***SOLD***

WW2 German Cross in Gold, cloth version. 72mm wide hand embroidered, featuring a double, overlaid, eight point, sunburst pattern with the top, inner layer, sunburst in matte, brownish/grey, cotton threads, and the bottom, outer layer, in bright, silver/aluminum wire threads. The cross has a gilt washed, circular, stamped alloy, wreath with embossed laurel leaves and "ribbons" and a small banner with the impressed introduction date, "1941" to the bottom centre. The wreath is identical to the wreaths utilized on the metal crosses. Inner edge of the alloy wreath has a red thread border with an additional silver/aluminum thread border to the outer edge. The wreath encompasses an embroidered, canted, black swastika with a silver/aluminum thread outer border on a white rayon base. The cross is mounted on a cut-out, field-grey wool base indicating an army issue award, with stockists label for C. A. Weetmann of Dresden. The badge is in overall very good, unissued condition with minimal age toning and a couple of small moth nips to the field-grey wool base.

The War Order of the German Cross was introduced on September 28th 1941 in two classes of Gold and Silver. The Gold class Cross was awarded to military personnel for exceptional acts of bravery or achievement in combat while the Silver class was awarded for distinguished acts of service in the war effort. Criteria for bestowal of either Cross included that the recipient must first have been awarded the 1939 Iron Cross 1st class or the 1939 Bar to the 1914 Iron Cross 1st class. On introduction of the award a cloth version was also authorized for wear with the color of the base material indicating which branch of service the cross was awarded to with a field-grey base for award to Heer and Waffen-SS personnel, a black base for Panzer personnel, a blue/grey base for Luftwaffe personnel and a navy blue base for Kriegsmarine personnel.