Germany Awards - Wilhelmskreuz - 25 years of officer service

The William Cross was established as a service distinction for officers on March 2, 1837 by King William IV. donated by Hanover. It was awarded after 25 years of faithful and innocent service to officers. On April 20, 1855, the patent expanded the circle of persons eligible for receipt. Now the general auditors, headquarters auditors and garrison auditors were able to receive the award after 25 years of service. The auditor was then an expression for military judges. A prerequisite for this was end-to-end service in military justice and the wearing of appropriate military uniforms. The war years, as usual then, were counted twice. Crosses until 1860 were made hollow from gold leaf. After that, crosses began to be made of gilded copper sheet. Real gold crosses on the ring of the ribbon bear the stigma of pure content, in gilded pieces there is neither a stigma nor the letter X. The Wilhelm cross was subject to return after death. Due to the very short lease period and return requirement, these crosses are extremely rare. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. 1, 1999.

Hollow made cross made of gold. Cross arms with a triple line along the edge. The inner sides of the cruciform shoulders are slightly arched and smooth. Front and back with embossed round central screen. On the upper cruciform shoulder is a soldered ordinary eye with a ribbon ring. On the ring of the tape, the punch is 14 - (14 carats) and one - Z- (probably the manufacturer).

Front side:

• Central shield with double raised edge. The inner field is finely cut.
In the
• center rise large letters - W - R -, including the Roman numeral 4 - IV -.
• Above the letter rises the royal crown. (Wilhelm - Rex - 4th)

Downside:

• Central shield with double raised edge. The inner field is finely cut.
In the
• center rises the Roman numeral 25 - XXV. -.

Tape:

• red 35 mm wide, side stripes blue 5 mm.

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