. von Tettinek)
Military Advisor (G. Douglas)
Orden Militaria Magazin (OMM. J. Nimmergut)
For Führer and Fatherland (J. Angolia)
Guide to Third Reich German Awards,  (A. Forman)
Guide to Third Reich German Documents, V1 et V2 (A. Forman)
Orden und Ehrenzeichen (A. Hüsken)
Combat Medals of the Third Reich (C. Ailsby)
Auszeichnungen des Deutschen Reiches (Klietmann)
Deutsche Auszeichnungen (Klietmann)
The Iron Time (Previtera)
Bewertegungs katalog (Niemann)
Die Auszeichnungen des Grossdeutschen Reich 1945 (Doehle, edition Patzwall )
German Military Award Documents 1939-1945 (Emilie Caldwell Stewart)
Dokumente deutcher Geschichte 1933-1945 (A. Hüsken)