Military Order of the German Cross (Der Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes)
(Der Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes) or simply german cross (Deutschen Kreuzes) - German award of the Third Reich, which took an intermediate link between the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Military Order of the German Cross Established by Hitler on September 28, 1941, two years after the outbreak of World War II. Another name for the German Cross is the Eastern Star. The award was designed by Robert Klein.
Military Order of the German Cross had two degrees. Awards of different degrees differed from each other with a wreath around the swastika. I degree had a golden wreath and was awarded for bravery on the battlefield. II degree had a silver wreath and was awarded for skillful command without personal participation in hostilities. The degrees of the German Cross were independent of each other. To receive the Military Order of the German Cross (Eastern Star), it was necessary to receive the Iron Cross 1st class. To receive the Silver German Cross, it was necessary to have the Military Merit Cross 1st class.
Military Order of the German Cross had quite complex structure among the awards. The first batch of the German Cross was produced by Deschler. The award consisted of five main elements, not counting rivets, pins, eyelets and hooks. The basis of the order was a silver eight-pointed star with a diameter of approximately 63 mm. The same dark-colored star was superimposed on it, but thinner and of a smaller diameter - about 59 mm. A slightly convex silver disk 40.2 mm in diameter with a wide red border was superimposed on top. A swastika, painted with black or blue-black enamel, is attached to the disk with the help of folding tendrils. The swastika had a silver border. A wreath with the inscription "1941" at the bottom was attached to the red edge of the disk. The wreath for the order of the 1st degree was made of gold, for the 2nd degree - of silver. At first, all the details of the order were made from tombac (a kind of brass with a content of 88-97% copper and up to 10% zinc), later - from cheaper nickel.
Military Order of the German Cross fastened to clothing with a wide flat pin fastened with a soldered hook. A cross was worn in the center of the right pocket of the tunic. In the absence of a pocket (Kriegsmarine uniform) - 12 cm below the national emblem. Military Order of the German Cross had priority over all awards worn on the right side of the chest, except for the Order of the Blood.
First awards German cross took place on October 18, 1941. 38 servicemen were awarded. In total, 24,204 people were awarded the Golden German Cross, of which 14 were foreigners. 1114 people were awarded the Silver German Cross, foreigners were not awarded. The award was presented in a case, inside which was covered with black velvet, and the lid was covered with white satin. Outside, the case was pasted over with black shagreen leather or paper embossed under the skin.
Military Order of the German Cross- a rather impressive award in terms of weight (69-70 gr.) and dimensions. Therefore, on June 5, 1942, a fabric version of the award was established for the German Cross in Gold. It was embroidered on a cloth basis in the form of an eight-pointed star. Three base colors were used: gray for ground forces and SS troops, blue-gray for the Luftwaffe and black for tank units and the Kriegsmarine. But one detail of the fabric version remained metal - a wreath with the inscription "1941" at the bottom. It was attached to the fabric with the help of bent antennae.
In 1942, the third version of the order was established. Military Order of the German Cross in gold and diamonds. It differed from the gold version of the German Cross only by the presence of diamonds on the wreath. The award took an intermediate place between the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and the Knight's Cross. In total, 20 copies of the award were made, but none of them found its owner. All copies of the award were kept until the end of the war in Klesheim Castle. After the capture of the castle by the Americans, all the awards of the German Cross in gold and diamonds were awarded to soldiers. Only three of them subsequently ended up in museums.
Military Order of the German Cross(Eastern star) was worn on the right pocket of the tunic. If the recipient had two degrees of the cross, then the German cross was worn in gold (I degree), although two degrees could be worn at once, but the cross in gold was located above the cross in silver.
On the day of the German attack on Poland, the Reich Chancellor and Fuhrer of Germany, Adolf Hitler, by his decree, revived the Iron Cross, an award created by King Friedrich Wilhelm. This order was the only one adopted by the Third Reich from Prussia and the previous empire. The decree introduced not only the Iron, but also the Knight's Cross - the highest degree of the previous one. This award is an important symbol of the era of Nazi Germany.
Continuity
The knighthood was not a novelty for Germany; many Prussian, Bavarian and Baden orders had it. The highest award outwardly looked the same as the usual Iron Crosses (except that it was larger in size). At the same time, the dimensions of the order could vary depending on the manufacturer. The Knight's Cross was produced by the firms of Juncker, Schneinhauer, Quenzer and Klein. Some of them made the order 48-48 mm in size, others - 49-50 mm.
The knightly one was made in the same way as the crosses of less prestigious degrees, but at the same time it was different best quality elaboration of individual details (especially side surfaces). A small eye was soldered to the award (more precisely, its upper beam). A ring was threaded into it, designed for a tape 45 mm wide. The order had a characteristic frame, which was made of 800 silver.
Features of the award
It is curious that usually the recipient did not wear the Knight's Cross itself, but only its duplicate, while the original was kept in a secluded place. This was done in order not to lose or damage the relic. Especially often copies were worn in a combat situation.
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was presented in a rectangular box. It was lined with white silk on the inside and covered with black leather on the outside. Not only a cross, but also an obligatory ribbon was invested in the award case. A memorable addition was a diploma made in the printing house, which was placed in an embossed folder. As a rule, the Knight's Cross was awarded to the owner by the commander of his unit. The ritual was carried out in a solemn atmosphere. The award could go to the front for quite a long time, passing through several hands at once along the way. Delivery delays were a particularly frequent occurrence at the start of the war. Most of all, the pilots were waiting for their well-deserved reward.
