Německý kříž

German Cross
Deutsche Kreuz
     
Název:
Name:
Německý kříž German Cross
Název v originále:
Original Name:
Deutsches Kreuz
Datum vzniku:
Date of Establishment:
28.09.1941
Datum zániku:
Date of Termination:
DD.MM.RRRR
Struktura:
Structure:
Německý kříž ve stříbře
Německý kříž ve zlatě
German Cross in Silver
German Cross in Gold
Poznámka:
Note:
- -
Zdroje:
Sources:
Vyznamenání a bojové odznaky třetí říše 1.
Svetozár Pavlík
Vydavatelství Kozák-Press 2007
ISBN 978-80-969292-6-9


Nacistické reálie
E.W.W. Fowler
Nakladatelství: Ottovo nakladatelství
ISBN: 80-7181-173-4


Německé insignie
kolektiv autorů
Nakladatelství: Cesty
ISBN:80-7181-845-3
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Nemecky-kriz-t72637#352522 Version : 0
     
Název:
Name:
Německý kříž ve zlatě German Cross in Gold
Název v originále:
Original Name:
Deutsche Kreuz in Gold
Datum vzniku:
Date of Establishment:
28.09.1941
Datum zániku:
Date of Termination:
DD.MM.RRRR
Komponenty:
Components:
- -
Klenot:
Badge:
- -
Klenot foto avers:
Badge Photo Obverse:
Klenot foto revers:
Badge Photo Reverse:
-
Hvězda:
Star:
- -
Hvězda foto avers:
Star Photo Obverse:
-
Hvězda foto revers:
Star Photo Reverse:
-
Stužka:
Ribbon Bar:
- -
Fotografie:
Photograph:
Poznámka:
Note:
- -
Zdroje:
Sources:
-
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Nemecky-kriz-t72637#404522 Version : 0
     
Název:
Name:
Německý kříž stříbrný German Cross Silver
Název v originále:
Original Name:
Deutsche Kreuz in Silber
Datum vzniku:
Date of Establishment:
28.09.1941
Datum zániku:
Date of Termination:
DD.05.1945
Komponenty:
Components:
- -
Klenot:
Badge:
- -
Klenot foto avers:
Badge Photo Obverse:
Klenot foto revers:
Badge Photo Reverse:
Hvězda:
Star:
- -
Hvězda foto avers:
Star Photo Obverse:
-
Hvězda foto revers:
Star Photo Reverse:
-
Stužka:
Ribbon Bar:
- -
Fotografie:
Photograph:
Poznámka:
Note:
- -
Zdroje:
Sources:
Jörg Nimmergut: Deutschland-Katalog Orden & Ehrenzeichen von 1800 - 1945, Mnichov 1994
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Nemecky-kriz-t72637#414317 Version : 0
War Order of the German Cross
(The War Order of the German Crosses)


In 1941, during the ongoing fighting, there was a need for another decoration, which would be intended for soldiers awarded the Iron Cross 1st class, but who by their actions did not meet the conditions for the award of Knight's Cross Iron Cross. Intermediate between these orders became a decoration, established by the decree of the leader Adolf Hitler on September 28, 1941 - War Order of the German Cross also known as the German Cross (Deutsches Kreuz). It was intended for soldiers who showed multiple bravery and courage in the fight against the enemy, for excellent deeds and for leading and organizing combat operations in the war.
War Order of the German Cross - a high German decoration which was awarded after the previous decoration Iron Cross 1st Class 1939, Železným křížem 1. třída 1914 or Váleným Záslužným křížem 1 classes with swords. By decree of August 3, 1942, Adolf Hitler decided that if a soldier obtains Iron Cross 1st Class and Gold clasp for close combat, he will automatically be awarded the German Cross in gold.
The German Cross in Gold was first awarded on October 18, 1941, and awarded 38 members of the Army. The first holder of the German Cross in gold was Colonel Paul Seyffardt, commander of the Infantry Regiment 111 ( 35th Infantry Division). In command of the commander-in-chief of the German Armed Forces, the commanders-in-chief of three of its units and the chief OKW (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht). All members of the Wehrmacht, the Kriegsmarine, the Luftwaffe, as well as the Waffen-SS were entitled to the award. From October 16, 1942, the order was granted to members of the armies of friendly and allied countries. Most awards to foreigners took place within the Waffen-SS. During the war, a total of 24,328 pieces of the War Order of the German Cross in gold were awarded, the acquisition of which was tied to combat merit. Less often, the War Order of the German Cross was awarded in silver - only 1,114 pieces as a reward for supporting war efforts outside the front.


Numbers of awarded decorations of the War Order of the German Cross:

German Order of the War in gold

Wehrmacht a Waffen-SS 15 653
Luftwaffe 7 255
Kriegsmarine 1 420


War Order of the German Cross in Silver

Wehrmacht 874
Waffen-SS 70
Luftwaffe 65
Kriegsmarine 105



During the protracted fighting, in 1942 the idea arose to create a third degree of decoration of the War Order of the German Cross. This created the German Cross in Gold with Diamonds, of which twenty pieces were made. It was the same artistic design, only the gilded wreath was studded with a number of small diamonds. However, this degree was never officially established and was not passed on to anyone. After the war, these valuable specimens were captured by the Americans at the castle in Kleßheim.Three of these awards are still in the West Point Museum in New York.


