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Deutsches Kreuz in Silber

The German Cross (Deutschen Kreuz) is build up out of 5 separate parts and although the name suggests otherwise, it has the shape of a large 8-pointed breast star with in the center a large black swastika which is outlined in silver. The name of this award comes from this 21,5 mm big swastika. This swastika is placed upon a red-bordered silver disk and upon this red border is a silver laurel leaf wreath mounted. The silver wreath measures 39 mm across and is made out of single laurel leaves that are bounded together with a silk lint. At the bottom of the wreath is a square box with the year 1941 impressed into it. This date refers to the year of institution and from underneath this wreath emerge the eight star points. These points are chemically blackened and have the appearance of sunrays. Underneath these points is a 63 mm large silver backing plate placed which has the same shape as the award, only it’s slightly bigger so it forms the outer line of the award. At the reverse are 4 or 6 rivets visible and through the number of rivets you can recognize if the award was made in Germany or Austria. The German Crosses with 4 rivets were made in Germany and the pieces with 6 rivets in Austria. Further is there at the reverse a large width pin with a standard hook construction placed. If the award is marked with the LDO-number of the producer, then it is stamped in either the front or backside of the pin. To prevent damaging the award during combat, there was also a cloth version made. This cloth version has a metal wreath and the backing cloth colour is the same as the tunic colour of the corresponding Army branch. Fieldgrey is for the Army (Heer) and Waffen-SS, bleu-grey for the Air Force, (Luftwaffe) Marine bleu for the Navy (Kriegsmarine) and black for the Armored forces.

The German Cross in Silver (Deutsches Kreuz in Silber) was awarded for honourable military services in the execution of the war effort but where the Knight’s Cross wasn’t awarded for. The recipient did however already had to own the War Merit Cross 1st Class with swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1 Klasse mit Schwertern) or the Iron Cross 1st Class. The exact number of times that the German Cross in Silver was bestowed is still unknown at this time.

The OBdW barred/blocked the awarding of the German Cross in Silver from May 3rd, 1944 until June 8th, 1944. On July 21st, 1944, a decree by Adolf Hitler was issued that recommendations to members of the Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht not were to be taken in consideration before it was known the person in question would end his service with the Oberkommando.

