BACKGROUND: On July 13TH 1934 Reichspräsident and Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg instituted the Cross of Honor series of awards to recognize service and commemorate the sacrifices of the German population in WWI. The design of the award was based on the Honor Medal of 1870-1871, and was rendered in three grades of Combatant's Cross, Non-combatant's Cross and Next-of-Kin Cross for parents and widows of those fallen in battle. The Combatant's Cross had the addition of swords emanating upwards between its arms, while the Non-combatant's Cross and Next-of-Kin Cross didn’t feature the swords.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Die struck, magnetic sheet metal award with a bronze wash. The award is in the form of a cross Patté with a central circular motif featuring an embossed laurel leaf wreath encompassing the embossed dates, "1914-1918", on a smooth background field. The cross doesn’t have the swords emanating upwards between its arms, indicating a non-combatant's award. The bronze wash is fully retained. The cross has a plain reverse with embossed initials, "PS". The cross ribbon suspension loop and ring are both intact and the cross comes complete with a piece of parade mounted original ribbed ribbon. The ribbon is dual fold mounted on a piece of metal alloy with pin back device and retaining hook intact to the reverse. Red wool backing. Nice example.