TracesOfWar needs your help! Every euro, pound or dollar you contribute greatly supports the continuation of this website. Go to stiwot.nl and donate!

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 There is a version in existence where the pin and hook construction has been replaced by a screw with a large screw cap.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

more
Grid List
Rabitz, Friedrich* January 20th, 1879

Raithel, Wilhelm "Willy"* October 15th, 1894
† 1960

Rambold, Alfons* July 3rd, 1915
† February 8th, 1944

Rang, Peter* January 15th, 1914

more
Raschick, Erich* April 15th, 1882
† May 15th, 1946

Rauff, Hermann Julius Walther* June 19th, 1906
† May 14th, 1984

more
Rauter, Johann Baptist Albin "Hanns Albin"* February 4th, 1895
† March 25th, 1949

more
Rediess, Friedrich Wilhelm Otto* October 10th, 1900
† May 8th, 1945

more
Reich, Rudolf* April 17th, 1898

Reichleitner, Franz Karl* December 2nd, 1906
† January 3rd, 1944
Grave: 1192

Reinecke, Karl Rudolf Ernst Auguste Hermann* February 14th, 1888
† October 10th, 1973

more
Reinhardt, Fritz (Militärverwaltungsvizechef)* September 27th, 1898
† September 30th, 1965

more
Reinhardt, Hellmuth* June 27th, 1900
† September 16th, 1989

Remy, Karl* November 13th, 1883
† August 30th, 1951

Renz, von, Otto-Wilhelm* November 3rd, 1891
† January 16th, 1968

more
Retzlaff, Wilhelm Karleman* March 27th, 1918
† April 1st, 1978

more
Richter, Otto (Pionier-Führer)* December 26th, 1893
† 1980

Riecke, Hans-Joachim Ernst* June 20th, 1899
† August 11th, 1986

more
Riedel, Hans-Hermann* September 17th, 1891
† February 5th, 1960

Riedel, Klaus Erhardt* August 2nd, 1907
† August 9th, 1944

Riese, Walther* February 26th, 1890
† June 24th, 1967

Rintelen, von , Enno* November 6th, 1891
† August 7th, 1971

more
Rittberg, Graf von, Karl-Heinrich* January 22nd, 1914
† April 12th, 1945

Ritter, Julius* July 25th, 1907
† September 28th, 1943

Rocholl, Heinrich* July 18th, 1902

Rode, Ernst August (Generalmajor)* August 9th, 1894
† September 12th, 1955

more
Rodig, Heinz Wasa* July 7th, 1909

Rohrbeck, Kurt* September 7th, 1914
† July 10th, 1992

more
Roques, von, Franz* September 1st, 1877
† August 7th, 1967

Roques, von, Karl* May 7th, 1880
† December 24th, 1949

Rose, Gerhard Prof.Dr.med. (Generalarzt)* November 30th, 1896
† January 13th, 1992

Rosenhahn, Walter Erich Karl* September 8th, 1907

Rost, von, Hans-Günther* November 15th, 1894
† March 23rd, 1945

more
Roth, Hans (LW-Flak-Rgt. 38)* June 3rd, 1897
† August 24th, 1980

more
Rother, Witold* May 24th, 1888
† October 27th, 1962

more
Rudolf, Werner* August 14th, 1907
† 1971

Ruoff, Joachim (Waffen SS)* March 1st, 1911
† February 4th, 1996

Rüdel, Günter* November 15th, 1883
† April 22nd, 1950

more
Röchling, Hermann* November 12th, 1872
† August 24th, 1955

Röder, Wilhelm Georg (NSDAP)* March 17th, 1880
† March 28th, 1952

more
Römer, Wolfgang* June 23rd, 1910

Rösch, Rudolf* May 11th, 1890
† September 5th, 1952

more
Rösener, Erwin (Waffen SS)* February 2nd, 1902
† September 4th, 1946
Grave: UNK

more

Sources