German Cross in Gold Cased – 134 – Otto Klein

Product Description: This German Cross in Gold Cased is a very fine and desirable artifact, that could be a highlight of an advanced collection of German combat awards. The cross is a lightweight version, that is completely original and textbook, with a CupAl base. The obverse shows only very slight wear, with some small scratches to the black enamel of the swastika and minor wear to the wreath and to the silvered central roundel. The starburst outside the wreath is nice and clean, with crisp detail to the rays. The reverse of this impressive award is marked with the Präsidialkanzlei number “134,” indicating manufacture by the firm of Otto Klein. The hardware and rivets are perfect and unmessed with, and the “banjo” style pin functions flawlessly. This cross is complete with a nice early case which is correct for this cross. The insert inside is velvet lined, with some wear to the surface where the award sits. The silk lid lining and hinge cover are intact and show only minor expected age toning. The leatherette exterior of the case is outstanding, with all of the original finish intact. The lid is trimmed in gold, indicating the grade of the cross. The hinge and push button are intact and functional. This German Cross in Gold Cased is a choice and very impressive piece. The condition is excellent.

Historical Description: The German Cross in Gold was instituted on September 28^th, 1941.  The German High Command saw it necessary to create an award which would bridge the gap between the Iron Cross First Class and the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross.  Once instituted, the German Cross became Germany’s second highest military decoration, second only to the Knights Cross and its subsequent grades.  The German Cross was similar to the Knights Cross in regards that the award was not based off of any previous awards in German history.  It was a unique creation which also ended with the war.  There were approximately 26,000 recipients of the German Cross in Gold.  This number, however, does not reflect the total amount of German Crosses produced.

The German Cross was actually not a cross at all. It took on the form of an eight-pointed star, resembling some of the former breast awards of the Imperial era.  The award came in two forms, a metal version and a cloth version.  The metal version being the most complex of the two, it consisted of five separate pieces being fitted and held together using four to twelve rivets depending on who the manufacturer was. The cloth version follows the exact same design as the metal produced version except the entire cross is cloth with the exception of the laurel wreath still being metal.

Known Manufacturers: Deschler & Sohn, Munchen; C.E. Juncker, Berlin; C.F. Zimmermann, Pforzheim; Gebruder Godet, Berlin; Otto Klein, Hanau

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