German Cross

This page is about the military decoration. For the symbol of the German armed forces, see Iron Cross.

The German Cross (German: Deutsches Kreuz) was begun by Adolf Hitler on 16 November 1941 as an award that was a higher level than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. It was given in two classes: gold and silver (the color of the laurel wreath around the swastika), the gold was given out for bravery, the silver was given out for excellent service.

German Cross in Gold (cloth form)

This award was also available in cloth, which made for easier wear on the combat uniform.

The title of the award is taken from the fact that the swastika is a type of cross.

German Cross Media

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  DeutschesKreuzinGold

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  German Cross In Silver

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  Award certificate: German Cross in Gold to Count Claus von Stauffenberg 8 May 1943

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  Award of a Marine (submarine crew) with the German Cross in Gold (1942)

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  Worn on chest pocket of the field blouse (Captain Alfred Jaedtke, 1944)

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  Cloth version worn on Luftwaffe flight suit (Lieutenant Siegfried Lemke, 1944)

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  Worn on the field uniform by an Oberfeldwebel of the Großdeutschland Division in Central Russia, 1943

References

• For Führer and Fatherland: military awards of the Third Reich by LTC John R. Angolia. 1976 R. James Bender Publishing. ISBN 0-912138-14-9