"Regulations"
Like all the Third Reich, the cross was awarded for certain achievements in battle. For example, a Luftwaffe pilot could receive the highest award only by scoring 20 points (they were awarded for downed enemy aircraft). Over time, the bar grew. In addition, it depended on the theater of operations: for the Knight's Cross on the Soviet front, twice as many vehicles had to be destroyed than in air battles in the rest of Europe or North Africa.
The Navy needed to sink ships with a total displacement of 100,000 tons. In this case, submarine commanders were almost always awarded. For the ground forces of the 3rd Reich, the wording turned out to be more vague (“For courage on the battlefield”).
Statistics
For several years of existence, 7361 people were awarded the Knight's Cross (according to other sources, 7365). There was not a single woman among the knights, but there were several dozen foreigners who fought for Germany's allies. The statistics of awards by titles are curious. Most of the Knight's Crosses were received by captains / captains-lieutenants (1523) and chief lieutenants (1225).
The first awarding of the prestigious order took place at the end of the first month of the war unleashed by the 3rd Reich. On September 30, 13 people who took part in the successfully completed Polish campaign received their Knight's Crosses. Among the Cavaliers, the most prominent figure was Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, who commanded the German Navy. All of these men were military leaders who were noted for excellence in leadership. With the wording “For Courage”, he was the first to receive the coveted cross (he commanded the submarine U-47). In 1939, only 27 holders of the Knight's Cross appeared, and most of the crosses were awarded in 1944 (2466).
Second degree
In total, the Knight's Cross had five degrees, the first of which was the Knight's Cross itself. A few months after the start of the World War in June 1940, the German leadership decided to establish an even more outstanding award, intended for the military who showed special heroism. This is how the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with oak leaves appeared. This award went only to gentlemen of the first degree.
(symbol of distinction) were fixed just above the cross, where there was a loop for the tape. The decoration was a badge made of silver. He depicted three oak leaves - a heraldic figure common since the Middle Ages. In some cases, on European coats of arms, they were depicted together with acorns, but in the case of the Knight's Cross, it was decided to refuse the fruits.
Cavaliers
The first Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves was awarded to Eduard Dietl, Lieutenant General, who commanded the mountain rifle corps "Norway. One of the last holders of the order is considered to be naval officer Adalbert von Blank. Most of all, he became famous precisely at the final stage of the war. In 1944, Blank headed the 9th security division, then took part in the evacuation of the Germans from Courland. In addition, he provided support to the retreating ground formations of the Wehrmacht. In May 1945 Blank was interned by British troops. The officer was lucky - he managed to continue his military career in Germany. He served until 1964, when he received the rank of admiral and retired.
Third degree
In the autumn of 1941, the Knight's Cross award acquired the next and already the third degree - the Knight's Cross with oak leaves and swords. The decree on its establishment was signed by the Fuhrer, chief of the Wehrmacht High Command and Imperial Minister of the Interior Wilhelm Frick.
The new sign consisted of oak leaves identical to the previous award, to which a pair of crossed swords was added. The order was made of high quality silver jewelry. On his reverse side the manufacturer's label was affixed. A moire ribbon of red and white colors was attached to the cross. During the Second World War, 160 people became owners of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, 55 of whom served in the Luftwaffe. Only one foreigner received this award. They were the Japanese Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Yamamoto Ishiroku.
Aces Awards
Air Lieutenant Colonel became the first recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He commanded the 51st Fighter Squadron. At first, the new order was awarded exclusively to pilots. So the third gentleman was Walter Oesau. It is noteworthy that military service he started in an artillery regiment. Like many others German pilots World War II, Oesau first became famous back in Spain, where he was listed as part of the famous Condor Legion. During the new campaign, he participated in the battles over France and in the Battle of England. Oesau never visited the eastern front, but destroyed many aircraft in the sky of the Netherlands. On May 11, 1944, he was shot down near the Belgian city of Saint-Vitus. On account of Oesau 118 enemy aircraft and 430 sorties.
fourth degree
The fourth degree of the Knight's Cross appeared simultaneously with the third and fifth degrees (it was the Knight's Cross with oak leaves, swords and diamonds). The award was not stamped, but made by hand by the best German craftsmen. Silver 935-carat was in the hands of experienced jewelers, who at the end of their work decorated the order with a scattering of 50 small diamonds. Their total weight was almost 3 carats, and the weight of the entire sign was 28 grams. Both the cross and the clip for it were made by hand.
For everyday wear, the recipient was given two copies of lower-grade materials at once. Only 27 people received the German Knight's Cross with oak leaves, swords and diamonds (there were no foreigners among them).
Werner Melders
The debutant of the Knight's Cross of the fourth degree was Werner Melders, a fighter pilot with the rank of colonel. This ace was the son of a teacher who died during the First World War in France, so his choice of a military career was a foregone conclusion from childhood. Melders was educated at the Dresden Academy and the sapper school in Munich.
In 1934, the career of the future order bearer took a sharp turn - he was transferred to the Luftwaffe. The pilot received his first combat experience in the sky over Spain, where he was flying Civil War. Therefore, he began the Second World War, already possessing outstanding experience. The first victory was not long in coming. In September 1939, near Merzig, Melders shot down a French Hawk fighter.