Alt, Erich* June 26th, 1887
† August 22nd, 1966

Grid List
NameDate of birthDate of deathAwards
Sander, Werner04-05-1905 
Sartorius, Dr., Heinrich (Oberst i.G.)  
Sattler, Franz Xaver04-11-189329-09-1981more
Saucke, Kurt  
Saul, Dr., Gerhard (Sanitätskompanie 1/262)07-09-1909 
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Fürst zu, Gustav A.28-02-190724-06-1944
Schaeffer, Carl-Friedrich (Pio.-Regimentsstab 1)  
Schaewen, von, Erich28-12-188803-03-1947
Schaewen, von, Hans-Georg  
Schall-Emden, Robin (KM)22-03-189329-01-1946more
Schaller-Kalide, Hubert (General der Infanterie)19-12-188206-01-1976more
Schalper, Albert  
Scharff, Hans06-09-1913 
Schaumburg, Ernst (Generalleutnant)13-11-188004-10-1947more
Scheele, Gerhard (Eisenbahn-Pionier-Regiment 3)  
Scheidt, Dr., Rolf  
Scheller, Hermann  
Schellhaas, Friedrich  
Schenck, Hans Walter24-07-1890 
Schenck, Paul  
Schepers, Hans-Joachim  
Scheppokat, Karl14-10-1895 
Scherf, Albert-Richard25-05-1897 
Schiel, Otto Ewald  
Schill, Gerhard (Waffen SS)13-11-191216-10-1981
Schimming, Gottfried  
Schindele, Alfons  
Schirmer, Hans  
Schirmer, Heinz  
Schirmer, Kurt  
Schlembach, Anton  
Schlender, Paul  
Schlicht, Otto  
Schlotzhauer, Karl  
Schmalz, Dr., Heinrich  
Schmettow, Graf von, Rudolf08-01-189128-06-1970more
Schmetzer, Rudolf  
Schmid, Josef, Dr. (Sanitätskompanie (mot) 263)  
Schmidt, Dr.med. Gerhard (LW-Generalstabsartz)  
Schmidt, Georg, Dr. (Pz-Armee-Nachschubtruppe 3)  
Schmidt, Otto (Panzer-Regiment 1)  
Schmidt, Rudolf (Korvettenkapitän)12-12-1897 
Schmidt, Walter (Nachrichten-Aufklärung 6)  
Schmidt, Wilhelm, Dr. (XI. Armeekorps)  
Schmidt, Willi (Korps-Nachschubtruppe 419)  
Schmidt-Brücken, Gerhard Arthur09-03-1896 more
Schmidt-Brücken, Wolfgang Dr.med. (Generalarzt)05-01-1895 
Schmidt-Hofmann, Hans03-01-1889 more
Schmitz, Friedrich  
Schmitz, Wilhelm (Korps-Nachrichten-Abteilung 48)08-08-190618-03-1988more
Schneidemesser, von, Gustav  
Schneider, Carl (Kriegsmarine)10-08-1881 
Schneider, Hans (SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 3)13-10-1912 
Schniewindt, Rudolf25-12-187516-07-1954more
Schnitzer, Walter  
Schnizlein,Dr., Gustav  
Schnüll, Herbert  
Schober, Dr., Friedrich  
Schoder, Götz  
Schoeb, Hans  
Scholz, Dr., Walter  
Scholz, Dr., Wolfgang30-06-190619-08-2002
Schopper, Hubert03-10-191214-12-2000
Schrader, Rudolf29-05-189022-08-1945
Schranz, Johann  
Schreiber, Rolf  
Schreiner, Rudolf (Generalstabsintendant)16-11-187907-03-1967
Schroer, Wilhelm  
Schröder, Herbert  
Schröder, Oskar06-02-189126-01-1959
Schröder, Wilhelm (Kranken-Kraftwagen-Zug 23)  
Schubert, Karl (KM)  
Schubert, Rudolf  
Schuldei, Heinz  
Schulte-Mönting, Erich28-08-189717-01-1976more
Schultz, Christian  
Schultze, Otto  
Schulz, Dr., Johannes  
Schulz, Dr., Rolf  
Schulz-Gahmen, Dr., Werner  
Schulze, Curt19-11-188110-11-1966more
Schulze, Edwin (X. Fliegerkorps)  
Schulze, Erich-Edgar (Kriegsmarine)03-10-188022-04-1974
Schulze, Georg (Referent Kriegsmarine)11-10-1889 
Schulze, Martin00-00-189726-06-1961
Schulze, Paul (Grenadier-Regiment 457)  
Schumacher, Raoul (Generalintendant)11-12-188126-03-1953
Schumacher, Werner (SS-Nachrichten-Abteilung 113)14-12-1914 
Schuster, Friedrich Wilhelm 'Fritz' (Waffen SS)09-03-190714-02-2001
Schuttwolf, Heinz  
Schwaab, Eugen  
Schwab, Otto07-09-188917-04-1959
Schwaighofer, Thomas (Waffen SS)09-01-1913 
Schwalbe, Felix25-03-189212-06-1974more
Schwarz, Dr., Walther  
Schwarz, Georg (KM)20-12-1888 
Schwarz, Karl (OT)  
Schwarz, Karl (Sturm-Geschütz-Abteilung "GD")  
Schwerdtfeger, Dr., Horst (Veterinär)  
Schwerin, Graf von, Bogislav (Generalleutnant)19-10-189217-09-1944more
Schünemann, Walter (Oberquartiermeister)  
Schäfer, Dr., Lukas  
Schäfer, Hermann  
Schäfer, Karl  
Schöne, Volkmar Alfred Waldemar09-01-1899 more
Schönefeld, Helmut  
Schönfelder, Fritz  
Schönfelder, Roland  
Schöppner, Dr.-Ing., Franz  
Scupin, Jörg  
Sedlmayr, Dr., Gebhard (AOK 2)10-10-188611-01-1971more
Seebach, von, Thilo30-06-189021-10-1966more
Seeger, Gerhard (NSDAP)16-11-1896 
Seibt, Conrad (Generalmajor)05-08-189206-01-1973more
Seidemann, Herbert (LVII. Pz.Korps)  
Seidl, Karl (schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506)  
Seitzer, Otto  
Selle, Otto  
Semmler, Dr., Walter  
Semper, Hans  
Seydlitz-Kurzbach, von, ?  
SIBURG, Hans  
Sieber, Wilhem-Peter20-08-1910 more
Siegmann, Albert  
Sigel, Dr., Otto  
Simon, Kurt  
Skoczylas, Edmund  
Sobbe, von, Wilfried  
Sohn, Dr., Edgar  
Sollmann, Peter-Kurt17-07-1911 
Sommer, Albrecht19-11-1896 more
Sommer, Dipl.Ing., Hugo  
Sommerfeld, Heinrich, Dr.  more
Sonnek, Fritz  
Spacil, Josef  
Speich, Richard, Dr. rer. pol.29-11-188406-08-1954
Spier, Dr., Walter  
Sporn, Hans04-05-1907 
Stadelmaier, Willi (XXX. Armeekorps)28-06-1888 more
Stahm, Dr., August  
Stammbach, Friedrich "Fritz"16-04-189730-06-1970
Stange, Klaus Nikolaus12-04-1903 
Starck, Dr., Fritz  
Starost, Willy  
Staudt, Dr., Erich  
Stauffenberg, Schenk Graf von, Markwart 'Moppel'12-05-188904-04-1975
Steckhan, Heinrich  
Steffen, Dr., Peter  
Stein, Erich (Luftflotte 3)17-07-188421-12-1945
Steinbeck, Hans  
Steinberg, Dr. , Heinrich  
Steiner, Dr., Richard  
Steininger, Hans06-05-1902 
Steinmetz, Erich  
Steinmetz, Karl  
Stellwaag, Dr., Ernst  
Steltzer, Theodor17-12-188527-10-1967
Stenglin, Freiherr von, Alexander  
Steppuhn, Albrecht  
Stiegel, Heinrich07-02-189100-00-1964more
Stieringer, Ernst23-06-189123-07-1975more
Stigler, Franz (schwere Panzer-Abteilung 505)  
Stochdorph, Dr., Otto  
Stockburger, Artur (90.Panzer-Grenadier-Division)  
Stocker, Heinrich  
Stockhausen, Erich  
Stoewer, Walther  
Stollberger, Kurt Bernhard Eduard Fedor (LW)09-04-190616-04-1944
Stoltz, Georg-Günther  
Stoye, Hermann  
Straumer, Johannes  
Streccius, Alfred  
Strecker, Willy  
Streicek, Günter (Waffen SS)15-10-191401-05-1945
Streit, Hanns  
Ströbl, Josef  
Studnitz, von, Helfrid02-05-191108-05-1994
Studnitz, von, Helmut22-03-189520-03-1967
Studt, Emil  
Stutz, Hans15-06-1910 
Stutzki, Dr., Heinz  
Stührenberg, Hans  
Stülpnagel, von, Carl-Heinrich02-01-188630-08-1944more
Stürzel, Georg  
Störmer, Willibald  
Suren, Walter  
Szalla, Hans27-07-1895 

Sources