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Home , German Cross, Iron Cross, War Merit Cross

Decorations and of the Third Reich (1939- 1945)

After ’s defeat in 1918, the abolished all existing orders and decorations except the Prussian Order Pour le Merite for Art and Science, the awards of the German Red Cross, and some life-saving and similar awards. With the rise of the Third Reich, however, a variety of military awards were revived or established, with the most well-known being the Order of the . It was revived by Hitler on , 1939 in four classes: Grand Cross, Knight’s Cross (a grade that had not previously existed), 1st Class, and 2nd Class. This was an important development, since the Iron Cross was now a German as opposed to a Prussian award. Four other grades of the Iron Cross were added Figure 13: Reverse of the Third Reich Iron by Hitler during the war so that there were a total of eight Cross, 2nd Class. grades by 1945.2 Iron Cross, 2d Class (Eiserne Kreuz II klasse). Measures The design of the new Iron Cross adhered closely to the 44mm by 44mm, with a small ring at the top for a 30mm original Prussian decoration, an iron cross patée set in a ribbon. Between 2.3 million and 5 million were awarded frame of silver. The obverse has a raised in the between 1939 and 1945. Figures 12 and 13 show the center, and the date 1939 at the base of the lower arm. obverse and reverse of the decoration. The reverse was plain except for the date 1813, the year in which the Prussian decoration was first instituted. Iron Cross, 1st Class (Eiserne Kreuz I klasse). The 1st The ribbon of the each grade of the Iron Cross (except Class had the same measurements as the 2nd Class award, for the 1st Class, which lacked a ribbon) was similar to but it differed from the 2nd Class in being a uniface badge the Prussian ribbon, except that it had a red center stripe (lacking a reverse design). The 1st Class was pinned to and was edged with white and black stripes. Detailed the uniform breast, low on the left side. There was no information on the eight classes of the Third Reich Order ribbon. Between 300,000 and 700,000 were awarded in of the Iron Cross follows: World War II. Figure 14 shows the obverse of the . Figure 15 depicts the obverse of the Iron Cross 1st Class “bar;” the reverse is at Figure 16. A recipient of the 1st Class Iron Cross wore this bar if awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class during World War II.

Figure 12: Obverse of the Third Reich Iron Figure 14: Obverse of the Third Reich Iron Cross, 2nd Class. Cross, 1st Class.

8 JOMSA Figure 15: Obverse of the Iron Cross, 1st Class “bar.”

Figure 16: Reverse of the Iron Cross, 1st Figure 18: Obverse of the Knight’s Cross with neck ribbon. Class “bar.” Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz). It measured 48mm by 48 mm with a small ring at the top, to which a double wire loop attached for the 45mm neck ribbon. Approximately 7,000 were awarded. Based on the numbers awarded, this decoration is roughly equivalent to the United States Army’s Distinguished Service Cross. Figures 17 and 18 show the obverse of the Knight’s Cross (planchet with short ribbon and planchet with neck ribbon). Figure 19 depicts the reverse of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.

Figure 19: Reverse of the Knight’s Cross.

Knights Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz mit dem Eichenlaub). This new class was created by Hitler on June 3, 1940, within days of the German victories over France and the Low Countries. A total of 862 were awarded between 1940 and 1945. A silver cluster of three oak leaves, 20mm by 20mm was attached to the suspension loop. This was not the same thing as the “” used by the American Army or “gold star” used by the Figure 17: Obverse of the Knight’s Cross with short ribbon. United States Navy to indicate a second award of the

Vol. 63, No. 6 (November-December 2012) 9 same decoration. The recipients of the Knight’s Cross four trains, two cruisers, a destroyer, and a battleship. His with Oak Leaves received a different and higher grade unprecedented achievements as a pilot made him the most of the Order of the Iron Cross. highly decorated German of World War II. A photograph of Rudel is at Figure 20. Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz mit dem Eichenlaub und Schwertern). Grand Cross (Grosskreuz). Worn at the neck from a Instituted on June 21, 1941, the day before Operation 57mm ribbon with a red center, white adjacent stripes and BARBAROSSA (the German codename for the invasion of black edges the Grand Cross was awarded only once, to the USSR), as the next grade or class of the order. About Reich Marshall Hermann Göring. 150 were awarded during World War II. in Gold and Silver (Kriegsorden des Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Deutsche Kreuz). Established by Hitler on September 28, Diamonds (mit dem Eichenlaub, mit Schwerten und 1941, the German Cross recognized “multiple exceptional Brillanten). After Operation Barbarossa began in 1941, deeds of bravery or leadership.”3 As Dietrich Maerz Hitler recognized that the close combat being experienced explains in The German Cross, the decoration was created by German troops in the field made it necessary to add yet to bridge the gulf between the Knight’s Cross of the Iron another grade or class. Consequently, on 15 July 1941, the Cross and the Iron Cross 1st Class. The fierce fighting diamonds grade was established. Only 27 were awarded on the Eastern Front required some sort of decoration between 1941 and 1945. to reward multiple acts of bravery. The problem was that the German awards system did not allow multiple awards of the same medal (as is possible in the United States pyramid of awards); if this had been possible, there would have been multiple awards of the Iron Cross 1st Class. At the same time, the Knight’s Cross was not a possible award because it could not be awarded for the “accumulation of several outstanding military acts.” On the contrary, the Knight’s Cross “could only be awarded for one singular act of outstanding personal bravery or for a decisive success in the conduct of a greater battle.”4 Consequently, if a soldier already had been awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class, any additional acts of bravery went unrecognized unless he reached the higher standard required for a Knight’s Cross.

Given that the German High Command did not want to open the door to multiple awards, there were two possible solutions: relax the award criteria for the Knight’s Cross or create a new decoration. The latter was the solution and so was born the German Cross, in gold for outstanding achievement in combat and in silver for honorable service in execution of the war. Given its creation to bridge the gap between the Knight’s Cross and the Iron Cross, the Figure 20: pilot Hans-Ulrich Rudel combat or service required for the German Cross had wearing the Knight’s Cross with Golden Oak to be above that required for the Iron Cross 1st Class, Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. but not sufficient for the award of the Knight’s Cross. Additionally, one could not be awarded the German Cross Knight’s Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords unless he had previously been awarded the Iron Cross and Diamonds (mit dem Goldenen Eichlaub, Schwerten 1st Class or War 1st Class with swords. But, und Brillanten). Hitler established the highest grade of while this meant that the German Cross was a “bridge” the Knight’s Cross on 29 December 1944. Only one between the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Knight’s Cross, was awarded, to Luftwaffe pilot Hans-Ulrich Rudel. A it was not in the line of succession with the Iron Cross remarkable aviator by any measure, Rudel flew 2,530 series. combat missions and destroyed more than 800 enemy vehicles, 150 artillery pieces, 519 tanks, 70 landing craft,

10 JOMSA