German award cross. Germany awards

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 a rather complex design 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 the 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.

II degree

original name

Der Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes

The country Type Grounds for awarding

for bravery on the battlefield

Status

not awarded

Statistics Date of establishment First award Number of awards

25352, including 14 both awards

Priority senior award Junior Award

Military Order of the German Cross(German Der Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes ) is a German military order established by Adolf Hitler on September 28, 1941, as an intermediate step between the Iron Cross First Class and the Knight's Iron Cross.

The history of birth

Despite the presence of a sufficient number of military awards, the leadership of the Third Reich felt a serious need to establish an order that would be more honorable than the Iron Cross, but, at the same time, would be on the award ladder below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Therefore, on September 28, 1941, the appearance of German cross. It is important to note that this was an absolutely independent award, and it was not necessary to have a German cross to receive the Knight's Cross. However, it was mandatory for the recipient to have either the Iron Cross 1st Class (for awarding the German Cross in gold) or the Military Merit Cross 2nd Class (for awarding the German Cross in silver).

Description

Manufacturing

In general, the order was a very complex structure (6.5 cm in diameter) - it consisted of five elements, and the color of the wreath determined its degree.

Degrees

The cross, designed by Robert Klein, had two degrees:

German cross in gold- for bravery on the battlefield;
German cross in silver- for success in command without direct participation in combat.

It is worth noting that these degrees were independent of each other - that is, to be awarded the German Cross in Gold, one did not need to have a German Cross in Silver.

Wearing rules

The cross was worn on the chest on the right on a pin. Since it was quite massive and heavy, a cloth version was later developed for everyday wear on a uniform in the field.

Subsequently, another version with diamonds was developed, which was located between the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, but neither of these awards was ever awarded.

Front-line soldiers for their pompous appearance called the order "Hitler's scrambled eggs":

In the middle of January (1942) I was summoned to see the divisional commander. General von Funk received me extremely warmly.

Luke, I have two important news for you. I presented you for the award of the Knight's Cross. A few weeks ago, Hitler instituted a new order, the Golden German Cross, which will rank between the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Knight's Cross. All those nominated for the Knight's Cross will receive a new award. You too. On behalf of the Führer, I have the honor to present you with a new order for bravery in the face of the enemy.

I was amazed - a hefty "star" with a swastika in the middle. This pompous sign was supposed to be worn on the chest on the right. The general smiled.

Looks solid, right? Nevertheless, let me congratulate you, - irony sounded in his voice.

Soon someone came up with an apt nickname for this monster - "Hitler's scrambled eggs." I put on the order only when visiting headquarters.

Categories of awardees

Current position

In accordance with § 6 of the German Law on Titles, Orders and Honors of July 26, 1957 (German. Gesetzes über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen ) those awarded the order are allowed to wear "denazified" versions of the badges without a swastika, which is replaced on the badge in gold with the image of the denazified version of the Iron Cross, on the badge in silver - with the image of the denazified version of the Military Merit Cross with swords.

Gallery

Notes

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Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) was established on September 1, 1939. They were awarded to the personnel of the armed forces and military party organizations for outstanding military merits. The conditions of the award stipulated that the candidate for the award had previously been presented for the award with the Iron Cross 1st class or a badge of the same class. Also, the basis of the award was the performance of particularly difficult tasks and the courage shown in battle.

The conditions for awarding Luftwaffe officers were to have previously presented for the award of the Iron Cross 1st class or a buckle of the same class or the accumulation of 20 points. According to the points accumulation system, 1 point was scored for the destruction of a single-engine aircraft, 2 points - for the destruction of a twin-engine aircraft, 3 points - for the destruction of a four-engine aircraft. All points were doubled in night combat flights. For each new degree of award, points were calculated from the beginning.

The conditions for awarding officers of the Kriegsmarine were to have previously been presented with the Iron Cross 1st class or a fastener of the same class, or the sinking of ships with a total displacement of at least 10,000 tons, or the performance of particularly difficult tasks and courage shown in battle.

The knight's cross was made in the form of a black equilateral Teutonic cross. On the obverse, in the center of the award, at the point where the rays converge, there is a miniature swastika, on the lower beam of the cross, the year the award was founded in the Third Reich - "1939". On the reverse - the year of the first foundation of the award "1813". The cross consisted of three main parts: an iron base, front and outer frames. A frame 5-6 mm wide was made of silver 800 or 935, as well as from the so-called "German silver" - an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel. At the end of the war, some specimens contained only zinc. The base was made of pure iron, with the exception of naval awards, which were made of blackened brass for wearing in maritime climates. Above is a round eye soldered parallel to the plane of the cross, into which an elongated flat loop of silver wire 18–21 mm in size was threaded for an order ribbon. The swastika and dates stood out sharply from the background. The stamp with the sample was applied on the back of the case. The Knight's Cross outwardly corresponds to the Iron Cross 1st Class, but differs in that it is slightly larger and was worn on a black-white-red sash. Depending on the manufacturer, its dimensions ranged from 48x48 mm to 50x50 mm. Weight ~ 33 grams.

The cross was worn on a neck ribbon made of natural silk or its substitute in the traditional red-white-black color scheme. Tape width 45-46 mm. Soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross had the right not to close the overcoat collar so that the award was visible. Individuals were allowed to use various types of staples, clips and some other methods to secure the award more rigidly. There are cases when, when entering combat missions, Iron Crosses of the 2nd class were used instead of Knight's Crosses in order to avoid damage or loss of the award. When awarding a higher degree of the Knight's Cross, the junior degree was replaced by the senior one.

