German Awards - Silver Women's Cross 2. Form

The Silver Brooch for Services to Women was awarded as a badge of honor on April 25, 1892 by the Kaiser and King William II. donated. In February 1900, the Badge of Honor was renamed the Silver Women's Cross for Merit. Initially, the one-class award was expanded from 1902 with the Golden Cross for Services to Women. The 1st class was a cross made of gilded silver and could be awarded a silver cross only after 10 years of possession of the 2nd class. Then it had to be turned in and returned. Crosses were awarded to women and maidens who have excelled and earned themselves through selfless charity work. On October 22, 1907, the women's cross "For Merit" was accepted into the system of Prussian orders and approved as an order. The first lending period is indicated from 1893 to October 1907. During this period, silver brooches were awarded for merit without a ribbon, silver brooches for merit (women's crosses for merit since 1900) with a ribbon, and since 1902 - gold women's crosses for merit on a ribbon. Crosses with a ribbon had an ironing mechanism above the horizontal needle to place the ribbon decoration. The second award period is counted from 1908 (after recognition as an order) until November 1916. A distinctive feature of the 1st form is the absence of a horizontal pin and the changed technique of tape decoration (there is no ironing mechanism). In addition, only crosses with the royal crown were awarded to the rods, and not to Prussian women. Crosses were made in several pieces during the first two award periods. The women's cross depicted here for merit in silver belongs to this rental period. The Silver Women's Merit Cross of the 2nd period was awarded a total of 243 times.
In the last period of 1917-1918, crosses were minted whole and had a simple oval eye as a ribbon reception.

Silver, openwork work cross in the shape of a medallion. A crown is attached from above. In the upper part of the imperial apple, a small ear soldered behind with an elongated wide ribbon ring through which a white ribbon is passed. At the back is a horizontal pin attached to the band ring.

Front side:

• The medallion is formed from a wide ring with a pearl chain along the outer edge.
• The inside is beveled. Between the line outside and inside is a blue enameled font:
• Top half: - ZA -. - MERIT - in the center of the ring on both sides is an 8-layer layered star.
• Lower half: blue enameled laurel branches left and right.
• Below is the letter code - A - V - of the empress, decorated and enameled with blue paint.
In
• a surrounded field, pierced by work, a cross with 3-fold figured and pointed ends.
• The bordered crosses are cross-hatched transversely and separated centrally by a diagonal cross.
• Inflorescences stylized in the corners of the sacrum. The tips of the cross and flowers touch the edge.

Downside:

• Smooth silver border with 2 ridges for fastening the crown.
• A cross of flowers lies under a hatched cross.

Tape:

30 mm wide, for female grinding 15 mm wide

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