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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
Vaerst, Georg* July 27th, 1916

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Vageler, Wolfgang† July 28th, 1944

Vahl, Herbert-Ernst (Waffen SS)* October 9th, 1896
† July 22nd, 1944

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Valentin, Willy (Infanterie-Regiment 76)* April 25th, 1906
† June 18th, 1943
Plot: 2 Grave: 22

Valet, Hans-Joachim* February 18th, 1918
† December 3rd, 1944

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Valve, Väinö Lahja Richard* December 28th, 1895
† March 11th, 1995

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Vandieken, Anton (SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 15)* July 4th, 1909
† October 29th, 2005

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Vandieken, Otto (Transportgeschwader 3)* October 28th, 1908
† February 29th, 1944
Grave: UNK

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Varnbüler Freiherr von und zu Hemmingen, Ulrich* May 1st, 1907
† February 14th, 1986

Vechtel, Bernhard* July 31st, 1920
† August 21st, 1975

Vegesack, von, Dieter† September 2006

Vehlow, Karl Peter* November 11th, 1913

Vehovc, Hugo* August 21st, 1914

Veitenhansl, Franz (Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 16)* September 24th, 1917
† July 17th, 1944
Grave: UNK

Veith, Alfred* April 25th, 1918
† August 8th, 2008

Veith, Ernst* November 15th, 1919
† November 10th, 1942

Veith, Karl* July 16th, 1894
† August 10th, 1979

Velde, Johann* March 10th, 1921
† March 16th, 1995

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Veltheim, von, Heinrich-Josias* July 29th, 1920
† February 11th, 1945

Veneman, Frans (Waffen SS)* October 8th, 1914

Venjakob, Otto† June 23rd, 1944

Vennemann, Johann* April 19th, 1920
† July 3rd, 1944

Verlohr, Walter* July 3rd, 1919
† May 15th, 1942

Vermehren, Günter* July 29th, 1915

Versock, Kurt* February 14th, 1895
† March 17th, 1963

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Vesenmayer, Dr.agrar., Hans* October 11th, 1917
† December 16th, 2004

Veth, Kurt* June 1st, 1907
† December 27th, 1994

Vette, Heinrich (Pz.Rgt. 11)* August 7th, 1919
† December 23rd, 1944

Vettermann, Manfred* April 11th, 1919
† January 5th, 1945

Vial, Alexander* September 7th, 1897
† October 18th, 1953

Viebahn von dem Borne, von, Lebrecht-Georg* February 15th, 1893
† January 4th, 1968

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Viebig, Hans* May 31st, 1897
† September 30th, 1961

Viebig, Wilhelm* June 3rd, 1899
† January 16th, 1982

Viebranz, Herbert* January 29th, 1914

Viehmann, Wilhelm* June 13th, 1916
† February 25th, 1962

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Viehweg, Gottfried* September 17th, 1920
† June 1944

Viehweger, Bernhard* September 12th, 1896

Vielhauer, Ernst* May 10th, 1907
† September 30th, 1943

Vielwerth, Erich Wilhelm August "Erich"* February 10th, 1912
† August 12th, 1997

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Viercks, Günther* March 11th, 1919
† February 13th, 1944

Vierecker, Fritz* October 22nd, 1913
† July 19th, 1982

Viertel, Willi* September 5th, 1911
† August 31st, 1943
Plot: 3 

Vierus, Helmut (TG 2)* February 1st, 1918
† September 22nd, 1945

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Vies, Johann* December 14th, 1914

Vietinghoff gen. Scheel, von, Heinrich (General)* December 6th, 1887
† February 23rd, 1952

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Vietsch, von, Bernhard* October 17th, 1920

Vieweger, Wolfgang* September 14th, 1918

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Vilzmann, Rupert* June 29th, 1922
† January 14th, 1945

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Vincon, Otto* January 23rd, 1906
† April 13th, 1945

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Vinke, Heinz* May 22nd, 1920
† February 26th, 1944

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Voboril, Franz* May 4th, 1908
† February 1st, 1944