Knights of the Knight's Cross were praised in every possible way by the propaganda of the Third Reich. Announcements about the awards were published in the most popular newspapers, award ceremonies were filmed by newsreels. In huge quantities, postcards with the image of the awarded were issued.

The first awarding of the Knight's Cross took place on September 30, 1939, when, following the results of the victorious Polish campaign, 13 people of the highest ranks of the German army received it. In 1939, 27 awards of the Knight's Cross took place, in 1940 - 448, in 1941 - 788, in 1942 - 974, in 1943 - 1415, in 1944 - 2466, in 1945 - 1195.

7384 people were awarded the Knight's Cross, including 4770 people in the Wehrmacht, 1787 people in the Luftwaffe, 318 people in the Kriegsmarine, 43 people in foreign military formations (allies of Germany), 466 people in the SS, including 30 foreigners. The Knight's Cross was awarded to all 18 Wehrmacht field marshals participating in the war, both grand admirals and 5 out of 6 Luftwaffe field marshals (except Hugo Sperrle). Among those awarded the Knight's Cross, there were a total of 73 foreigners: 18 Romanians, 12 Latvians, 9 Italians, 8 Hungarians, 4 Belgians, 4 Estonians, 4 Dutch, 3 Danes, 3 French, 2 Spaniards, 2 Japanese, 2 Slovaks, 2 Finnish Swedes. During the existence of the award for betrayal (desertion), 15 people were deprived of the award.

Together with the cross, the Diploma of Delivery was presented in a red cover with a golden eagle on the front side. The name, surname and title of the recipient were indicated on the inside of the letter.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) - the next (second) degree of the Knight's Cross, established on 06/03/1940. . For officers of the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, the rules for awarding the Knight's Cross were in effect - 20 points and 10,000 tons of enemy ships sunk, respectively.

Oak leaves were attached above the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and were a silver badge with a matte surface, consisting of a relief image of three oak leaves, moreover, the central leaf was placed in front of the two back ones. The sheet had 4 protrusions on the right and 5 on the left. The sign was made of 800 silver, had a size of 20 × 20 mm and weighed 6 grams. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves was worn on a neck ribbon, where oak leaves covered the link of the cross to the ribbon. The award with a piece of sash was placed in a black leather case, and it was accompanied by an award document and a Certificate of presentation: a white cover with a golden eagle on the front side. The name, surname and title of the recipient were indicated on the inside of the letter.

The first to be awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was Lieutenant General Eduard Dietl on 06/19/1940 for his skillful command during the capture of the Norwegian city of Narvik. In total, 890 Wehrmacht servicemen were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, including 881 Germans and 9 foreigners (3 from Romania, 2 from Japan and one each from Finland, Hungary, Estonia and Spain). Foreigners received awards without a number, except for Alfons Rebane from Estonia. Seydlitz-Kurzbach and Fegelein were stripped of their rewards for betrayal.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit detn Eichenlaub mit Schwertern) (third class) was established on 09/28/1941. The criteria for awarding were similar to the requirements for awarding the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, respectively, if the candidate previously had the Oak Leaves themselves. Not only courage was considered, but also the presence of the qualities of a leader and the ability to successfully command troops. This German battle decoration was identical to the previous grade, but with the addition of a pair of 40° crossed silver swords soldered at the base. Made from silver. Size - 25 × 10 mm, weight ~ 7.8 grams.

The badge of the order with a piece of the sash was presented in a special box. Award document - Certificate of award (A-4 format) with a white cover with a wide gold ribbon and a gold embossed eagle on the front side. The name, surname and title of the recipient are written on the inside of the certificate.

The first recipient of this degree of the order was the commander of the 26th fighter squadron "Schlageter" Oberstleutnant Adolf Galland for achieving the 69th air victory. In the Kriegsmarine, this award was received by the frigate captain Eric Top, after the destruction of ships with a tonnage of more than 243 thousand tons. A total of 160 people were awarded, including 55 Luftwaffe servicemen. Of these, only one foreign officer was the Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who was awarded posthumously in 1943. He was stripped of his reward for betraying Fegelein.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit dem Eichenlaub mit Schwerter mit Brillanten) (fourth degree) was established on 06/15/1941, but the official permission for the award was issued only on 28 September. The award criteria were similar to the requirements for awarding the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, respectively, if the candidate previously had the Oak Leaves with Swords themselves.

The award consisted of a bunch of oak leaves and a cross of two swords at their base. This award was not stamped, but was made by jewelers by hand and decorated with diamonds, as a result of which there is not a single identical award. Made from 935 sterling silver, each award was set with 45 to 50 diamonds, totaling 2.7 carats. The total weight of the award is 18 grams. The sizes of the leaves and swords were slightly larger than the standard ones. Initially, diamonds were attached only to oak leaves, however, in accordance with the amended version of the Order's statute dated September 28, 1941, diamonds were also attached to sword hilts.

Each recipient received, along with the award, a copy with stones imitating diamonds for everyday wear. The cross was presented in a case covered with black velvet, with the inside lined with white silk. The certificate of delivery had a dark blue or black cover with a wide gold ribbon and a gold eagle on the front side. The name, surname and title of the recipient are named on the inside of the certificate.

The first to receive the award on 06/15/1941 was the representative of the Luftwaffe Oberst Werner Mölders after the 101st air victory. A total of 27 senior officers were awarded. Each performance was considered personally by Hitler.

Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit dem Golden Eichenlaub mit Schwerter mit Brillanten) (fifth class) It was supposed to be the Third Reich's highest award for bravery. The award is identical to the Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, but was made from 18K gold. Each of the fifty diamonds was hand cut. It was planned that the number of awardees would be limited to the twelve most outstanding warriors who had already been awarded all the degrees of the Knight's Cross. Only one person remained the official owner of this award - Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel - a pilot who made 2530 sorties. This combat award was presented on 01/01/1945. The certificate of delivery was similar to the previous degree.

War Merit Cross

The War Merit Cross (Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was established on 10/18/1939. According to the statute, it was located between the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the German Cross. Initially, it consisted of two degrees, to which on 19/19/1940, two more degrees were added: the lowest - the medal for military merit and the highest - the Knight's degree of the cross, and on 10/13/1944 the Golden Knight's Cross was also established.

All degrees of the cross, with the exception of the medal, had the same shape - an eight-pointed dovetail. In the center is a disk framed by a wreath of oak leaves with a swastika.

Crosses of the 2nd and Knightly degrees were worn on a black ribbon with white and red stripes along the edges. For the 2nd degree, the ribbon was 30 mm wide, and for the Knightly degrees - 38 mm. The width of the white and red stripes was 3 mm for the 2nd degree, and 4 mm for the Knightly degrees. Crosses of the 1st degree had a device on the reverse for attaching to clothing. The size of the crosses of the 1st and 2nd degrees was 48x48 mm, and the Knight's degrees 54x54 mm.

For the manufacture of crosses 1 and 2 degrees, various materials were used. So, crosses of the 2nd degree were made of bronze, and by the end of the war - of zinc alloy, both with and without bronze coating. Crosses of the 1st degree - made of zinc alloy with and without silvering, however, there were also crosses made of silver of the 800th test. Crosses of the Knight's degree were made only from 800-925 silver and had a weight of 42.3 - 42.4 grams with swords and 33.8 grams without swords. The Golden Knight's Cross was a gilded copy of the Knight's degree.

The Military Merit Cross with Swords was awarded to military personnel for acts of bravery that were beyond the scope of the call of duty, but insufficient to qualify for the Iron Cross. These actions could also consist, in the form of courage shown and not under direct enemy influence, but in the form of planning military operations or directing the advance of subunits and units. The variant without swords was awarded for military merit not related to the conduct of hostilities, with swords - for successful actions on the battlefield. The cross with swords could be awarded to any military rank, regardless of their position, as well as military personnel of Germany's allied countries.

The Military Merit Cross without Swords was awarded to military personnel and for general meritorious actions in the administrative, medical or other services, located away from the front line, as well as to civilians for contribution and significant benefit in wartime. Civilians were also awarded the cross without distinction of gender, age or social status: from diplomats to low-level factory workers.

The award was to be made sequentially from the lowest degrees to the highest, however, in rare cases, 2nd and 1st degrees could be awarded simultaneously. If the recipient was awarded a cross with swords, and he had previously been awarded a cross without swords, then later he was supposed to wear only a cross with swords.

Initially, when the Cross was established, it was established that the Military Merit Cross could not be awarded to someone who already had the Iron Cross. However, on September 28, 1941, this provision was repealed. In terms of their status, the degrees of the Military Merit Cross were lower than the corresponding degrees of the Iron Cross, while the Gold Knight's Military Merit Cross was an award above the Knight's Iron Cross, but below the same degree of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Rewarding with crosses of the 3rd Reich for military merit was carried out 4 times a year: January 30 - the day the Nazis came to power, April 20 - Hitler's birthday, May 1 - Labor Day and September 1 - the beginning of World War II.

About 1.6 million people were awarded the 2nd degree without swords. 2nd degree with swords - 6.1 million people. 1st degree without swords - 91 thousand people. 1st degree with swords about 484 thousand people. Knight's cross without swords - 48 people. Knight's cross with swords - 211 people. Golden Knight's Cross - 21 people.

Usually, instead of an award, a ribbon was worn, threaded through the hole for the second button of the uniform. The cross was presented in a blue, red or brown paper envelope; in rare cases - in a cellophane envelope. The youngest of those awarded was 10 years old, the oldest - 78 years old.

The cross could be attached to a pin or screw. It was possible to buy a copy of the award for everyday wear. Worn on the left breast pocket of the uniform. The award was presented in a black box covered with a leader with an embossed image of a cross or in a paper envelope.

All submissions for the award of the Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross were submitted to Hitler personally for consideration, and magnificent ceremonies were held for the award with the participation of Hitler and the highest ranks of the army. Most of the awarded were in the defense industry - 53 awards, the Wehrmacht - 49 (of which only 6 top management), railway workers - 21, agricultural workers - 13. The Kriegsmarine and Waffen-SS soldiers had 11 awarded in their ranks, the Luftwaffe - 9 , police and special services - 6. 2 Knight's crosses (with and without swords) had 6 people.

german cross

The Military Order of the German Cross (Der Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes) was established on September 28, 1941, as an intermediate step between the Iron Cross First Class and the Knight's Iron 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. Hence its second name - "Eastern Star".

The status of the Order required the recipient to have either the Iron Cross 1st Class (to be awarded the German Cross in gold) or the Military Merit Cross 1st Class (to be awarded the German Cross in silver). The cross had two degrees: in silver - for success in command without direct participation in battle and in gold - for bravery on the battlefield. The degrees of the German Cross were independent of each other.

