BACKGROUND: The War Order of the German Cross was introduced by Adolf Hitler on September 28TH 1941 in two classes of Gold and Silver. The Gold class Cross was awarded to military personnel for exceptional acts of bravery or achievement in combat while the Silver class was awarded for distinguished acts of service in the war effort. Criteria for bestowal of either Cross included that the recipient must first have been awarded the 1939 Iron Cross 1ST class or the 1939 Bar to the 1914 Iron Cross 1ST class. On introduction of the award a cloth version was also authorized for wear with the color of the base material indicating which branch of service the cross was awarded to with a field-grey base for award to Heer and Waffen-SS personnel, a black base for Panzer personnel, a blue/grey base for Luftwaffe personnel and a navy blue base for Kriegsmarine personnel. The badge was re-issued in 1957 with the Swastika removed.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Five piece, slightly convexed, die struck, tombac and alloy construction badge. The cross features a double, overlaid, eight point, sunburst pattern with the top sunburst layer retaining about 98% of its original black finish. The bottom sunburst layer also retains about 95% of its original silver finish with light to moderate age tarnish. The center of the sunburst pattern has a separate, roughly, 22mm, silver and black Iron Cross encompassed by an embossed, fire gilted, circular, stamped alloy, laurel leaf wreath with the impressed introduction date, "1941", to the bottom on a red enamel base. The red enamel base is visible as a fine outline to either side of the wreath. The solid reverse features four, small, dome headed, retaining rivets, a soldered, hinge (repaired), a heavy, broad, tapered, vertical pin and catch on an oval base plate inset into an oval recess all intact.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $595.00