The ace made his last sortie in the Crimea. It crashed in November 1941 on the way to Berlin, where another famous Luftwaffe pilot, Ernst Udet, was buried. Melders' plane crashed to the ground after hitting electrical wiring. The pilot made more than 300 sorties, shooting down 115 enemy aircraft.
fifth degree
The highest award in the Wehrmacht was the Knight's Cross with golden oak leaves, swords and diamonds. The uniqueness of this order was that for the entire time of its existence it went to only one person. It turned out to be Hans Rudel, an aviation colonel who received an award on the first day of the new year 1945. By the end of the war, he was the most productive attack pilot. The figure of Rudel was chosen as indicative - the highest award could not go to just anyone.
Hans was born into a pastor's family and joined the Nazi organization at a young age. He spent the Polish campaign as the commander of a reconnaissance aircraft. Then the pilot himself asked to be transferred to a much more dangerous attack aircraft. A period of retraining followed. In April 1941, Rudel was assigned to a squadron of Immelmann dive bombers. The pilot fought on the Soviet front, distinguished himself in the Leningrad and Moscow areas. In total, Rudel made more than 2.5 thousand sorties, destroyed about 500 tanks, 800 armored vehicles, sank dozens of landing craft and the battleship Marat. After the war, a convinced Nazi moved to Latin America, where he was remembered as an active revanchist.
"I want everyone..."
War Merit Crosses and "Hitler's Fried Eggs"
In addition to various degrees of Germany's highest military award - the Iron Cross - many servicemen of the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine were awarded other orders that were lower in status than the Iron Cross, but also noted the merits and deeds of German soldiers, and therefore were also respected and desired. Next in importance after the Iron Cross in Germany were the Military Merit Cross and the German Cross, also known as the "Eastern Star".
War Merit Cross
Established on September 18, 1939. The Military Merit Cross, established shortly after the start of the war, became an integral part of the award system of the Third Reich, filling the gap that existed in it at the junction of civil and military activities of the German population.
As mentioned in a previous post, during the 1st World War statesmen, civilians and auxiliary military personnel were awarded for outstanding merits in the military field, however, not directly related to hostilities, with the same Iron Cross as soldiers and officers who showed courage on the battlefield. The only difference was in the colors of the sash, which at the cross for non-combat merit were the opposite colors of the military Iron Cross.
However, by 1939, it became obvious that in the conditions of a total mechanized war, when millions of citizens of the state were required to fully mobilize their forces to work in the rear, in shipyards, weapons depots, and in factories, it became necessary to separate military and non-combat awards. First of all, this was required in order, without reducing the prestige of the front-line order, to encourage thousands of honored figures of the Reich and ordinary citizens who provide the Wehrmacht with everything necessary.
For this purpose, on October 18, 1939, the Military Merit Cross was established, which had the form of a Maltese cross; it was intended to reward diplomats, security officers and other persons who were not directly on the front line, but whose contribution to the course of the war can hardly be overestimated.
Initially, the cross had only two classes - 1st and 2nd - but as the need arose, the Military Merit Medal and the Knight's Cross for Military Merit were later established. In addition, there were Military Merit Crosses with swords; they were intended for those whose actions in terms of personal bravery were higher than direct duties, but still did not reach the criteria necessary for awarding the Iron Cross. The cross with swords was issued to those who were in the combat zone, but whose actions were carried out either not under direct enemy fire, or were not related to the planning of military operations. All representatives of the Wehrmacht, as well as foreign allies of Germany, were eligible for this award.
The Military Merit Cross without swords marked general meritorious actions. It was awarded to military, medical, administrative personnel, as well as civilians who made a significant contribution to the overall military effort far from the front line. The status of this award implied full age and social equality of all citizens from the imperial minister or diplomat to the garbage collector at a military factory.
To receive a higher class of the cross, it was necessary to have a previous degree, although in some cases both classes were awarded at the same time. Both degrees were worn in the same way as the Iron Crosses: in the buttonhole - a ribbon of the 2nd class, on the left chest - a cross of the 1st class. If a cross with swords was awarded to a holder of a cross without swords, then he replaced his predecessor on the tunic (or civil dress) of the recipient. Initially, the decree on establishment established that the Knight of the Iron Cross could not be awarded the Military Merit Cross, but on September 28, 1941, this restriction was lifted.
The Military Merit Cross could be awarded to a firm or company, an ammunition factory, or a transport ship. By the way, this principle of rewarding enterprises was borrowed from the Soviet system and recognized, in particular, by the Reich Minister military industry Speer, highly effective in terms of stimulating labor collectives.
War Merit Cross 2nd Class 
The Military Merit Cross 2nd Class was made from bronze alloys, which lost their most valuable components (primarily copper) over the course of the war, so that the last crosses had a pronounced gray tint.
In an official setting or at a parade, the cross was worn on a ribbon in general group with other awards. In other cases, only a ribbon was worn, threaded through the second buttonhole of the tunic from the top or on a block above the left breast pocket. In the buttonhole, the ribbon of the Military Merit Cross was to be placed below the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class, but above the ribbon of the Winter Campaign Medal in the East, although the latter was often placed in front due to the high prestige of this medal in the army environment. Thus, the Military Merit Cross was one of the top three awards (together with the Iron Cross and the Eastern Medal), the ribbons of which were honored to be placed in everyday wear in the order buttonhole of the uniform.