The order was a complex structure consisting of five elements. 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.

In 1942, the third version of the Order of the Military Order of the German Cross in gold and diamonds was established. 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 awards were awarded to the soldiers. Only three of them subsequently ended up in museums.

The cross was 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. The German cross took precedence over all awards worn on the right side of the chest, except for the Order of the Blood. Since it was quite massive and heavy, a fabric version of the award was established for the cross in gold on 06/05/1942. It was embroidered on a cloth basis in the form of an eight-pointed star. Three base colors were used: gray for the 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 - this is a wreath with the inscription "1941" at the bottom. It was attached to the fabric with the help of bent antennae.

The first German Cross awards took place on 10/18/1941. 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.

iron Cross

The sketch of the cross was made by King Friedrich Wilhelm III himself. The order was established on 03/10/1813 on the birthday of the Queen of Prussia, Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the inspirer of the War of Independence in Germany. The Iron Cross was the first European award that was awarded regardless of rank or class, but only for military exploits, which greatly increased its popularity. The cross was presented on a black sash with a white border. Those awarded who received it not for military merit, he was awarded on a white ribbon with a black border. Until 1939, there were 3 establishments of this award: 1813, 1870 and 1914.

On September 1, 1939, Adolf Hitler restored the order for the last time. The iron cross became thicker, received the inscription "1939" on the lower beam of the front side (the inscription "1813" remained on the back side) and a swastika in the center. The order had two degrees: 2nd class and 1st class.

The Iron Cross 2nd Class (das Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse) was awarded to personnel of the army, navy or party organizations for bravery and heroism in a single combat episode, or actions not included in the duties. Since September 1941, it was allowed to award this award to the military personnel of the allied armies.

The Iron Cross 1st Class (das Eiserne Kreuz 1. Klasse) was awarded to personnel of the Wehrmacht, SS troops, party organizations, as well as to foreigners previously presented for decoration. An Iron Cross 2nd class or a buckle of this class, for completing 3 to 5 especially difficult tasks and showing courage in battle. For officers of the Kriegsmarine, in addition to the above conditions, there was one more thing - the sinking of ships with a total displacement of at least 50 thousand tons; for Luftwaffe officers - accumulation of 5 points: 1 point for the destruction of a single-engine aircraft, 2 points for the destruction of a twin-engine aircraft and 3 points for a four-engine aircraft. All points were doubled for fighting at night. In bomber aviation, 25 sorties had to be made in order to be presented for the award of the cross, and since 1943 - 40.

An iron cross of the 2nd class consisted of three parts: an iron, blackened, base in the form of an equal-ended cross with rays expanding towards the ends, as well as a front and outer frame. This frame in most cases was made of silver or the so-called "German silver" - an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel. Some of the latest military examples contained only zinc. The base, with the exception of awards intended for presentation to sailors, was made of pure iron; the latter were made of blackened brass or copper - for wearing in a maritime climate. A swastika was located in the center of the obverse of the cross, and on the lower beam there was a relief date “1939” – the year the award was restored. On the reverse was a relief date "1813" - the year the award was established. An eyelet was soldered in the upper beam of the cross for attaching the award to the ribbon.

The cross had dimensions of 44x45 mm and, according to the rules, was worn around the neck, on a white and red sash 30 mm wide. In practice, the cross was worn on the ribbon only at official events. For everyday wear, only a sash was used, threaded through the hole in the second button of the uniform - in the traditional Prussian style. The tape itself could vary slightly in texture and color. In addition to the original award, the recipient could privately order a smaller copy of it 25x25 mm (tail coat), or buy the required number of duplicates.

Usually, the award was presented either in a blue paper envelope with the name written in Gothic letters, or in a special leather box for high-ranking persons, or upon purchase. At the same time, the awarded person received the corresponding entry and stamp in his soldier's book, as well as accompanying documents. The document was of a general pattern for the Iron Crosses of the 1st and 2nd class, which had an image of the Iron Cross without an eyelet in the upper part, and began with the words - "On behalf of the Fuhrer and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht", followed by the surname and name, military rank of the recipient , his position, the name of the unit and the class of the award awarded. The award documents were usually signed by the division commander, but any higher commander, up to the commander in chief, could sign. The signature was certified by the appropriate round seal. Often the reasons for conferring this award were not indicated, but in rare cases the description was placed on the reverse side of the document, where the signature and seal were once again put. During the hostilities, there were cases of making documents with improvised means (the form was printed on a typewriter, and the cross at the top was depicted by hand). Details of registration could vary depending on the date of presentation of the award and the type of troops awarded.

In the case of repeated awarding of those who already had a cross for the First World War, a special fastener (shpang) was introduced. This emblem was made of white silver-plated metal, and by the end of the war - of cheaper zinc, which was silvered or even simply painted. Outwardly, it was an eagle with spread wings, clutching a swastika in its claws. A little lower, on a trapezoidal plate, was the date "1939". On the reverse side of the bar there were 4 teeth used to fasten the badge to the imperial black and white ribbon. Fastener dimensions - 32x31 mm.

During World War II, about 2.3 million Iron Crosses 2nd Class were awarded in the Army alone (including 49 to women).

The iron cross of the 1st class had an obverse and dimensions similar to the cross of the 2nd class. The reverse side is smooth, silver-plated, and there was a fastening in the form of a pin or pin on it. The brand of the manufacturer was placed on the inside or outside of the pin or on the reverse side of the cross itself (on the lower beam).