Art processing:
The design of the German Cross is the work of Professor Richard Klein of Munich - the author of other German decorations, for example Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung [Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung].
The German cross was made in two versions, gold and silver, these colors corresponded to the design of a wreath of oak branches around the swastika.
The German cross is more like a star than a cross in its form and was characterized by a rather ostentatiously grand appearance, thanks to which it was soon called "Hitler's fried egg" or "Party badge for the short-sighted" .. The name German Cross is derived from the fact that the swastika located in the center of the decoration is actually a cross.


Obverse: The German cross represents a silver-plated eight-pointed star with a diameter of 64 mm. It is made of five parts connected by rivets.
The first layer consists of a gilded eight-pointed star depicting the sun's rays of various lengths, the star is largely covered by the same plastically designed second, gray-black part. The next part consists of a silver medallion with two red enamel circles on the edge. Between these circles lies a 4 mm wide, gilded laurel wreath surrounded by a stylized ribbon. At the bottom of the wreath is a label engraved with the year of the founding of the order "1941". The inner part of the medallion is white on which is placed a black enamelled, 22 mm large swastika with fine gold edging. The German cross in silver is arranged in exactly the same way, only the gilded wreath is replaced with a silver one.
Reverse: is smooth, slightly curved with a rugged edge, provided only with a clamping clip on which the manufacturer's number can be stamped and visible parts of the rivets, by means of which all five parts of the order are connected.


Fabric design of the German Cross:
On June 5, 1942, in its report The High Command of the German Armed Forces (OKW) announced that it is allowed to wear the German Cross in gold in embroidered form on a fabric backing. It was a fabric design on which a gilded laurel wreath was attached, identical to the wreath used in the metal design. The reason for the exchange was possible damage or loss of the original during the fighting at the front. Later, the wearing of the fabric of the German Cross in gold was amended by the directive of the High Command of the Ground Forces (OKH) of April 2, 1943, so that it could only be worn by distinguished members of field units (Feldtruppen). The embroidered design of the German Cross in silver was made entirely of fabric, including a silver wreath that lacked a label with the year 1941.
The fabric as a base for the embroidered design of the German Cross differed in color according to the type of weapons and the type of uniform. For Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS in field gray, for Panzerwaffe black, for Kriegsmarine dark blue, for Luftwaffe gray-blue, for light summer uniforms white and for Afrika-Korps in sand. On October 25, 1944, an order was issued to make a fabric counterpart with each metal specimen. However, due to the lack of material, the regulation could not be complied with in the end.
The holder of the German Cross in gold and silver also received a gift decree and a 16 mm miniature on a chain and a 16 mm miniature on a needle for wearing on civilian clothing.


Wearing style:
The German cross was worn on the right pocket of the uniform in the same height with Iron Cross 1st Class located on the left pocket. The wearing rule was not always followed, see the somewhat furious way of wearing the cross with a tank ace Kurt Knispel. If the decorated soldier was also the holder of Spanish Cross, it was worn under the German Cross.The holder of the German Cross in silver, which received a higher degree in gold, could only wear this higher degree. According to period photographs, however, there are again known cases where soldiers wore both decorations under their right pockets. After the death of the recipient, there was no obligation to return the order, he remained a relative in memory.


German Cross after 1945
After May 1945, the German Cross was not awarded and was removed from the list of current official military decorations of Germany.
According to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany of 26 July 1957, the wearing of the German Cross in a new form is permitted.
The German cross in gold was modified as follows: the swastika was removed from the middle medallion and replaced by the Iron Cross without a swastika.
In the case of the German Cross in silver, he replaced the swastika War Merit Cross III. empire, again stripped of the swastika.


Sources:
[url=/topic/view/66493/Vyznamenania-a-bojove-odznaky-Tretej-rise-1-diel-Svetozar-Pavlik] ]
Svetozár Pavlík
Kozak-Press Publishing House 2007
ISBN 978-80-969292-6-9


Awards of the German Empire 1936-1945.
K.G. Klietmann
Stuttgart, 2004
ISBN 3-87943-689-4
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Nemecky-kriz-t72637#257274 Version : 0
War Order of the German Cross in gold with brilliants
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Nemecky-kriz-t72637#257281 Version : 0
War Order of the German Cross in gold - cloth
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Nemecky-kriz-t72637#257284 Version : 0
War Order of the German Cross in gold - 1957
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Nemecky-kriz-t72637#257285 Version : 0
In October 1942, was the court goldsmith fy Rath Munich ordered the production of 20 units of the German cross in gold with brilliants. You were 12.12.1942 delivered to the chancellery. This rare order of 105 diamonds has been described and shown in the official publication of the chancellery. Never been awarded and became the prey of the americans. Pictured specimen is offered in the upcoming auction of the company Andreas Thies. Is the best preserved pieces in private hands, has never been čistěn, has patina. The starting price is EUR 75 000,-..
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Nemecky-kriz-t72637#577397 Version : 0
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