Vocke, Helmut* January 26th, 1915
† October 28th, 1943

Vockensohn, Karl* 1908
† 1945

Voelter, Helmuth* August 16th, 1898
† August 9th, 1944

Vogel, Emil* July 20th, 1894
† October 1st, 1985

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Vogel, Friedrich* July 9th, 1916

Vogel, Friedrich Ewald* November 18th, 1919
† March 23rd, 1994

Vogel, Horst (Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1)* November 6th, 1916
† March 16th, 1944
Plot: K Grave: 701

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Vogel, Karl-Friedrich* June 13th, 1917
† August 10th, 1942

Vogel, Walter (Generalmajor)* August 19th, 1889
† December 1st, 1974

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Vogel, Walter (WH-Gren.Rgt. 6)* February 14th, 1906
† May 2nd, 1997

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Vogl, Albert* July 10th, 1914
† February 13th, 1945

Vogt, Adolf* August 31st, 1915
† September 21st, 1992

Vogt, Fritz (Waffen SS)* March 17th, 1918
† April 3rd, 1945
Plot: 52a Row: 18 Grave: 180

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Vogt, Gerhard Heinz (JG 26 "Schlageter")* November 29th, 1919
† January 14th, 1945
Row: 7 Grave: 85

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Vogts, Herbert* May 30th, 1913
† April 22nd, 1943

Voigt, Dieter* February 3rd, 1923

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Voigt, Günter* August 15th, 1913

Voigt, Hans* August 17th, 1910

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Voigt, Hans-Joachim* November 15th, 1894

Voigt, Helmut* October 4th, 1915
† May 29th, 1942

Voigt, Karl (Aufklärungsgruppe 31)* June 3rd, 1910
† January 1st, 1943

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Voigt, Wilhelm* April 13th, 1917

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Voigt, Wolfgang* June 13th, 1914
† August 31st, 1942

Volckamer und Kirchensittenbach, von, Friedrich* April 16th, 1894
† April 3rd, 1989

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Volke, Kurt* January 4th, 1920
† October 22nd, 2012

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Volke, Maximilian (Jagdgeschwader 77)* May 23rd, 1915
† September 9th, 1944
Plot: 19A Grave: 38

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Volkenand, Helmut* July 20th, 1923
† November 11th, 1943

Volker, Heinrich* June 24th, 1911
† January 16th, 1988

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Volkmer, Hans* August 13th, 1916

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Voll, Albrecht* July 16th, 1910
† February 25th, 1945

Voll, Hermann* January 18th, 1917
† December 8th, 2008

Vollard-Bockelberg, von, Helmut (Waffen SS)* October 20th, 1911
† March 29th, 1996

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Vollmer, Herbert-Peter* October 29th, 1913
† June 15th, 1945

Volquardsen, Hans-Walter (Grenadier-Regiment 89)* May 6th, 1914
† June 27th, 1944
Grave: UNK

Vorbrugg, Oskar* July 11th, 1902
† May 21st, 1946

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Vormann, von, Nicolaus (General der Panzertruppen)* December 25th, 1895
† October 26th, 1959

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Vormdohre, Gustav* November 27th, 1922

Vorsteher, Karl-Heinz* June 1st, 1916
† June 11th, 1988

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Vorwerk, Hugo* April 18th, 1913
† April 4th, 1945
Grave: 24

Voshage, Werner* September 19th, 1913
† August 25th, 1948

Voss, Walter* July 22nd, 1920

Voutta, Heinrich* November 11th, 1917
† April 1st, 1945

Voß, Ernst* November 3rd, 1899
† October 11th, 1943

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Voß, Herbert* May 15th, 1911
† July 5th, 1976

Voß, Reimer* March 20th, 1920
† December 10th, 2015

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Vögerl, Georg* December 11th, 1920
† October 25th, 2010

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Völckers, Paul Gustav* March 15th, 1891
† January 25th, 1946

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Völk, Hermann* June 8th, 1916
† August 10th, 1976

Völker, Dr., Gerhard (Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25)* June 6th, 1905
† August 16th, 1972

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Völzer, Walter* February 9th, 1917

Sources