The re-awarding fastener also repeated the shape of its counterpart for the 2nd class award, however, the wingspan of the eagle was wider - 44 mm. The fastener was worn over the cross.

The award was presented in a black leather box with a cross on the lid. Inside, the lid of the case was trimmed with white satin, while the cross, in turn, was placed in a recess covered with velvet. The accompanying documents did not differ from the documents for the 2nd class cross. The cross was supposed to be worn without a ribbon on the left side of the chest on the breast pocket of the uniform, or in its absence, approximately in the same place.

According to various estimates, from 1939 to 1945. From 300,000 to 400,000 people were awarded the Iron Cross, 1st Class (including the pinned to the Imperial Cross for the First World War).

Spanish cross

The Spanish Cross (Spanienkreuz) was established on April 14, 1939 to reward German military and civilian specialists who served in the Condor Legion and fought on the side of General Franco during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939. The Legion consisted of a fighter and bomber regiment, a reconnaissance squadron, an anti-aircraft artillery battalion, a communications battalion, a transport battalion and a supply battalion. The legion also had a panzer unit in which German instructors trained Spanish panzer crews. Since the legion was actually undergoing combat testing of new aircraft models, the Condor had a large number of civilian technical specialists.

The Spanish cross was of four degrees - bronze, silver, gold and gold with diamonds. Bronze and silver crosses were of two categories - with swords (for the military who participated in the hostilities) and without swords (for those who served in auxiliary units, medical staff and civilians).

Gold and gold with diamonds crosses (with swords) were awarded only to persons who participated in hostilities.

The award was made in the form of a cross, with dovetail rays, the dimensions of different manufacturers were slightly different, and averaged 54x57 mm. On the obverse, there is a swastika in the center. Soaring eagles are inserted between the arms of the cross, with a swastika in their claws, as a tribute to the Luftwaffe pilots, who made up about 70% of the Condor Legion. On the reverse there is a vertical pin for attaching to clothing, and the brand of the manufacturer is affixed.

The bronze cross was minted from bronzed brass or tombac, silver from silver 835 or 900, or silver-plated brass, gold from silver 835 with gilding or gilded bronze. In the version with diamonds - on the cross, 14 stones were added around the swastika.

All degrees of the award were presented in cases of different colors: bronze corresponded to green, silver and gold - blue, gold with diamonds - red. And only on the last box there was a gold-embossed image.

They wore a cross on the right side of the uniform, on the breast pocket. In the case of awarding the German Cross, the Spanish Cross was located below it.

The presentation of the crosses began on 06/06/1939 (the awarded people paraded around Berlin that day) and ended in the fall of 1940.

A bronze cross without swords was awarded to everyone who had been in Spain for at least three months. Basically, this award was received by the medical staff and technical services of the Luftwaffe. A total of 7869 people were awarded.

A silver cross without swords was awarded for special merits to persons who did not take part in hostilities. A total of 327 people were awarded.

A bronze cross with swords was awarded to persons who took part in the hostilities. A total of 8462 people were awarded.

A silver cross with swords was awarded to individuals for long-term participation in hostilities. A total of 8304 people were awarded.

A golden cross with swords was awarded for special personal merits in military operations. A total of 1126 people were awarded.

A gold cross with swords and diamonds was awarded for the highest achievements in combat operations or for command at the highest level. A total of 28 people were awarded, incl. Generals Sperle, Volkman, von Richthofen, the commander of the legion's tank unit, Colonel von Tom, and 24 pilots.

The Cross of Glory of the Legion "Condor" or the Honorary Spanish Cross ("Ehrenkreuz fur Hinterbliebene Deutscher Spanienkampfer") was established on 04/14/1939 for relatives of military personnel and volunteers who died in Spain. Relatives were awarded: those who died as a result of wounds, died in captivity, went missing, mortally injured as a result of accidents, etc.

The award was a small copy of the Spanish Cross without swords measuring 40x43 mm. It was made of bronze or bronze-plated copper. The cross was worn on a ribbon (wide black middle, narrow red-yellow-red stripes on the sides) on the left side of the chest.

It should be noted that this and other awards presented to relatives of those who died or died from wounds had the following order of inheritance in descending order: widow, eldest son, eldest daughter, father, mother, brother, sister. A total of 315 awards were made.

Cross of Honor for World War 1914-1918

(Hindenburg Cross)

The Cross of Honor of the World War 1914/1918 (Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs 1914/1918) was established on 07/13/1934 at the initiative of the Reich President Paul von Hindenburg, which gave it a second name - the Hindenburg Cross. The order was awarded to former front-line soldiers, participants and relatives of those killed in the First World War. The cross of honor existed in three versions: with swords - for former front-line soldiers; without swords - for participants in the war; a cross without swords - for widows and parents of the fallen, missing or dead from wounds or in captivity.

All former soldiers who fought at the front or took part in the war, as well as those whose spouses, fathers or sons died in the war, had the right to receive the order. In addition, all residents of the Reich and all ethnic Germans of the annexed territories who took part in the First World War had the right to receive a cross. The awarding of the order required the submission of a petition and took place in person or by mail.

