AtlanticRZM

KVK 1 silver with Swords

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KVK 1 silver with Swords

Reference : MNL118ACDE

Reproduction of the 1st Class War Merit Cross with swords.
Silver finish.
Fixing pin on back.

High-quality craftsmanship.
Made in the Philippines.
Registered postage costs included in the price.

The War Merit Cross (German: Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was a decoration awarded by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to military personnel as well as civilians.

The award was created by Adolf Hitler on October 18, 1939 as the successor to the “Iron Cross for Non-Combatants” (an iron cross with its ribbon colors reversed), awarded in previous wars.

Like the Iron Cross, the decoration comprised several classes:
- the Cross of War Merit, second class ;
- the Cross of War Merit, First Class;
- the Knight's Cross of War Merit.
Each class had two categories:
- with swords, rewarding soldiers for outstanding service in battle above and beyond the call of duty (but not worthy of an iron cross, which was more a reward for acts of bravery);
- without swords for meritorious service behind the lines, which could also be awarded to civilians.
Recipients had to have the lower rank of the award before moving up to the next level.

There was also an underside version of the 2nd Class, known simply as the War Merit Medal (German: Kriegsverdienstmedaille), introduced in 1940 for civilians to compensate for the large number of 2nd Class without swords being awarded. It was generally awarded to factory workers who had far exceeded their work quota.

Traditionally, recipients of the Knight's Cross of War Merit were rewarded by receiving their medals from recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, symbolizing the link between the soldier at the front and the personnel at the back who kept the war effort going.

At Albert Speer's suggestion, there was an additional class of the War Merit Cross: the Knight's Cross of the Gold War Merit Cross, but it was never officially included in the list of national awards. The order came into being in 1945, and the end of the war did not allow the decoration to be officially promulgated. The Knight's Cross of the Gold Cross of War Merit (without swords) was awarded to two laureates on April 20, 1945: Franz Hahne and Karl Saur.

The Knight's Cross of War Merit has been awarded 54 times without swords and 243 times with swords.

The color of the ribbon for the Cross of War Merit is red-white-black-white-red, which is for the colors red and black, unlike the ribbon for the Iron Cross.

made-to-order

17.90 €

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