Condition: Near Mint
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Product Description: This is an outstanding example of a desirable Heer Cloth German Cross in Gold. This is a textbook cross, of the pattern collectors refer to as a Type 3. It is correct in every detail, from the construction and materials to the die flaw present in the “9” of the date. It’s an unissued piece, that was never sewn to a uniform. The obverse is virtually perfect, with all of the original hand-done embroidery in place. The wreath retains all of the original finish, with minimal toning, and no evident wear to the details. The backing fabric is wool, in a pleasant, light field gray shade. There is a very tiny spot on the very edge of one of the lower arms that might be a moth nip. The reverse of this Heer Cloth German Cross in Gold is covered with a typical thick black paper backing, which is completely intact. This cross is a hard-to-find maker marked version, with a manufacturer stamp in white ink on the backing paper. This is an impressive award, that displays exceptionally well. The condition rates as near mint.
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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