The order was a bronze or bronze-plated iron cross measuring 37 × 37 mm, in the center of which there is a laurel wreath, inside of which is placed the inscription "1914" above the inscription "1918" - the years of the First World War. The laurel wreath consisted of five bundles of three laurel leaves with berries on each side of the lower bandage with a ribbon. The rays of the cross had a double border of 2.8 mm. On the upper beam there was a ring for fastening a moiré ribbon 30 mm wide. The tape had 7 stripes: a red stripe in the center, then alternating black and white stripes on both sides of the red one, and narrower black stripes along the edges of the tape. The reverse of the medal remains clean, with only the hallmark of the number.

In the honorary cross for participants in the war, there are no swords denoting participation in hostilities, and instead of a laurel, an oak wreath is depicted.

An honorary cross for relatives who died in the war of the same form, however, covered with black lacquer and was awarded on a different sash of 7 stripes, but the black and white colors are reversed.

Order weight: with swords - 13.5 grams, without swords - 12 grams, widow - 12 grams.

The order was presented without packaging - it was simply attached to the award certificate. For important people, the medal was presented in a special case made of artificial leather with a gold border. The inside of the case is lined with satin fabric and contains Hindenburg's facsimile signature and the phrase "TREUE UM TREUE" in Gothic script. The Cross of Honor itself lay in a recess on a velvet cushion.
The Hindenburg Cross had a status higher than official awards, but lower than military ones in the new war. The award was worn in the general group of medals. In the block, the Cross is located in front of the service awards and the Anschluss medals. After the establishment of this cross, all other veteran awards were banned from wearing. The last award dates back to September 1944. A total of 8,041,394 people were awarded.

Order of the German Eagle

The award was originally called the Order of Merit of the German Eagle and was established by Adolf Hitler on 05/01/1937 as an award for representatives of other states who distinguished themselves in front of Germany. At first, it was intended only for civilians, but on April 20, 1939, changes were made to its charter, which included awarding the military as well. For this, the degree of the order was supplemented with crossed swords.

During its existence, the order has experienced several changes in the charter. Initially, the award had five degrees, similar to the orders of other states: Grand Cross, Grand Commander (Order with a star), Commander (1st class), Officer (2nd class) and Knight's crosses (3rd class) and did not have its own statute. All awards took place in accordance with the so-called instructions. So, one of the paragraphs of this instruction read "All consuls and diplomats who have worked in the diplomatic missions of their embassies in Germany for at least two years, upon departure to their homeland in connection with the end of their service, are awarded the appropriate degree of the Order of the German Eagle." This instruction was supplemented in 1938.

The Order received its full statute only on April 20, 1939. The final statute provided for the highest degree of the order - the Grand Gold Cross of the Order of the German Eagle, a limited award, which was supposed to be awarded to only 16 people. This award was received by: Ion Antonescu (Romanian Marshal), Hiroshi Oshima (Ambassador of Japan), Carl Monnerheim (Finnish Marshal), Ryti Hiki Risto (Finnish President), Miklós Horthy (Hungarian Admiral), Boris III (Tsar of Bulgaria), Francisco Franco ( Generalissimo of Spain), Count Galezzo Ciano (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy).

The awarding of the two highest degrees of the order (Grand Cross and with a star) was carried out by a special decree signed by Hitler, as well as by the head of the order office and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The lower degrees of the order were awarded according to an order signed only by the Reichsminister. The awarded, in addition to the order, received a letter, which contained an extract from the award order, signed by the head of the order office.

In the case of awarding a higher degree of the order, the lower degree of the order had to be handed over to the order's office, and in the event of the death of the cavalier of the order, the award remained to his heirs as a commemorative sign.

On December 27, 1943, the charter of the order was once again amended, the degrees of the order became classes, and the number of variants of the order reached nineteen, namely. Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle, trimmed with diamonds (given only to Mussolini). All other awards have two varieties (with and without swords): Grand Golden Cross of the Order of the German Eagle, Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle, Order of the German Eagle 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 class, German medal for merit in silver, German medal for merit in bronze.

The award was made in the form of a Maltese cross enameled with white enamel. In the case of the version with swords, two crossed swords were superimposed on the cross. An imperial eagle with folded wings is placed between the rays of the order, the heads of the eagle are turned to the left (counterclockwise). The eagle sits on a laurel wreath encircling the swastika. If the degree of the order suggested wearing it on a ribbon, then the reverse of the award had a coinage identical to the front side, in the case of a chest award, its reverse side was flat and had a pin for attaching to clothes. The Order of the German Eagle was made of silver, the highest degrees of silver with gilding.

All the highest awards, including orders of 1st and 2nd classes, were worn on a red neck ribbon 45 mm wide with thin white, slightly wider than black and again thin white stripes along the edges of the ribbon and a white stripe in the middle. The shoulder version of the cross was worn on a ribbon 100 mm wide with a similar color of the ribbon of the neck version, worn from the right shoulder to the left hip and ending with a bow, on which the order itself was attached. The Grand Cross, the Golden Grand Cross and the 1st and 2nd Class Crosses were supplemented with pectoral shtral eight or six-pointed stars with copies of the corresponding crosses (if it was necessary with swords) 75 mm in size, made of silver with gilding. Such stars were worn on the chest on the left and attached to clothing with a vertical pin.

The Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle in gold has a diameter of 66 mm, and the star is 91 mm. The Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle has a diameter of 60 mm, the star is 80 mm.

Orders of the 3rd, 4th and 5th classes were worn on the chest with a ribbon or on a hairpin, depending on the version of the order.

Obverse of the star to the Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle.

Reverse of the star to the Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle.

