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Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1.Klasse mit Schwertern

The War Merit Cross 1st. class with swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1. klasse mit Schwertern), also know as the KVK 1 was instituted on 18-10-1939 by Hitler. Like the KVK 2, this award could be awarded to military personal as well as to civilians (m/f) for bravery which was not directly connected with frontline actions. For example for maintenance of frontline vehicles and equipment, outstanding performance by the civil defence and security tasks. The recipient had to have been awarded the KVK 2 before the KVK 1 could be awarded, but on special occasions it was possible that both decorations were awarded at the same time.

This award is identical in design to the KVK 2 with Swords, but is silver washed instead of bronze. The reverse is flat and has a large pin and hook construction. In some examples the mint mark is stamped on the reverse of the award or on the pin itself. There is a version in existence where the pin and hook construction has been replaced by a screw with a large screw cap. This version is similar to the Iron Cross 1 with screw back. In some cases the screw back is marked. One well known manufacturer of this screw back is: Glaser & Sohn from Dresden. (L/58) Some other well know manufacturers of the KVK 1 are Steinhauser & Lück from Lüdenscheid (4), Ferdinand Hoffstädter from Bonn am Rhein (8), Friedrich Orth from Vienna (15), Karl Gschiermeister from Vienna (50), Gottlieb & Wagner from Idar/Oberstein (52), Robert Hauschild from Pforzheim (56), Kerbach & Oesterheld from Dresden (62), Klein & Quenzer from Idar/Oberstein (65), Rudolf Richter from Schlag (89), Wilhelm Deumer WD from Lüdenscheid (L/11), Otto Schickel from Pforzheim (L/15), C.F. Zimmermann from Pforzheim (L/52) and Glaser & Sohn from Dresden (L/58).

The award was presented in a black box with a black filling with a slit to accommodate the pin. For the screw back version the filling was made in the shape of the screw back. The inside of the lid was covered with white silk, the outside bore the silhouette of the award in silver. The medal was awarded with a standard citation. The award was worn on the left breast pocket, just like the Iron Cross 1. It is estimated that a total of 483.603 decorations have been awarded during WWII.

Ahrens, Eberhard Dr. med. (Admiralarzt)* January 13th, 1892
† June 29th, 1945

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Grid List
Lages, Willi Paul Franz "Willy"* October 15th, 1901
† April 2nd, 1971

Lamm, Erhardt* May 11th, 1917

Landskron, Franz* August 21st, 1876
† December 28th, 1960

Lange, Heinz (Waffen-SS)* January 2nd, 1913

Lange, Wolfgang (Generalleutnant)* June 1st, 1898
† February 10th, 1988

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Langendorff, von , Hugo* July 28th, 1876
† October 22nd, 1955

Langenohl, Max* June 1st, 1887

Langguth, Gerhard (XI. Fliegerkorps)* October 24th, 1914
† 2008

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Lay, Albert (Waffen SS)* August 31st, 1901

Leeb, Emil* June 7th, 1881
† September 8th, 1969

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Leffler, Kurt* June 6th, 1907

Lehmann, Hans-Albrecht (Generalmajor)* February 6th, 1894
† November 27th, 1976

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Lerch, Kurt (Kriegsmarine)* October 20th, 1912

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Leyers, Hans* March 5th, 1896
† February 2nd, 1981

Liebel, Willy* August 31st, 1897
† April 20th, 1945

Liers, Walter* January 7th, 1909

Lindeiner-Wildau, von, Friedrich-Wilhelm Franz* December 12th, 1880
† May 22nd, 1963

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Lipf, Rudolf, Dr.* June 6th, 1887
† March 20th, 1974

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Lippe, von der, Friedrich 'Fritz' (General)* May 13th, 1879
† December 6th, 1956

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Lohmann, Walter* December 11th, 1891
† April 13th, 1944

Lucht, Ernst* February 27th, 1896
† November 2nd, 1975

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Ludendorff, Hans-Joachim* July 6th, 1908

Ludwig, Hermann Max* June 27th, 1887

Ludwig, von, Kurt Bernhard Friedrich (Flak)* December 13th, 1892
† November 13th, 1949

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Lusser, Robert Dipl.-Ing. (Wehrwirtschaftsführer)* April 19th, 1899
† January 19th, 1969

Lüdke, Hermann* February 19th, 1910

Lüschen, Friedrich* March 19th, 1877
† June 18th, 1945

Löhr, Erich (WH-Gren.Rgt. 405)* November 9th, 1898
† July 25th, 1966

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Lörner, Georg* February 17th, 1899
† April 1st, 1959

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Sources