German Red Cross Medal?? Need help ID'ing this Medal...

[dzyner]

I picked this up with a few other WWII medals and am having trouble finding anything on it. I've seen many similar to it, but they all have a black eagle and swastika at the center of the red cross. This one does not (obviously).

Any thoughts as to what this is, and what makes it different from the others with the eagle and swastika?

Thanks!
Dzyner

[HPL2008]

My guess would be that this is the "de-nazified" 1957 version of the 1937-39 period Red Cross Medal.
(Unlike the Volkspflege decoration which superseded it, the Red Cross decoration in its various grades was not banned under the 1957 regulations.)

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think the obvious answer is this is either a pre or post Third Reich era peice.

Not a subject I know anything about. But I cannot imagine there would be the demand to fake something like this?

Cheers, Ade.

[HPL2008]

I think the obvious answer is this is either a pre or post Third Reich era peice.

Allow me to elaborate a little on my guess:

The design of the above item is that of the 1937-39 Red Cross Medal (from the third version series of Red Cross decorations), except for the elimination of the Eagle-and-Swastika device. (For an example, see Red Cross Medal - German Reich Civil/Political )

The first (1922-34) and second (1934-37) version of the Red Cross Decoration as well as the post war version (1953- present) did not have a "medal" grade. [See here for an overview: Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes ]

I know that a 1957 version of the 1937-39 Red Cross medal exists but have never seen one, so I cannot tell whether it should look like the above item or have some different characteristics (for example the eagle device without the wreathed Swastika.)

Thus, I cannot positively identify the item as the 1957 issue of the 1937 version medal with 100% certainty or, if it is, tell whether it is genuine or not. This is just what makes most sense to me.

[Adrian Stevenson]

All sounds logical to me.

Cheers, Ade.

[dzyner]

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback.

If this helps solve the mystery (and maybe it doesn't), the ribbon does not glow under a black light. My understanding is that post war ribbons should glow under a black light, correct? Especially this one since it contains so much white. I cannot see why someone would add war-time/pre-war manufactured ribbon to a modern cross, since the value of the war-time ribbon is probably greater than the value of a complete post-war piece. Any thoughts? Is it possible I have a rare variant of the cross?

[Franz1944]

Austrian Prewar cross is my guess.

Or like HPL said post war denazified.

[dzyner]

Franz1944, I just did a Google images search for "Austrian Prewar cross" and didn't see anything resembling this cross. Could it be misspelled maybe?

Also, did you see my mention of the ribbon not glowing beneath a black light? By 1957 I believe the materials used to manufacture ribbons would have contained the bleaches and chemicals that cause white to glow beneath a black light. I suppose they could have used old stock war-time ribbons to make these, but doubtful.

[Adrian]

A ribbon test does not determine authenticity of an item for me. Ribbons and medals get swapped about over time, fake medal, original ribbon and vice versa. The blacklight test is one of many tools in the box that can help but should not be relied upon. Original ribbons can glow for many reasons and fake ribbons don't always glow, learn the features of original ribbons and you will be able to recognise good from bad without relying on the blacklight.

[all1knew]

Hello there,

Maybe its just "missing" the eagle and swastika, as in it fell off or was never applied.

William Kramer