Obverse of the Star to the Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle with Swords.

Order of the German Eagle with shoulder ribbon and bow.

Order "For Courage"

The order belonged to the awards of Germany for the Eastern peoples and was established on July 14, 1942. The badge was specially designed for Wehrmacht volunteers from among the inhabitants of Eastern European and Asian states during the Second World War. This included the personnel of the Russian Liberation Army (ROA), Cossack regiments, Turkestan battalions, police battalions, Ukrainian security service, etc. Since May 1943, “eastern” awards were also extended to German employees from the police and security forces. The order was awarded to persons who took part in the hostilities. The award was equal in importance to the Iron Cross of the corresponding class. The order had two classes: 1st and 2nd.

The Order "For Courage" 2nd class had three degrees: in "bronze", in "silver" and in "gold". The order in bronze was attached to a dark green ribbon, in silver - to a green ribbon with white stripes at the edges, and in gold - to a light green ribbon with red stripes at the edges. The award was made of zinc with a coating corresponding to its degree. and It was an eight-pointed star with a diameter of 40 mm with a round shield inside it. A wreath of laurel leaves is depicted around the circumference of the shield, and a six-petal flower is depicted in the center. Behind the shield are crossed swords, hilt down. The order was fastened with an eyelet and a ring to a silk moiré ribbon 32 mm wide. The weight of the award is 13.8 grams.

The order was awarded from the lowest degree to the highest. The next degree award was given only in the case when there was an award of the previous degree. Repeated awarding of the same degree was allowed. The order was worn on an order bar (after other German awards) or a ribbon threaded into the second buttonhole of the uniform. In the case of wearing a buckle, crossed swords of yellow metal were attached to it.

A variety of the 2nd class order is also known, which was awarded only in the Vlasov army (ROA). It differed in the color of the ribbon, which was lighter and the presence of one blue stripe.

The Order "For Courage" 1st class had two degrees: in silver and in gold. The award was equal in importance to the Iron Cross 1st class. The order was made of zinc with a coating corresponding to its degree and was an eight-pointed star with a diameter of 48 mm with a round shield inside it. A wreath of laurel leaves is depicted around the circumference of the shield, and a flower of six petals is depicted in the center. Behind the shield are crossed swords, hilt down. The award is designed to be presented to different peoples of the East of different religions. Therefore, it turned out to be very inexpressive. The weight of the order is 18.8 grams.

The order was fastened to clothing with a pin fastener and worn on the left breast pocket. The order was awarded only if the person being awarded the highest degree had the Order "For Courage" 2nd class in gold. Although in exceptional cases, when showing outstanding courage, to award the highest class of the order bypassing the previous ones. Rewarding with the Order of the 1st Class has always been accompanied by a monetary or property reward.

Order of Merit"

The order belonged to the awards of Germany for the Eastern peoples and was established on July 14, 1942. The badge was specially designed for Wehrmacht volunteers from among the residents of Eastern European and Asian states during the Second World War. This included the personnel of the Russian Liberation Army (ROA), Cossack regiments, Turkestan battalions, police battalions, Ukrainian security service, etc. Since May 1943, “eastern” awards were also extended to German employees from the police and security forces. The order was awarded to persons who did not take part in hostilities, as a rule, leaders and other persons of the occupation administrations.

The award was equal in importance to the Military Merit Cross of the corresponding class. The order had two classes: 1st and 2nd.

The Order of Merit, 2nd Class, was identical to the Order of Bravery, 2nd Class, with the only difference being that it did not have swords. The rules for awarding and wearing were also the same.

A variety of the 2nd class order is also known, which was awarded only in the Vlasov army (ROA). It differed in the color of the ribbon, which was lighter and the presence of one red stripe.

The Order of Merit, 1st Class, was identical to the Order of Bravery, 1st Class, with the only difference being that it did not have swords. The rules for awarding and wearing were also the same.

Azad Hind Order (Free India)

The Indian Legion existed from 1942-1945. called "Azad Hind" (Free India). In 1942, to reward his employees, incl. and the Germans who served in the legion, the Azad Hind order was established. He had four degrees: - three orders "Tiger of India", "Commander", "Hero of India" and the medal "Martyr of India". Each award had a class with swords (for awarding persons who took part in hostilities) and without swords (not participating in battles). The order was a large eight-pointed ray star with an image of a tiger's head in the middle in a round frame, in which the inscription "AZAD HIND" is placed. The star was made of rebel metal and, depending on the degree, was covered with silver or gold. The award had a green ribbon with beige (orange)-gray (white) stripes along the edges. In total, about a thousand people were awarded.

The Tigris of India (Sher-e-Hind), 1st Class, was the highest military order awarded by the Indian government of Azad-Hind in exile. The star of the order was gilded, and the space around the tiger's head and the inscription was filled with white enamel. The order was made with swords and without swords, worn on a neck ribbon.

The Order of the 2nd class "Commander" (Sardar-e-Jung) was the second most important award. The star of the order and the head of the tiger were silver plated, and the space around the head of the tiger and the inscription were bronze. The order was made with swords and without swords, worn on the chest, both on a hairpin and on a ribbon.

Order of the 3rd class "Hero of India" (Vir-e-Hind) was the third most important award. It differed from the 2nd class by the bronze color of the entire insert - the head of the tiger and the inscription.

The German Cross award, which received its second name the Order of the Eastern Star, since it was established shortly after the start of the war against the USSR in 1941, became an intermediate award between the Iron Cross First Class and the Order of the Knight's Cross.

