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

By François Saez and Jacques Calero   

 

Unofficial Versions of the Decoration

The authors are aware of 3 versions of the Cross which do not correspond to the standards defined above :

- A cloth type with the wreath embroidered in gilt aluminum thread on a black backing, rather sumptuous in its details.  This type is a non-regulation variant, only obtained at personal expense from a private tailor.

- A second embroidered version, attributed to Wilhelm RUGER, Oberwachtmeister in Kradschutz. Btl. 25.  This ‘’local,’’ or personally made example is illustrated by a period photograph.

 

- The third version is a locally made type in metal, bestowed on Franz PERSCH, Stabsobermaschinist of U-181 (12. U-Flotille).  This Cross, as well as its green box were presented on 7 April 1945 (authorized on 29 Mars 1945) by Fregattenkapitän zS Wilhelm Dommes (Singapore Base Commandant) and Kapitän zS Kurt Freiwald (CO of U-181) in Singapore.  It should be remarked that in this same ceremony Karl KAISER (Obermaschinistenmaat) and Wilhelm LINKA (Maschinist), all three crew members of U-181, received the German Cross in Gold together.   Measurements of this (damaged) DKiG :

Model observed W: 62.25 / H: 61.99 / Weight: 56.86 gr. – weight of the green case (empty): 56.57 gr.
 

The German Cross in Gold With Diamonds

The construction is of the same type as the normal Crosses (5 parts). The metal employed was silver. There are 6 round and rather large hollow rivets. The wreath is hand worked in the main, then polished. It contains 100 diamonds (21.6 carats). The pin is in silver, lightly oblong. The pin is stamped ‘’RATH MÜNCHEN’’ on the center of the outside.
The presentation case is unique. It is in red leather, lightly convex with a gilt embossed eagle on the lid. The interior top is in white satin bearing in black ink the stamp RATH MÜNCHEN. The interior bottom is lined in bordeaux plush. The lid is bordered with a gilt stripe. There is also another RATH mark in gilt on the outside hinge side of the case, which measures 122.5mm x 121.5mm x 30mm.

 

Miniatures

Reduced size decorations mounted on stickpins exist for civilian wear, or well mounted on miniatures lapel chains for military gala or civil dress. Some may have the maker’s mark or LDO number.
Weight observed on a L/57 (two pieces) 3.36 gr.

   

Personalized Decorations

It is not unusual to encounter a German Cross upon which figures the name of the recipient (name, given name, date, unit, Feldpost number, etc) or more simply just the initials of the owner. Examples seen reveal manual and machine engraved inscriptions as well as some that were painted.

   

 

The 1957 types

The ‘’Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen ‘’ of 26 July 1957 authorized and regulated the de-Nazified versions of those Third Reich awards re-authorized for wear by citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany. Among these were the German Crosses in Gold and Silver. In place of the massive swastika, the 1957 version of the Cross in Gold used a representation of a 1957 version Iron Cross 1st Class—the cross with date 1939 under the original center triple oak leaves of the 1813, 1870, and 1914 Iron Crosses. The 1957 Cross in Silver used a center device of a 1957 War Merit Cross 1st Class 1939—the cross with date 1939 in the center in place of the swastika. While bearing some relevance to the sorts of service the German Crosses were bestowed for, the 1957 designs again leave the unfortunate mis-perception that these Crosses are somehow integrated within the class systems of the Iron and War Merit Crosses, rather than completely independent awards. 
 

 

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