0860 Cross of Honour of the German Mother in Silver - Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter German Third Reich WW2

Original WW2 Cross of Honour of the German Mother in Silver (Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter), IN VERY NICE CONDITION WITH ATTRACTIVE FINISH, ON GENUINE RIBBON, A REALLY GOOD PIECE 

HISTORY OF THE AWARD:

Cross of Honour of the German Mother, (Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter), referred to colloquially as the Mutterehrenkreuz (Mother’s Cross of Honour) or simply Mutterkreuz (Mother’s Cross), was a state decoration and civil order of merit conferred by the government of the Deutsches Reich (German Reich) to honour a “Reichsdeutsche” (imperial-German) mother for exceptional merit to the German nation. Eligibility later extended to include Volksdeutsche (ethnic-German) mothers from, for example, Austria and Sudentenland, that had earlier been incorporated into the Deutsches Reich realm. The decoration was conferred from between 1939 until 1945 in three classes of order, bronze, silver, and gold, to Reichsdeutsche mothers who exhibited probity, exemplary motherhood, and who conceived and raised at least four or more children in the role of a parent. The ‘Cross of Honour of the German Mother’ was introduced by decree in Berlin on 16 December 1938 by Chancellor of Germany (Reichskanzler) Adolf Hitler. The preamble of the statutory decree declared: ”As a visible sign of gratitude of the German nation to children-rich mothers I establish this Cross of Honour of the German Mother” (Original text in German: ”Als sichtbares Zeichen des Dankes des Deutschen Volkes an kinderreiche Mütter stifte ich das Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter”). The Mother’s Cross was conferred annually thereafter principally on ‘Mother’s Day’, but also extended to include other national annual occasions of celebration. The Mother’s Cross comprised three classes of order and was conferred to mothers in accordance with its statutory legislation: “Verordnung des Führers und Reichskanzlers über die Stiftung des Ehrenkreuzes der Deutschen Mutter vom 16. Dezember 1938. Reichsgesetzblatt (RGBI) Teil I, 1938, Nr. 224, Seite 1923” (In English: Statutory Order of the Leader and Chancellor on the establishment of the Cross of Honour of the German Mother of 16 December 1938. Imperial-(Reichs) Law Gazette (RGBl) Part I, 1938, No. 224, Page 1923), and its stringent nomination screening protocol. 1st Class Order, Gold Cross – eligible mothers with eight or more children, 2nd Class Order, Silver Cross – eligible mothers with six to seven children and 3rd Class Order, Bronze Cross – eligible mothers with four to five children. The cross design is a slender elongated form of the Iron Cross or cross pattée and very similar in design to the Cross of the Teutonic Knights Order (German: Deutscher Ritterorden or Ritterkreuz), enamelled translucent-blue with a slim opaque-white border. Resting on the centre radiant starburst rays is a metal roundel decorated with the words ”DER DEUTSCHEN MUTTER” (THE GERMAN MOTHER) around an enamelled black straight centred “swastika” symbol, infilled white enamel. The cross design was the creation of the established Munich based architect and sculptor Franz Berberich. The production of the cross involved several established Präsidialkanzlei (Presidential Chancellery) approved medal makers from across the Deutsches Reich realm. A maker’s mark, however, was never applied to the crosses produced; though each official house of manufacture did apply their name to the dark-blue presentation case (inside cover) for the 1st Class Gold Cross and the presentation sachets (reverse side) for each of the 2nd and 3rd Class Cross. Inscribed on the reverse side of the cross, of which two official reverse-side styles exist, is the inscription ”Das Kind adelt die Mutter” (The Child ennobles the Mother) found on the initial version produced on inception during the early part of 1939. On the succeeding version produced from 1939-1945 the initial former reverse inscription was replaced during production with the date of the decoration decree ”16. Dezember 1938”. Directly beneath each of the two styles is Cross Reverse Side Inscriptionthe inscribed facsimile signature of Chancellor (Reichskanzler) Adolf Hitler; a style variation in this signature exists between the initial and succeeding version produced.