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Condition: Excellent
Maker: Zimmermann
Pattern: Light
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Product Description: This German Cross in Gold is a very nice example of this scarce and desirable award. This one is made by the firm of C. F. Zimermann, and is the light weight type. The obverse is gorgeous, and shows only light wear. All of the glossy black enamel is present, with light scratches and marks. The central disk shows a light patina over the intact original rhodium finish. The gold wreath remains bright, and the starburst retains most of the original finish, with slight wear that exposes the brass alloy base metal at high points. This textbook original cross shows the expected 11 o’clock die flaw as well as the flaw in the “9” of the date. The reverse of this German Cross in Gold is complete, with no repairs. The hardware setup is standard for this maker, with the typical “20” PKZ code stamped under the pin. The rivets are tight and un-messed with, and the broad attachment pin is functional. This is an impressive award, with great eye appeal. The condition rates as a strong excellent plus.
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-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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