According to statistics, this award was much more massive than the Iron Cross: more than 7.5 million people received the Military Merit Cross 2nd class (against 2.7 million in the case of the Iron Cross). Moreover, the Military Merit Cross 2nd class without swords was received by 1,591,567 people, and the Military Merit Cross 2nd class with swords - 6,134,950 people.
War Merit Cross 1st Class 
The Military Merit Cross 1st Class was a much rarer and more respected award. It is worth noting that this degree was also awarded to factories and companies producing military products that managed to significantly exceed the established industrial quotas.
The front side of the cross and its dimensions remained exactly the same as those of the 2nd class cross. The reverse side (reverse) was flat and had a mount in the form of a vertical pin (some crosses were equipped with a screw mount, which was very popular, as more reliable). Both types of cross - without swords and with swords - were made of zinc alloy and covered with silver. A number of crosses, apparently made during the initial period of the war, were made entirely of solid 800 silver. After some time, the silver-plated crosses lost part of their amalgam, revealing gray spots of the main alloy, which in no way affected their prestige. As with other orders and medals, the holder of this degree of the Military Merit Cross could order an official copy of it for daily use.
The 1st class cross was worn on the left pocket of the tunic. When presenting the version with swords, the person who was previously awarded the non-combat version without swords now wore only a cross with swords.
The 1st class cross without swords was awarded for high achievements in service or other activities aimed at helping to achieve victory. They were marked by diplomats, party functionaries, camp workers and other persons whose actions had a significant effect. The Military Merit Cross with Swords was awarded to military personnel for bravery and achievements in service not related to direct confrontation with the enemy. The Military Merit Cross 1st Class without Swords was awarded to 91,239 people, the Military Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords was awarded to 83,603 people.
Military Merit Medal 
The Military Merit Medal was established ten months after the Military Merit Cross, as too many decorations in the initial period, especially among the civilian population, threatened the prestige of the order. Realizing this, on August 19, 1940, Hitler introduced the military merit medal as the lowest degree of the cross of the same name.
The medal was strictly a civilian award and did not have a "with swords" version. Especially often it was awarded to workers who overfulfilled the norms when working on military orders. Enterprises with a large number of awarded personnel, in turn, were also awarded the Military Merit Cross 1st class without swords. This innovation of Albert Speer (however, not his invention) was intended to serve as an incentive and a propaganda tool in national economy III Reich.
Knight's Cross for Military Merit 
The Knight's Cross for Military Merit was instituted on 19 August 1940 at the same time as the Medal of the Cross for Military Merit. His rank in the German award system was above the Golden German Cross, but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Very few people were awarded this award, so it was very much appreciated, especially in the circles of the Nazi elite. The presentation of the Knight's Cross was usually accompanied by a solemn ceremony with the participation of Hitler and high-ranking military and party officials. On the last year war, the Golden Knight's Cross for military merit was established - as the highest degree of the order. But only a few managed to receive this award.
The shape and all the details of the cross remained the same, but its size increased. The cross was made entirely of silver from the 800th to the 935th test. The cross was worn like the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on a sash around the neck.
The Knight's Cross could be received by those who already had two previous degrees of the Military Merit Cross. Recommendations for awards went directly to Hitler, who personally approved or rejected the proposed candidates. Since the candidates were usually high-ranking officials, notifications of their rejection were made informally, without publicity. Also, some awards were not made public when they concerned those to whom professional activity should not have attracted undue attention (designers, scientists, prominent production workers). In total, 216 cases of awarding the Knight's Cross for military merit with swords and 118 without swords are known. But since, as mentioned above, not all awards have been made public, these figures are most likely underestimated. One of the holders of the Knight's Cross with swords was the chief of the Imperial Security Main Office, Ernst Kaltenbrunner; Gestapo chief Heinrich Müller also had this award.
It is interesting that Hitler, in a memorandum of August 27, 1943, defining the award criteria, ordered not to honor prominent "Parteigenosses" with this award, due to the fact that the Order of the German Eagle existed to reward the political leaders of the Reich.
It was no longer supposed to add any enhancing accessories, such as oak leaves or diamonds, to the Knight's Cross. However, Albert Speer, who, as Reich Minister of Armaments, was interested in the development of this particular award, drew Hitler's attention to the need for a higher degree of the Knight's Cross for military merit. And as a result, on October 13, 1944, the Golden Knight's Cross for military merit was established. This degree was already quoted above the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, but below the same cross with the Oak Leaves. The cross was made of silver, followed by gilding, with and without swords. Until the end of the war, only 21 awards with the Golden Knight's Cross were made (only without swords); moreover, two awards took place on Hitler's last birthday - April 20, 1945.
Military Order of the German Cross 
Despite the already established set of military awards that existed in the Reich during the first two years of the 2nd World War, it soon became necessary to fill a rather large gap (in terms of award criteria) between the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This gap was especially noticeable when rewarding Luftwaffe employees: if in 1941 the Iron Cross of the 1st class was awarded to bomber pilots for 25 sorties, and to fighter pilots for 5 victories, then the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was already awarded for 200 sorties ( bombers) or 40 victories (fighters).
