Manufacturing The first section deals exclusively with the technical specifications and manufacturing of the Cross. It contains detailed blueprints, descriptions of manufacturing, and acatalog  with photos and characteristics of each maker.  This is one of the principal sections of the article. Embroidered/ Cases Because the German Cross was a heavy award, a cloth (embroidered) version was authorized for wear.  This type was particularly popular with Pilots, Tank Crews and others forced to operate in tight work environments.  This section also covers the cases the awards were presented in. Documents This section delves into the documentation that accompanied the Order.  It covers the annotations in personal documents (Soldbuch, Wehrpass), transitional award documents, and official award documents of the Heer, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine. Conditions Recipient he ultimate reason the award even existed - the men of the Wehrmacht - are reviewed in this division of the study.  How many won the award?   What did they have to do to get it?  These questions and more are answered here. Other & 1957 There are exceptions to every rule, and the authors were able to find three which are detailed in this subdivision.  Also covered here are the miniature version of the cross, meant to be worn on the lapel, and the 1957 "denazified" version to be worn by surviving veterans. Reproductions All German decorations have been faked, and until recently the complicated construction of the DK made it a very difficult award to copy.  Because this has all changed, this segment of the investigation focuses on the issue of reproductions. German Cross Index Wehrmacht-Awards.com Index

By François Saez and Jacques Calero   

Conditions for Bestowal

The decoration could only be awarded exclusively by the Commander in Chief of the Wehrmacht, or the Commanders in Chief of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, though later also by Army Group Commanders, and in the case of a member of the General Staff, by the Commander in Chief of the Army.   The recipient of the German Cross in Gold had to already be a holder of the Iron Cross 1st Class 1939 or of the 1939 Clasp (Spange) to the 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class.   It required at least the War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords to receive the German Cross in Silver.   For naval personnel, bestowal of the German Cross followed a calculated system of points in terms of the number and type of engagements.   In 1944, bestowal of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold automatically included bestowal of the German Cross in Gold (HM 1944 S.283, 21/9/44)

 

 

It was possible to be awarded the Cross in both Gold and Silver.  In principle, only the Cross in Gold could then be worn. Nevertheless, a contemporary photo shows both awards being worn at the same time by the then Kapitän zS zV (later Konteramiral zS zV) Dr. Paul MEIXNER .   Then Oberst iG zV (later Generalleutnant zV) Bodo ZIMMERMANN on the Staff of OB West also received both Crosses (DKiS 15.2.43 Oberst iG zV Ia OB West AND DKiG 25.9.44 Oberst iG zV Stab OB West).   The Cross in Gold was worn above the Cross in Silver.

The German Cross could also be awarded posthumously, in which case the decoration and award certificate (Besitzzurkunde) were sent to the next of kin.

In the case of loss or damage in combat, free replacement of the decoration could be requested from the Orders Chancery (Ordenkanzlei ).  The same procedure could be used to obtain a wearing copy (zweites stück ), but this was made difficult.  

 

It should be noted that the German soldiers themselves referred to the DK as "Hitler's fried Egg", a practice which continues even amongst surviving veterans today.

The German Cross With Diamonds

In the month of October 1942, Hitler authorized the manufacture of German Crosses in Gold With Diamonds.  Twenty examples were made by the jeweler RATH in Munich.   These Crosses were sent to the Orders Chancery (Ordenkanzlei der Präsidialkanzlei des Führers) and kept by Dr. Doehle (Unterstaatssekretär).   They were never awarded.   At the end of the war, these all ended up in Austria at Schloss Klessheim, where the ‘’Diamond’’ Crosses were confiscated by an American army officer.   Three of these Crosses are now found in the museum of the United States Military Academy at West Point, the others are in private collections. 

Recipients

The known number of recipients of the German Cross was divided in the following categories:

These figures are only approximate, because in the last weeks of the war the Crosses were certainly awarded, but not listed, or the archives have disappeared in any event.  Two of the Gold and seven of the Silver usually counted in ‘’ Army’’ lists were actually for other forces, as shown above.   No doubt there were unlisted awards to other odd organizations which were not published.  It is also to be noted that these decorations were never awarded to female personnel.  According to the new book "Das Deutsches Kreuz 1941 - 1945" , Band II written by K.Patzwall & V.Scherzer there are a total off 26987 awards (both German Cross gold and Silver).

Knight of the Reich - Karl Rinklef

• Iron Cross 2nd Class – 24.10.39 as a First Lieutenant with Aufklärungsabteilung 27, (27th Reconnaissance Battalion , 27th Infantry Division).
• Iron Cross 1st Class – 27.6.1941 der Panzerraufkärungsabteilung 27 (27th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion, 17th Panzer Division)
• German Cross in Gold – 11.3.1943 with Kradschutzenbatallion 17th (17th Motorcycle Battalion, 17th Panzer Division) 
• Single Tank Destruction Strip (2)
• Panzer Assault Badge
• Close Combat Clasp
• Wound Badge in Silver
• Wound Badge in Black
• Eastern Campaign Medal
• 4 year Service Award
• Entry into Austria Award

 

 

Oberleutnant [First Lieutenant] Karl Rinklef was born April 6th, 1914, in Heidelberg.   At the onset of the war he was with the 27th Infantry Division, a unit which distinguished itself for its gallantry in the victorious Polish and French campaigns where Oberleutnant Rinklef earned the Iron Cross Second class during the opening campaign of the war.

In the fall of 1940 the 27th Infantry Division was converted to the 17th Panzer Division and in June of 1941 it blitzed into Russia with Army Group Center fighting with Guderian's 2nd Panzer Group at Minsk and Smolensk.  It later participated in the battle of Moscow.   Amongst the unit's accomplishments are the destruction of 100 tanks in a single day (June 9, 1941, at Orsha).   Three days before that, Karl Rinklef had earned the Iron Cross 1st Class.

The 17th stayed with Army Group Center until it was dispatched to relieve the encircled 6th Army at Stalingrad, however they were themselves encircled and had to fight their way out.  By the time Christmas came in 1942, the unit was badly shaken and down to only eight tanks and one anti-tank gun.  In March 1943, the refurbished division participated in von Manstein's counterblast toward Kharkow and Belgorod; it was there that Oberleutnant Rinklef distinguished himself and earned the German Cross.  The unit also fought at Kursk, and then in the retreats from the Donets, the Dnieper bend, and the northern Ukraine.  In March 1944 the unit was once again encircled with the 1st Panzer Army but succeeded in breaking out one last time.  In September of the fourth year of the war it was fighting west of the Vistula, and it opposed the Russian drives east of the river in the winter of '44-'45.  At the end of the war, it was in the pocket east of Prague. 

Karl Rinklef survived the war.

 

 

Below are two photographs and translation of newspaper articles announcing the award of his the German Cross.

 

For questions, comments or additional information on the above group contact Sebastian Bianchi

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