Order of the German Cross

materials Iron, nickel, gold, silver.
Dimensions At its widest point 63.5 mm.
Artist Robert Klein.
To whom is awarded Soldiers of the German troops, the SS, as well as party organizations.
Grounds for awarding Previously awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class or War Merit Cross, has performed more than six deeds sufficient to be awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class or War Merit Cross.

Recipients of the German Cross

The award had two degrees:

German cross in gold- for merit directly on the battlefield, presented for the award should have been awarded the Iron Cross 1st class, and perform at least 6 deeds worthy of being awarded the Iron Cross. During its existence, it has been awarded to 24,204 people, including 14 citizens of other states.

German cross in silver- for actions outside the combat situation, in order to qualify for the award, it was necessary to be previously awarded the Military Merit Cross 1st class and perform from 6 to 12 deeds worthy of being awarded the Military Merit Cross 1st class. During the war, the German Cross "Eastern Star" received 1114 people.

Other awards of the Reich: Medal In memory of March 13, 1938 - an award for participants in the accession to the Third Reich of Austria, the birthplace of Adolf Hitler.

History of the Order of the German Cross

After the start of the war on the Eastern Front, it became necessary to create an intermediate award, between the Iron Cross First Class and the Knight's Cross. This award was established in September 1941, the German Cross "Eastern Star".

The award had two degrees: in gold and silver. At the same time, to receive the highest award, the Knight's Cross, it was not necessary to be the owner of this award, just as the awards were independent of each other, to receive an award in gold there was no need to be the owner of the German Cross in silver.

The award was an eight-pointed star, in the center of which was placed a white enameled circle with a swastika, the circle was decorated with a gold (silver for an award in silver) laurel wreath, at the bottom of which was placed the date 1941. For its shape and unusually large size (63.5 mm .), in the army the award was nicknamed "Hitler's scrambled eggs".

The award was inconvenient to wear, especially for soldiers who had to fight in the limited space of their vehicles (tankers, pilots, submariners), so on 06/05/1942 a fabric version of the award was established.

In 1942, the third version of the award was created, the German Cross in gold with diamonds, this award differed from the gold version only by the presence of diamonds on the wreath. The award was supposed to take a place between the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and the Knight's Cross, 20 copies were made, but by that time the constantly deteriorating situation at the front did not allow a single award to be made. Until the end of the war, manufactured copies German cross in gold with diamonds were kept by Dr. Doele, after the capture of Klesheim Castle by the Americans, they were taken away by soldiers and officers, and only 3 copies ended up in historical museums.

Price of the Order of the German Cross

German cross in gold - from 2000 c.u.
With a short pin, 6 rivets - 2300 USD; 10 staves - 2500 USD; 14 staves - 2700 c.u.

Woven version from $550
Document: ground forces and Luftwaffe - from 1000 USD; kriegsmarine - from 1700 USD; parachute detachments and submariners - from 2300 USD; SS - from 4500 c.u.
Case from 1000 USD

German cross in silver - from 2700 USD; without a manufacturer - from 2500 c.u.
With a short pin, 6 rivets - 3200 USD; 10 rivets - 3400 USD; 14 staves - 3800 c.u.
Copies produced at the front - from 900 USD
Document: ground forces, kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe - from 2800 c.u.
Case from 1300 USD

First Class and the Knight's Iron Cross.

Military Order of the German Cross

Der Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes

I degree

II degree

The country

Germany

Type

order

Who is awarded

Third Reich

Grounds for awarding

for bravery on the battlefield

Status

not awarded

Statistics

Date of establishment

September 28

First award

October 18, 1941

Number of awards

25352, including 14 with both awards

Priority

senior award

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Junior Award

Iron Cross 1st Class

Media files at Wikimedia Commons

The history of birth

Description

Manufacturing

In general, the order was a very complex structure (6.5 cm in diameter) - it consisted of five elements, and the color of the wreath determined its degree.

Status

It is important to note that this was an absolutely independent award, and it was not necessary to have it in order to receive a more honorary Knight's Cross, however, the restriction was on the part of the process of obtaining it itself - it was obligatory for the recipient to have either the Iron Cross 1st class (for awarding the German Cross in gold), or the Military Merit Cross 2nd class (for awarding the German Cross in silver).

Degrees

The cross, designed by Robert Klein, had two degrees:

German cross in gold- for bravery on the battlefield;
German cross in silver- for success in command without direct participation in combat.

The degrees were independent of each other - that is, to be awarded the German Cross in Gold, one did not need to have the German Cross in Silver. Taking into account the above requirements regarding the Iron Cross, a kind of two-pronged award was obtained from four degrees of different dependence among themselves.

Wearing rules

The cross was worn on the chest on the right on a pin. Since it was quite massive and heavy, a cloth version was later developed for everyday wear on a uniform in the field.

For its pompous appearance, the front-line soldiers called the order "Hitler's scrambled eggs", and the pilots jokingly called it the "Party badge for the short-sighted":

In the middle of January (1942) I was summoned to see the divisional commander. General von Funk received me extremely warmly.
Luke, I have two important news for you. I presented you for the award of the Knight's Cross. A few weeks ago, Hitler instituted a new order, the Golden German Cross, which will rank between the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Knight's Cross. All those nominated for the Knight's Cross will receive a new award. You too. On behalf of the Führer, I have the honor to present you with a new order for bravery in the face of the enemy.