Description
Product Description: An absolutely perfect example of the German Cross in Silver in overall mint unissued condition. This German Cross in Silver still remains inside the original factory protective cellophane and has never been removed. There are zero signs of damage or holes to the cellophane. Examples in the cellophane like this are just never seen anymore on the open market, and a German Cross in Silver is already a rare piece! This example is produced by C.F. Zimmermann, and likely should be marked 20 under the reverse pin, though not visible since unopened. Additionally, textbook style reverse rivets for the producer Zimmermann. The case is unfortunately a REPRODUCTION, though is extremely close to an original. The case retains a “wet” look, without any signs of wear. Silver trimming around the lid, as typical for a German Cross in Silver case. Regardless, displays well and protects the original cellophane nicely. Many collectors will never even see a German Cross in Silver in its original cellophane in their lifetime, let alone the chance to own one!
Historical Description: The German Cross in Silver was instituted on September 28th, 1941, when the German High Command saw it necessary to create an award which would bridge the gap between the War Merit Cross First Class and the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross. Upon institution, the German Cross became one of Germany’s highest military decorations. The German Cross was similar to the Knights Cross in regards that the award was not based off of any previous awards in German history. It was a unique creation which also ended with the war. There were approximately 2,500 recipients of the German Cross in Silver. This number, however, does not reflect the total amount of German Crosses produced.
The German Cross was actually not a cross at all. It took on the form of an eight-pointed star, resembling some of the former breast awards of the Imperial era. The award came in two forms, a metal version and a cloth version. The metal version being the most complex of the two, which consists of five separate pieces being fitted and held together using between four to twelve rivets depending on who the manufacturer was and the time period of production. The cloth version follows the exact same design as the metal produced version except the entire cross is cloth with the exception of the laurel wreath still being metal.
Known Manufacturers: Deschler & Sohn, Munchen; C.E. Juncker, Berlin; C.F. Zimmermann, Pforzheim; Gebruder Godet, Berlin; Otto Klein, Hanau
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