As a result, a new award was established on September 28, 1941 to fill this vacuum - the Military Order of the German Cross, OR Colloquially the German Cross (it was also often called the "Eastern Star"). The German cross had two degrees:
in gold - for courage shown in the face of the enemy on the battlefield;
in silver - for success in command without personal participation in hostilities.
Thus the Golden German Cross was directly related to the Iron Cross and required the candidate to have an Iron Cross 1st Class in order to receive it, while the Silver variant was close to the Military Merit Cross, of which 1st Class was required. to receive the Silver German Cross. It should be noted that, despite the connection of the German Cross with the Iron Cross, it cannot be considered as a step towards obtaining the Knight's Cross. It was a completely independent award between the Iron Cross 1st class and his knighthood. Many holders of the German Cross did not receive the Knight's Cross, while many holders of the Knight's Cross did not have the German.
The appearance of the German Cross was uncharacteristic for the rest of the military awards of the III Reich - it did not look like a cross, but an octagonal star (hence its unofficial name "Eastern Star"). On top of this star was superimposed a convex silver enameled disk with a swastika fixed on it; the disk was edged with a relief wreath with the date "1941" at the bottom. Depending on the degree of the cross, the wreath was either silver-plated or gilded. Only this was the difference between the silver and gold crosses. Of course, this cross has become the most complex in design of all the military awards of the III Reich. The first crosses turned out to be quite heavy, but later they were made of nickel, which significantly reduced the weight of the order.
The cross was attached to the uniform by means of a wide flat pin and a rod soldered on the reverse side. Many owners of the cross ordered an official copy (as in the case of the Iron Cross), which had differences in the method of attachment and workmanship.
In order to be presented for the award of the German Cross, it was necessary to complete from 6 to 12 special difficult tasks. The first submission to the order took place on October 18, 1941 - 38 people received the award at once. In total, over 25 thousand people were awarded the German Cross during the war years, the vast majority of them received the Golden German Cross (more than 24 thousand people). The "gold" version of the award was awarded to: in the ground forces - 14.639 people, in the Navy - 1.481, in the Luftwaffe - 7.248, in the police and SS - 822; 14 awards were received by foreigners. The number of those awarded the "Silver" version of the award was: in the ground forces - 874 people, in the Kriegemarin - 105, in the Luftwaffe - 65, in the SS and police - 70 people.
The German cross was a very cumbersome award, and therefore heavy, and it was not cheap. Even lighter versions of the cross, made in the later period of the war, did not solve the problem that arose in the cramped space of the cockpit of an aircraft, tank or submarine. This was the reason for the creation of a cloth version of the cross for everyday wear, presented on June 5, 1942. The fabric version was officially sanctioned and only made for the Golden German Cross. It was embroidered on a cloth substrate in the form of an octagonal star, the color of which approximately repeated the three main colors of the uniform of the German armed forces: gray for the ground forces and SS troops, blue-gray for the Luftwaffe and black for the Kriegsmarine and tank units. Interestingly, the fabric execution of the German Cross was of a fairly high quality, unlike many fabric versions of other German awards. At the same time, one of the details of the cross in the "soft" version remained the same as on the metal one. It was a golden wreath with fatal Soviet Union the number "1941", which was stamped from metal.
In 1942, Hitler added another class to the German Cross - the Golden German Cross with Diamonds. The order was almost identical to the first two degrees, with the exception of small diamonds placed on a gold wreath. 20 copies of such a cross were made, but none of them was ever awarded.
A cross was worn in the center of the right breast pocket of the tunic, and on the naval uniform, which did not have breast pockets, it was 12 cm below the national emblem. At the same time, the cross had priority over other “right-handed” awards, with the exception of the Order of the Blood - a medal in memory of the Beer Putsch of 1923.
According to the statute of this award, both degrees of the German Cross could be received by one person. In this case, only the "golden degree" was worn, although photographic evidence of the simultaneous wearing of both degrees is occasionally found.
It is curious that many German soldiers were not satisfied with the unusual design of the order; these people considered it tasteless and even ugly. So, for example, the best tank commander of the corps of General Rommel, Hans von Luck, who was awarded the Golden German Cross for his exploits, was quite surprised by his appearance. He recalled: “I was shocked: a large and clumsy star with a huge swastika in the middle ... We immediately gave this monster a new nickname: “Hitler’s scrambled eggs.” I would never wear this thing if I didn't have to visit the headquarters "...
Order of the German Cross in Gold
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
They were awarded only for military merit. To be awarded this degree, one had to have the Iron Cross 1st class.
The order has the form of an eight-pointed metal star. In the very center, on a white background, is a swastika framed by a laurel wreath. Depending on the degree of the order, the wreath has either gold or silver coating, respectively. The number 1941 is placed on the wreath. The German cross was attached to a hairpin on the right side of the uniform under the breast pocket.
In the case of awarding both degrees of the German Cross, only the German Cross in gold was worn. The brand was affixed on a pin or on the reverse of the order.
In 1942, more than high degree orders - German cross in gold with diamonds (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold mit Brillianten). But there were no awards for this order.
