Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords, or Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse mit Schwertern, manufactured by Kerbach & Oesterhelt of Dresden and complete with its matching maker marked presentation case. This mid-war zinc example retains substantial original silver wash, an intact pinback, sharp cast detail, and a case marked to the same manufacturer, making it a particularly appealing matched set.

The cross is constructed from cast zinc alloy and has developed an attractive age toned patina. Much of the original silver wash remains on the obverse and sides, with oxidation visible in the recessed areas and wear through the finish on the central wreathed mobile swas. The reverse retains nearly all of its original silver wash, though it has darkened and tarnished with age.

The cross retains strong detail throughout, including the contours of the arms and the fine pebbled texture within the recessed fields. The crossed swords remain well defined, and the overall finish presents very well despite the expected oxidation and wear associated with zinc construction.

The reverse is fitted with a straight tapered pinback. The pin itself is a brass alloy and retains a good amount of its original finish. It is attached to a cast in hinge and secured by a cast catch. The entire badge is nonmagnetic.

The reverse of the pin is maker stamped:

62

This Präsidialkanzlei des Führers (Presidential Chancellery Supplier) number identifies Kerbach & Oesterhelt of Dresden.

The original presentation case is covered in dark leatherette and has a worn silver facsimile outline of the War Merit Cross with Swords on the lid. The exterior shows expected age and handling wear, while the metal rear hinge remains intact and the front catch functions correctly.

The interior is especially attractive, with a fitted black velvet plush lower section and a white satin upper lining. The interior lid is maker marked:

Kerbach & Oesterhelt
Dresden A 1

The matching Kerbach & Oesterhelt markings on both the cross and case make this an especially desirable cased set. While matching maker marked cases are less commonly encountered than unmarked examples, the present combination strongly supports that the two pieces have long been associated together.

With its maker number 62, substantial surviving silver wash, nonmagnetic zinc construction, intact pinback, sharp detail, and original Kerbach & Oesterhelt presentation case marked Dresden A 1, this is a strong example of a cased War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords. The obverse finish wear, oxidation in recessed areas, tarnished reverse, and light case wear are fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a War Merit Cross, Kerbach & Oesterhelt maker, German WWII awards, cased decorations, or advanced military medal collection.

The War Merit Cross (Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was a decoration of NSDAP Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to military personnel and civilians alike. By the end of the war it was issued in four degrees, and had a related civil decoration. It was created by Adolf AH in October 1939 as a successor to the non-combatant Iron Cross which was used in earlier wars. The award was graded the same as the Iron Cross: War Merit Cross Second Class, War Merit Cross First Class, and Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross. The award had two variants: with swords given to soldiers for exceptional service "not in direct connection with combat", and without swords for meritorious service to civilians in "furtherance of the war effort". As with the Iron Cross, Recipients had to have the lower grade of the award before getting the next level.

The ribbon of the War Merit Cross was in red-white-black-white-red; that was, the red and black colors being reversed from the ribbon of the World War II version of the Iron Cross. The ribbon for the War Merit Medal was similar, but with a narrow red vertical red strip in the center of the black field. Soldiers who earned the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords wore a small crossed-swords device on the ribbon. The War Merit Cross 1st Class was a pin-backed medal worn on the pocket of the tunic (like the Iron Cross 1st Class). The ribbon of the War Merit Cross 2nd Class could be worn like the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class (through the second buttonhole). Nonetheless combat soldiers tended to hold the War Merit Cross in low regard, referring to its wearers as being in 'Iron Cross Training'. The Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross was a neck decoration and worn the same way as the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross.