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Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

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 golden laurel leaf wreath mounted. The golden 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 Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) was awarded for bravery and outstanding achievements in combat but where the Knight’s Cross wasn’t awarded for. The recipient did however already had to own the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1 Klasse) or Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1.Klasse with swords. The exact number of times that the German Cross in Gold was bestowed is still unknow at this time.

The OKW barred/stopped by decree the awarding of the Gernan Cross in Gold for "multiple remarkable services in troop leadership" from March 10th, 1945 on.

Bidermann, Gottlob-Herbert* August 28th, 1920
† September 1st, 2010

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Grid List
Maak, Gerhard (Kampf-Geschwader 76)* October 12th, 1908
† September 24th, 1942
Plot: 53 Row: 14 

Maar, Richard* October 4th, 1917
† April 29th, 1945
Plot: 1 Row: 1 Grave: 23

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Maaser, Herbert* November 15th, 1910

Machek, Ludwig* January 4th, 1921
† September 3rd, 1995

Machens, Bruno* July 25th, 1895
† November 20th, 1976

Macher, Karl Heinz (Waffen SS)* December 31st, 1919
† December 21st, 2001

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Macher, Robert Josef (Generalmajor)* November 18th, 1902
† October 22nd, 1949

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Macholz, Siegfried* September 20th, 1890
† May 25th, 1975

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Maciejewski, Johannes* September 1st, 1902

Mader, Anton* January 7th, 1913
† February 19th, 1984

Mader, Anton-Josef* March 3rd, 1919
† February 2nd, 1945

Mader, Franz* January 28th, 1912
† October 24th, 1988

Mader, Hans* April 17th, 1915
† July 3rd, 1944

Mader, Otto (Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 27)* December 17th, 1920
† December 21st, 1943
Plot: 12 Row: 27 Grave: 1898

Maempel, Rolf ( Panzergrenadier-Regiment 125)* May 23rd, 1895
† February 15th, 1955

Maetzel, Heinz* July 2nd, 1915
† January 8th, 1977

Magawly, Christoph* April 18th, 1914
† February 8th, 1986

Mager, Rolf (Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6)* December 1st, 1917
† January 1st, 1945
Plot: D Row: 9 Grave: 174

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Magg, Alois* December 24th, 1914
† October 22nd, 2001

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Magold, Hans Johann Hubert Karl "Hanns"* November 16th, 1918
† September 15th, 1944
Plot: 1 Row: 14 Grave: 791

Mahler, Adolf* December 31st, 1895
† January 27th, 1991

Mahlke, Helmut* August 27th, 1913
† December 26th, 1998

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Mahlmann, Paul* December 10th, 1892
† March 19th, 1963

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Mahn, Friedrich-Karl* November 21st, 1915
† May 17th, 1981

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Mahncke, Alfred* March 18th, 1888
† January 12th, 1979

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Mahnke, Willi* October 19th, 1919

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Mahrholz, Hans-Gert ('U-309')* October 10th, 1918
† February 13th, 2012

Mahrle, Sebastian* February 24th, 1902

Maier, August* September 12th, 1914
† February 10th, 1991

Maier, Josef (SS-T. Infanterie-Regiment 1)* October 19th, 1914
† September 30th, 1980

Maier, Kurt* January 21st, 1911
† February 11th, 1952

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Maierhofer, Franz* December 21st, 1897
† August 22nd, 1943

Mailänder, Eugen* March 6th, 1911

Maisenbacher, Eugen* November 20th, 1914
† August 19th, 1990

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Makus, Erich* April 21st, 1916
† July 15th, 1993

Malapert, Freiherr von, Robert-Georg (SG 1)* August 7th, 1912
† May 21st, 1942
Plot: 23 Row: 4 Grave: 184

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Malchow, Walter* September 30th, 1921
† September 13th, 1993

Maldinger, Heinz* June 21st, 1921
† 2005

Maletzki, Gerhard (Kampfgruppe zbV 500)* May 14th, 1921
† December 12th, 1942
Grave: UNK

Malkomes, Hans "Malko"* November 15th, 1913
† March 21st, 1945
Plot: 10 Row: 2 Grave: 1581

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Mallmann, Luitwin* September 30th, 1914
† February 8th, 1990

Mallo, Hermann* February 12th, 1911
† March 22nd, 1945

Malotki, von, Wolfgang (Grenadier-Regiment 45)* February 25th, 1921
† July 12th, 2002

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Maltrovsky, Martin* March 8th, 1920
† 2012

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Maltzahn, Freiherr von, Bernd-Joachim* February 9th, 1903
† December 27th, 1964

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Maltzahn, Freiherr von, Falk-Eberhard* June 9th, 1920
† August 6th, 1994

Maltzahn, Freiherr von, Günther* October 20th, 1910
† June 24th, 1953

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Maluck, Gerhard (Aufklärungsgruppe 21)* March 21st, 1914
† March 22nd, 1943
Grave: UNK

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Mandelsloh, von, Karl-Heinz* March 20th, 1899
† September 22nd, 1943
Plot: 29 Grave: 81

Mandl, Dieter (Flak-Abteilung 89)* April 22nd, 1922
† May 10th, 1944
Grave: UNK

Mangold, Ernst ('U-739')* November 15th, 1917
† October 16th, 1966

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Manitz, Hans-Horst* March 12th, 1906
† August 18th, 1989

Mann, Martin* November 9th, 1905
† June 21st, 1973

Manndorff, Freiherr, von und zu, Rudolf* May 17th, 1914
† June 1st, 1944

Mannesmann, Gert Fritjof* October 14th, 1910
† April 8th, 1945

Mantel, Gerhard (Panzerjäger-Abteilung 52)* August 2nd, 1914
† July 13th, 2010

Mantwitz, Walter* February 17th, 1917

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Manzke, Siegfried* October 11th, 1915

Marbach, Paul* December 15th, 1894
† December 14th, 1987

Marci, Werner* November 22nd, 1916
† August 14th, 1943

Marcks, Werner* July 17th, 1896
† July 28th, 1967

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Marggraf, Rudolf† July 14th, 1943

Marhoun, Fritz (Kampfgeschw. 53 'Legion Condor')* May 26th, 1917
† November 5th, 1944

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Marienfeld, Walter* August 10th, 1904
† October 23rd, 1944

Maringgele, Hermann (Waffen SS)* November 29th, 1911
† July 21st, 2000

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Markert, Anton* April 8th, 1909

Markert, Arthur* September 9th, 1904
† December 1993

Markowsky, Joachim* May 2nd, 1913

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Markworth, Walter* May 2nd, 1912
† May 13th, 1983

Marl, Peter* December 30th, 1919

Marogna-Redwitz, Graf von, Rudolf* October 23rd, 1914
† July 9th, 1942

Marotzke, Horst* October 20th, 1920
† December 11th, 1942

Marquardt, Heinz* December 29th, 1922
† December 19th, 2003

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Marquardt, Hugo* April 19th, 1916

Marquart, Rolf* July 9th, 1914

Marreck, Günther* July 22nd, 1914
† December 23rd, 2002

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Marschall, Wilhelm (Generaladmiral)* September 30th, 1886
† March 20th, 1976
Plot: A 

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Marschner, Martin Richard* October 27th, 1897
† August 22nd, 1942

Marscholik, Siegfried* December 13th, 1914

Marseille, Hans-Joachim "Jochen"* December 13th, 1919
† September 30th, 1942
Grave: 4133

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Martens, Alfred* October 21st, 1910
† August 20th, 1944

Martens, Egbert* May 22nd, 1897
† January 26th, 1964

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Martin, Clemens* December 29th, 1912

Martin, Jörg* December 9th, 1923

Martin, Wolfgang (KG 3)* September 11th, 1916
† May 13th, 1944
Plot: 112 Row: O Grave: 119

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Martinek, Robert* February 2nd, 1889
† June 28th, 1944

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Marzluf, Xaver* July 3rd, 1910
† June 3rd, 1944

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Masarié, Arzelino 'Lino' (Waffen SS)* October 10th, 1912
† August 9th, 1944
Plot: D Grave: 46

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Masius, Wilhelm* November 21st, 1906

Massalsky, Horst Rudolph Eduard* March 29th, 1920
† 2001

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Massell, Paul* May 30th, 1909
† February 2nd, 1945
Plot: 1 Row: 9 Grave: 225-252

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Matern, Alfred* December 15th, 1910
† February 26th, 1946

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Matern, Gerhard (Grenadier-Regiment 413)* November 11th, 1907
† September 25th, 1943
Plot: 35 Row: 10 Grave: 372

Matern, Kurt* May 15th, 1903
† December 1st, 1943

Materna, Friedrich* June 21st, 1885
† November 11th, 1946

Materne, Max-Theodor* February 28th, 1922
† April 18th, 1945

Mathes, Josef* February 4th, 1908
† September 19th, 1944
Plot: E1 Row: 13 Grave: 196

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Matoni, Walter* June 27th, 1917
† June 26th, 1988

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Mattenklott, Franz* November 19th, 1884
† June 28th, 1954

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Mattern, Ernst* November 26th, 1892

Matthaei, Gerhard Karl Max (Inf.-Regiment 487)* May 9th, 1896
† August 13th, 1985

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Matthaei, Wolfgang Dr. (Infanterie-Regiment 422)* November 9th, 1907
† February 1945
Grave: Grab 1

Matthes, Hans* October 20th, 1914
† March 12th, 1966

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Matthies, Wilhelm (Konteradmiral)* September 27th, 1896
† July 7th, 1980

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Matthis, Werner* June 22nd, 1899
† August 12th, 1983

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Matthiä, Friedrich* December 25th, 1909

Mattiza, Max* June 13th, 1921

Matuschka, Graf von, Hartmut* December 29th, 1914
† January 16th, 1945

Matuschka, Graf von, Siegfried* June 28th, 1917
† April 16th, 1943

Matzdorff, Werner (Waffen SS)* February 24th, 1912
† February 17th, 2010

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Matzen, Jens-Ingwer* October 22nd, 1914
† February 29th, 1980

Matzke, Maximilian* October 15th, 1892
† January 23rd, 1943
Plot: Cube 55 Row: Panel 9 

Mauchenheim gen. Bechtolsheim, Freiherr von, Theod* August 26th, 1902
† April 20th, 1972

Maucke, Wolfgang 'Wolf' (Panzergrenadier-Reg.115)* September 26th, 1900
† February 5th, 1963

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Maurer, Eckehard* November 25th, 1918
† December 25th, 2002

Maurer, Karl* January 1st, 1915

Maurer, Otto* December 18th, 1905
† March 21st, 1982

Maurer, Stefan (Grenadier-Regiment (mot.) 35)* March 9th, 1912
† April 26th, 1945

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Maurischat, Willi* May 10th, 1911

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Mausberg, Heinrich "Heinz"* May 17th, 1921
† December 1st, 2015

Mausehund, Fritz* July 23rd, 1919
† July 24th, 1944

Mauss, Dr. med. dent., Karl* May 17th, 1898
† February 9th, 1959

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Mauss, Günther* December 26th, 1910
† April 10th, 1993

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Maximowitz, Willi* January 29th, 1920
† April 20th, 1945

May, Friedrich 'Fritz' (Jagdgeschwader 2)* March 5th, 1918
† October 20th, 1943
Plot: 3 Row: 30 Grave: 934

Maydorn, Otfried* March 15th, 1898
† November 24th, 1983

Mayer, Egon* August 19th, 1917
† March 2nd, 1944

Mayer, Ferdinand* May 10th, 1900
† September 4th, 1942

Mayer, Hans (Waffen SS)* August 20th, 1920

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Mayer, Herwig* March 26th, 1921

Mayer, Karl (Lw-KG 26)* March 25th, 1913

Mayer, Leonhard* 1920
† October 21st, 1944

Mayer, von, Paul* March 18th, 1887
† July 19th, 1947

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Mayer, Wilhelm* December 5th, 1917
† January 4th, 1945

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Mayerl, Maximilian* May 28th, 1917
† February 11th, 2010

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Mayr, Heinrich* November 22nd, 1920
† December 15th, 1944
Plot: 3 Grave: 194

Mayr, Rudolf (Kampfgeschwader 40)* May 1st, 1910
† August 4th, 1991

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Mayser, Heinrich, Heinz (Pz-Abt.8)* May 2nd, 1920
† August 19th, 1944

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Mecklenburg, Max* November 20th, 1911
† November 24th, 1983

Meden, von der, Karl-Friedrich* December 3rd, 1896
† December 26th, 1961

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Meder, Albert* June 16th, 1914
† November 14th, 1989

Meding, von, Arnold* May 22nd, 1913

Sources