On June 5, 1942, a variation of the German Cross was established, made entirely of fabric, because due to its large size and weight it was not convenient to wear, especially for pilots, tankers and submariners. The workmanship of the fabric award was very high. This version of the German Cross was made in three colors, depending on the types of troops:
for the Wehrmacht and SS troops, the award field is gray
for the Luftwaffe - blue-gray
for tank troops and kriegsmarine - black
The German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) was awarded to:
in the Wehrmacht - 14639 people;
in the Luftwaffe - 7248 people;
in the Kriegsmarine - 1481 people;
in the SS and police - 822 people.
Order of the German Cross in silver
Deutsches Kreuz in Silver
The only difference between the two types of cross was the material from which the laurel wreath was made. The golden cross is gold, the silver cross is silver.
The swastika was made of black enamel with a thin silver outline. On many early examples, the swastika had a peculiar black and blue hue. In addition, the first crosses were much lighter than their later versions, which were made from nickel by that time.
The Order of the Harman Cross was created as a transitional step from the Iron Cross First Class to the Knight's Cross. At the time the award was created, the German army had reached the peak of its glory, and the award was prepared specifically to honor the troops that stormed the walls of Moscow. The award was developed in two versions: gold and silver. Soldiers who showed courage directly on the battlefield were awarded in gold, while the silver version was awarded for competent leadership and decision-making, which ultimately led to victory in the battle.
Order of the German Cross in gold with diamonds
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold mit Brillanten
In 1942, the highest degree of the order was established - the German Cross in gold with diamonds.(Deutsches Kreuz in Gold mit Brillianten).But no one was awarded this kind of order.
Order of the German Cross in Gold
Deutsches Kreuz in Goldsewn version
Order of the German Cross in silver
Deutsches Kreuz in Silber sewn version
THE PHOTO IS NOT AVAILABLE, WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE PROVIDED PHOTOS
Holders of the Order of the German Cross from left to right: Otto Ernst Roemer (Wehrmacht), Hans Joachim Freiherr von Dr. Hans Joachim (SS-Sturmbannführer),Theodor Burchardi Theodor Burchardi (Kriegsmarine), Siegfried Gerstner (Luftwaffe)
Order of the Blood
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 9. November 1923,
Blutorden
Order of the Blood (translated into German: Blutorden), the official party award of the NSDAP in memory of the Munich beer putsch, November 9, 1923 official name on German Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 9 November 1923. This medal was one of the most prestigious in the Nazi Party. The order was established in March 1934, the medal was made of silver, with an eagle with a wreath in its claws and the date November 9 on the front side. On the reverse side is the hall of fame of the Bavarian commanders and the inscription UND IHR HABT DOCH GESIEGT (and yet we won).
If the owner of the order left the party, he was obliged to hand over the medal.
16 women were awarded the Order of the Blood, two of which were Eleanor Bohr and Emma Schneider and 14 from Austria.
Total awarded with the order during the period of the Nazi regime did not exceed 6,000 people.
The photo shows one of the first order bearers Emil Maurice Oberster SA-Führer (Supreme SA Leader)
The full set of documents for the award is presented in the photo below.
Medal for long service in the NSDAP
Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP
The NSDAP party award for long service was established by the personal order of Adolf Hitler on 2 Apr. 1939 to reward party members who have served 10, 15, 25 years, with conscientious performance of their duties.
To receive the award, you must have been a member of the NSDAP for 10, 15 or 25 years, respectively.
1st degree - For 25 years of service in the NSDAP2nd degree - For 15 years of service in the NSDAP
3rd degree - For 10 years of service in the NSDAP
Membership in the NSDAP before February 1925 was not taken into account in the calculation of seniority. The period from February 1925 to January 30, 1933, considered the “time of struggle” (Kampfzeit), was counted doubly. The experience was taken into account for those who had previously been in organizations: SS, NSKK, NSFC, NSBO, DAF, National Socialist Union of German Students, as well as various NSDAP youth organizations.
Medal for 25 years of service in the NSDAP 
Medal for 15 years of service in the NSDAP 
Medal for 10 years of service in the NSDAP (was sold on the website)
Party badge of the NSDAP
Ehrenzeichen der NSDAP
Colonel General Eduard Dietlwith a gold NSDAP party badge on the left pocket of his uniform
Jo Rivett's auto book in his book The Party Badge will help us get acquainted with all the varieties of this sign.
For the first time, the author describes in detail the history of the NSDAP party sign, its development, numerous types and varieties by manufacturer. The book contains mmore technical and historical information in detail.By no one and never this topic has not been so deeply studied and described in detail and detail.A large chapter on the Golden Party Badge concludes this book. 
Assault infantry badge
Infanterie Stumabzeichen
For sale on the site
German award in the form of a badge, which was awarded to soldiers and officers of the ground forces of the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS.
The silver version of the award was presented to:
Hitler Youth - Hitlerjugend - Hitler's Youth, paramilitary Nazi youth organization, the main personnel reserve of the NSDAP. It was created by a decree of December 1, 1936. Reichsugendführer Baldur von Schirach, who reported directly to Hitler, was placed at its head. Youth membership in the Hitler Youth was mandatory.
