German Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids German CrossDeutsches Kreuz |
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German Cross in Gold (left) and Silver (right)
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| Presented by | Nazi Germany |
The German Cross (or Deutsches Kreuz in German) was a special military award created by Adolf Hitler on September 28, 1941. It was given out during World War II.
This award came in two main types:
- The Gold German Cross was for soldiers who showed great bravery many times or were excellent leaders in battle.
- The Silver German Cross was for people who did important non-combat work to help the war effort.
The Gold German Cross was considered a very high honor. It was ranked above the Iron Cross First Class. The Silver German Cross was also a high award, ranking above the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords.
Contents
What Was the German Cross?
The German Cross was given in two versions: gold and silver. The color referred to the laurel wreath design around the center.
Gold Version
The gold version was for military members. They received it for showing bravery in combat again and again. It was also given for outstanding leadership on the battlefield. Usually, a person needed to perform 6 to 8 brave acts to get this award.
Silver Version
The silver version was for important services that were not directly in combat. This could include planning, logistics, or other support roles. It was seen as a continuation of the War Merit Cross with swords. If someone received both the silver and gold versions, they would only wear the gold one.
To get the German Cross, a person usually needed to have already received other important awards. These included the Iron Cross (1939) 1st Class or the War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords.
Even though it was a military award, some people in uniformed groups like the police or railway workers could also receive it. Civilians, however, were not eligible.
By August 1944, soldiers who earned the gold class of the Close Combat Clasp often also received the German Cross in Gold.
About 24,204 Gold German Crosses and 1,114 Silver German Crosses were given out.
How It Looked
The German Cross was a star-shaped badge. It had a diameter of 6.5 centimeters (about 2.5 inches). Soldiers wore it on the right side of their uniform jacket.
Cloth Version
From June 1942, a cloth version of the gold award became available. This was easier to wear on combat uniforms. The only metal part was the wreath around the center. The color of the cloth behind the badge matched the branch of service. For example, the army used field grey, the navy used dark blue, and the air force used pale blue.
A very special version, the German Cross in Gold with Diamonds, was made in 1942. Only twenty of these were created. However, this version was never officially given out.
The 1957 Version
After World War II, Germany banned the wearing of awards that showed the swastika. In 1957, the Federal Republic of Germany allowed people to wear new versions of some old war awards.
The German Cross was one of these. In the new version, the swastika was replaced.
- For the gold division, it was replaced with a design of the Iron Cross.
- For the silver division, it was replaced with the War Merit Cross with Swords.
Soldiers in the Bundeswehr (Germany's post-war army) could wear a small copy of the award on a grey ribbon.
Who Received It?
Many soldiers received the German Cross. Here are a few examples of people who received both gold and silver versions:
- Major General Ernst Merk (gold on February 11, 1944; silver on July 6, 1942)
- General Felix Schwalbe (gold on December 7, 1944; silver on November 30, 1943)
- Lieutenant General Bodo Zimmermann (gold on September 25, 1944; silver on February 15, 1943)
Some other notable recipients of the Gold German Cross include:
- SS-Sturmbannführer Wilhelm Mohnke (December 26, 1941)
- Lieutenant General Walter Krupinski (August 27, 1942)
- General of the Artillery Helmuth Weidling (June 23, 1942)
Foreign Recipients
In October 1942, the German Cross in Gold could also be given to soldiers from countries allied with Germany. They received it for the same reasons as German soldiers.
Here are a few examples of foreign recipients of the Gold German Cross:
- Belgium: SS-Standartenführer Léon Degrelle (October 9, 1944)
- Croatia: Lieutenant Cvitan Galić (June 23, 1943)
- Finland: General Erik Heinrichs (August 17, 1943)
- Italy: Marshal Ettore Bastico (December 5, 1942)
- Romania: General Gheorghe Avramescu (October 25, 1942)
- Spain: Major General Emilio Estéban Infantes y Martín (April 9, 1943)
In total, about 26 non-German volunteers from countries like Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, and Norway received the German Cross in Gold.
Nicknames
Some people had nicknames for the German Cross.
- Colonel Hans von Luck called it "Hitler's fried egg" because it looked very flashy.
- Another nickname was "The Party Reflector for the Near-Sighted."
Images for kids
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Award certificate: German Cross in Gold to Count Claus von Stauffenberg 8 May 1943
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Award of a Marine (submarine crew) with the German Cross in Gold (1942)
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Worn on chest pocket of the field blouse (Captain Alfred Jaedtke, 1944)
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Cloth version worn on Luftwaffe flight suit (Lieutenant Siegfried Lemke, 1944)
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Worn on the field uniform by an Oberfeldwebel of the Großdeutschland Division in Central Russia, 1943
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German Cross in Gold (cloth form)
See also
In Spanish: Cruz Alemana para niños
