German Cross in Gold – Otto Klein (134) – Near Mint

Product Description: This is a stunning and absolutely gorgeous near mint example of a German Cross in Gold, one of the most desirable wartime German combat decorations. The eye appeal of this one cannot be overstated. It’s a lightweight version, with a “CupAl” (mechanically bonded copper and aluminum) backplate. The silvering of the backplate and the chemical darkening to the starburst are nearly completely intact, the wreath shows full original fire gilding with virtually no wear. The gloss black enamel to the large central swastika is nearly flawless. The reverse of this exceptional piece exhibits textbook construction, with base plates used under the hinge and catch to reinforce the attachment of the hardware. The center of the reverse is marked “134” indicating manufacture by the firm of Otto Klein in Hanau. The original finish on the reverse shows some age patina but is generally clean. Some extremely minor handling wear is barely present on the very edges. The long, broad pin tapers to a point. The hollow rivets are tight, and every detail is just what one would want to see. It is not at all easy to find a German Cross in Gold as nice as this one. This is a choice cross.

Historical Description: : The German Cross in Gold was instituted on September 28th, 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-point 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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