Hitler, who believed that the existence of a thousand-year-old Reich could only be ensured through appropriate education younger generation, declared: "An unusually active, imperious, cruel youth - that's what I will leave behind. In our knight's castles we will raise a youth before which the world will shudder... Youth should be indifferent to pain. There should be no weakness or tenderness in it. I want to see the brilliance of a predatory beast in her eyes ... "
The law of 1936 stated that the German youth must be educated "in the physical, spiritual and morale in the spirit of National Socialism, serving the people and the national community. "All the youth clubs and unions that previously existed in Germany became part of the Hitler Youth, which covered about 60% of German youth. On March 25, 1938, an order was issued regulating the structure of the Hitler Youth. Organization covered German youth aged 10 to 18 and was divided into age categories.
Junior Group: Boys aged 10 to 14 - Deutsche Jungvolk - German Youth 
from 14 to 18 years old - Hitler Youth
Women's organization within the "Hitler Youth": girls aged 10 to 14 - "Jungmedelbunde" ("Girls' Union");
From 14 to 18 years old - "Bund Deutscher Medel" ("Union of German Girls").
The admission and education of members of the Hitler Youth was carefully regulated. Every year on March 15, every boy who reached the age of ten was required to register at the Imperial Youth Headquarters. After carefully studying the information about the child and his family, where Special attention was given to his "racial purity", he was considered "free from shame" and enrolled in the younger age group - jungvolk. This was followed by a solemn reception ceremony, timed to coincide with the Fuhrer's birthday (April 20), in the presence of high party leadership.
The transition to the next age group also took place solemnly and pompously. Young people who had reached the age of 18 could join the National Socialist Party and then the SA or SS.
From the age of 19, young Nazis carried a mandatory 6-month labor service in special labor camps, where they mastered any profession and were accustomed to strict discipline.
Then followed two - three years of military service in the ranks of the Wehrmacht.
Thus, German youth aged 10 to 21 were constantly under vigilant Nazi control.
The leadership of the Hitler Youth tried by any means to attract young people, organizing sports competitions, hiking trips, youth gatherings, international meetings with members of youth fascist associations in Italy and other countries. There were regular pilgrimages to Braunau, Hitler's homeland. Any young man could find something interesting for himself in the activities of the Hitler Youth: art or folk crafts, aircraft modeling, journalism, music, sports, etc.
With the beginning of the 2nd World War, members of the Hitler Youth were collecting blankets and clothes for soldiers, sending parcels to the front. Every hour was occupied to the limit, and the youth barely had time for their families. Most parents did not object to such a routine, and as a result, teenagers did not form other than Nazi, ethical and worldview views, which, in fact, was the goal of the Nazi education of the younger generation.
As early as September 6, 1935, speaking at the Nuremberg Party Congress, where 54 thousand German youths marched in front of the stands, Hitler formulated the educational criteria of Nazism: “We do not need intellectual exercises. Knowledge is destructive for my youth ... In our opinion, the young German of the future should be slender and agile, quick as a greyhound, supple as leather and hard as Krupp steel."
The organization ceased to exist after the defeat of the Third Reich.
Badge of a member of the Association of German Gardeners
Reichsbund deutsche kleingartner
The sign is two-part, the basis of the sign is made of bronze, the coating is silver plating, hot enamel. The false eagle is made in aluminum. Manufacturer's mark on the reverse. Type of fittings on two rivets. Sign size 27 x 18 mm
November 24th, 2011At the request of my friend Netumenya (by the way - an excellent magazine, I advise everyone http://netumenya.livejournal.com/) I decided to make a few posts about the reward system of the Third Reich. And also about the system of awards of the United States of America.
Let's start with the Germans. This state existed for a little less than eleven years, and it raises more conversations, disputes and questions than any of those that existed on this planet, whether someone wants it or not. Let's first define why the Third, and why, in fact, the Reich. In a literal translation, Drittes Reich sounds like the Third Empire and it must be understood that the name is unofficial. Believed to have invented it german translator and publicist A. Möller van den Broek in 1923, releasing a book of the same name. This same Reich was the third after the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, which existed from 962 to 1806 (the First Reich) and German Empire from 1871 to 1918 (Second Reich). This very Third Reich, the Nazis themselves still liked to call the "Thousand-Year", thereby indicating the planned minimum time frame for its existence, but fortunately their calculations did not materialize somewhat. But the fact remains - in the early 30s of the 20th century, the Germans began to build a new type of state, which in essence was to become an empire. One of the important distinguishing features any empire has always had external paraphernalia, and hence a pompous award system. The Third Reich was no exception. Taking the award system of the German Empire as a basis, the Nazis partially revised it, removing some of the awards and thoroughly supplemented it by introducing new ones. Let's figure it out.
I would divide the entire system of awards of the Third Reich into several subgroups:
1) Military awards
2) Civic awards
3) Party awards.
I will allow myself to concentrate only on military awards, because, firstly, in any paramilitary state, which Germany was in those years, this type of awards prevails, and secondly, that party and civilian awards are separate topic for a conversation I'm just not ready for right now J
So, military awards can be divided into several subgroups:
A) orders
B) Medals
B) Shields
D) Badges and fasteners
E) Other (cups, ribbons, badges, stripes, rings, etc.)
iron Cross
Let's start naturally with the Orders. Orders I would formally subdivide into major and minor. The main ones include the Iron Cross, the Military Order of the German Cross, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. To the secondary Military Merit Cross, Spanish Cross, Honorary Cross of a War Veteran, Orders of Bravery and Merit (for Eastern peoples). A separate discussion requires the so-called Grand Cross.
