German Awards - Knight's Cross of the Cross for Military Merit without Swords

On August 19, 1940, Adolf Hitler established the Knight's Cross with and without swords and the Military Merit Medal as an addition to the Military Merit Cross. The Knight's Cross was awarded for outstanding services that had a decisive influence on the conduct of the war with swords, and for outstanding services in military missions without swords. Adolf Hitler personally retained the award. Proposals for awarding were made by the highest authorities and commanders-in-chief of the Wehrmacht units. On July 8, 1944, the Golden Knight's Cross was established. Publication or rewarding is unproven. The Military Merit Cross was established by decree of the Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler on October 18. Initially, the cross was awarded in 2 classes for merits that did not justify the award of the Iron Cross. In addition, it was a replacement for the Iron Cross on a non-belligerent ribbon (World War I) and the awards of former individual states for their homeland and civil merits. The cross was awarded with and without swords. Swords were awarded for the use of enemy weapons or special merits in the conduct of war. Without swords, this award was awarded with equal merit without the effect of enemy weapons. In mid-1940, the awarding of swords was also allowed for the Wehrmacht. The knight's cross without swords was produced by the following manufacturers: Deschler & Sohn - Munich, C.E. Juncker - Berlin, C.F. Zimmermann - Pforzheim and as a replacement for the destroyed Deschler, Steinhauer & Lück company in Lüdenscheid. Depending on the manufacturer, crosses vary slightly in size and design. Only 59 awards of the Knight's Cross of the Cross for military merits without swords are known. There were also few double awards.

Eight-pointed cross made of silver, with raised smooth edges. The inner sides of the cross sleeves are granular. Front and back with an embossed circular central shield. On the upper cruciform shoulder there are two inclined smooth bridges that open into a parallel round ear. An elongated ribbon ring passes through the eye, which becomes slightly wider upward. On the lower cruciform shoulder on the end side, punches - 1 - on the left of Deschler & Sohn and - 900 - on the right .

Front side:

• The edge of the middle shield is formed by an oak-leafy wreath tied above and below.
In
• a closed, fine-grained field, a swastika placed on top rises and polishes.

Downside:

• The edge of the middle shield is formed by an oak-leafy wreath tied above and below.
In
• a closed, fine-grained field, the year number is 1939.

Tape:

• The collar is black 45 mm wide, the edge stripes are red/white 5.5 mm each.

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