The most famous and probably the most recognizable German award is the Iron Cross. Established in 1813 by the Prussian Emperor Friedrich Wilhelm III. According to the status, the Iron Cross was a military award and therefore was introduced only with the outbreak of war, while in peacetime no one was awarded it. The 1939 Nazi version of the Iron Cross was number 4. In addition to the date of approval, there were also versions of 1870 and 1914. From the latter, the Hitler cross was distinguished by a swastika, and not the Kaiser's initial in the center of the order, the absence of a stylized Prussian crown in the upper part of the cross, and the date on the lower beam of the cross. Well, the sash of course. The black-and-white imperial colors were replaced by a red-black-and-white gamma.
The Iron Cross had 2 degrees - 1 and 2, respectively. First, the 2nd degree was awarded, or as the Germans wrote the "Iron Cross of the Second Class" scope of the normal duties of a soldier or officer.
Wearing the Ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class
The Iron Cross of the second degree was almost never worn by the awarded. Instead, they wore either an order bar, or more often, a red-white-black order ribbon in the second buttonhole of the tunic. This award had another original device - the so-called fastener. This Fastener was a badge in the form of an imperial eagle with outstretched wings, holding a swastika in its claws. Just below the swastika, the date was written on the plate - 1939. The fastener was specially introduced for those who had previously received the Iron Cross 2nd class, still of the German Empire, but again distinguished themselves during the Second World War. The fastener was worn on a sash. A huge number of people were awarded the Iron Cross of the Second Class, but the most paradoxical award I would call the award of 2 Finnish officers - Leo Skurnik and Solomon Klass. These awards are paradoxical in that both Finns were Jews, and accordingly they refused the award.
Pin to the Iron Cross 2nd class
The next highest award was the Iron Cross 1st Class, or more precisely, the Iron Cross 1st Class. To receive this award, it was necessary to own either the Iron Cross 2nd class or a fastener to it. In contrast to the cross of the 2nd class, there is a gradation of receiving the Iron Cross of the 1st degree.
for the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS - Showing courage in battle and performing from 3 to 5 special difficult assignments requiring courage and personal bravery.
for the Luftwaffe - the accumulation of 5 points. The fact is that the experts, namely the so-called German aces, the calculation was made not so much by the number of downed aircraft, but by their quality characteristics. If the expert knocked out (and did not destroy, by the way) a single-engine aircraft, he was awarded 1 point, a 2-engine aircraft - 2 points, and, finally, a 4-engine aircraft - 3 points)
for the Kriegsmarine - For sinking ships with a total displacement of at least 50,000 tons or for 3 to 5 especially difficult tasks and showing courage in battle.
Kriegsmarine officer K.Rezing with the Iron Cross 1st class
An iron cross of the 1st degree was worn on the left chest, on a pin, like modern badges, only the pin itself was more powerful. For potentially awarded on the valves (pockets) of German tunics, several holes were made at the factory - here it is German pragmatism.
As well as with the Iron Cross of the 1st degree, this award had a buckle. Only the dimensions of the eagle were slightly larger.
This fastener was worn over the cross itself.
P tie to the Iron Cross 1st class
According to various sources, from 300 to 450,000 people were awarded the Iron Cross 1st class. The most famous bearer of this award was probably Hannah Reitsch, a female pilot with numerous records, who at the very end of April 1945 almost took Hitler out of besieged Berlin. The German chancellor himself, by the way, constantly wore the Iron Cross 1st class on his tunic, but of the 1914 model. He was awarded the Iron Cross for personal bravery in the First world war. On August 4, 1918, Corporal Adolf Schicklgruber (Hitler) was awarded the 1st Class Cross for capturing an enemy officer and 15 soldiers.
Hanna Reich
The next most important award was supposed to be, but did not become the Military Order of the German Cross, or as it was unofficially called the "Eastern Star", as it was being prepared before the alleged triumph on Eastern Front. Initially, it was thought that this award was supposed to celebrate feats that are higher than the level of the Iron Cross, but still unworthy of the Knight's Cross, and the Military Order of the German Cross itself was supposed to become a transitional step between the Iron and Knight's Crosses. In fact, it turned out that this award became independent. That is, to receive the Knight's Cross, the presence of the "Eastern Star" was not required. In Germany, this Order was not very fond of, and some wits even called it "fried eggs." The eastern star had 2 degrees - 2nd class - in silver, and 1st class - in gold.
Colonel of the Wehrmacht of Jewish origin Walter Hollander with the Order of the Eastern Star
According to the statute, only holders of the Cross for Military Merit 1st Class could receive the Military Order of the German Cross in silver according to the statute. The "Eastern Star" was given in silver for success in command without direct participation in battle.
German cross in silver
The Military Order of the German Cross in Gold was given to holders of the Iron Cross 1st Class for bravery on the battlefield. It should be noted that in order to receive the Military Order of the German Cross of the 1st class, it was possible not to have a second one.
This cross was worn on the chest on the right on a pin. Due to its large size and weight, it was often replaced by a rag-and-thread copy.
German cross in gold
During its existence, the Military Order of the German Cross was awarded to about 30,000 people. 14 of them had both degrees of the award. The most famous of this list of 14 was probably the SS Gruppenführer and Police Lieutenant General bloody butcher Odilo Lothario Globocnik.
To be continued.........