Original German WWI & WWII Era Medal Bar with Hindenburg Cross with Swords & Long Service Awards – 6 Medals Original Items

Original Items: Only One Available. This is a fantastic, genuine medal set, which we assume was owned by a German soldier who fought during WWI in various different areas, earning 5 different awards, some of which were awarded during the interwar period. They then later served for a time during WWII, adding his 6th and final medal to the bar.

The Medals Present (From Left to Right):
– Hindenburg Cross with Crossed Swords (for combat): The Honor Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (German: Das Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs 1914/1918), commonly, but incorrectly, known as the Hindenburg Cross was established by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, President of the German Republic, by an order dated 13 July 1934, to commemorate the distinguished deeds of the German people during the First World War. This was Germany’s first official service medal for soldiers of Imperial Germany who had taken part in the war, and where they had since died it was also awarded to their surviving next-of-kin. Shortly after its issuance, the government of NSDAP Germany declared the award as the only official service decoration of the First World War and further forbade the continued wearing of German Free Corps awards on any military or paramilitary uniform of a state or NSDAP Party organization.

This example is marked on the back with 65.

– Austro- Hungarian WWI Pro Deo et Patria Military Medal 1914-1918: Hungary (Austro-hungarian Empire): Hungarian WWI Commemorative Combatant’s military medal PRO DEO ET PATRIA (for God and Country). Award for the participation in the Great War. The medal was instituted in 1929. It is mounted on the correct red white and green ribbon, though the green has faded almost completely to yellow. It has the crossed swords on the medal, indicating it was awarded to a Combatant in the war.

-Hungarian/Bulgarian European War Commemorative Medal: The Bulgarian European War Commemorative Medal was instituted in 1933, and was available to all WWI veterans including military personnel, non-combatants like medical personnel and civilian officials and next-of-kin. Allied veterans were eligible. The ribbon on this example indicates it was awarded to a combatant. Non-combatant ribbons were the same except with a white stripe down the middle, and next-of-kin medal ribbons had a black mourning stripe in the center.

– Imperial German Prussian 12 Year and 9 Year Long Service Medal:
This is an award similar to the long service medals used by NSDAP Germany, and has an identical color scheme to those medals. These were awarded for long service in the German empire, and most of the Kingdoms and City States had their own long service medals until the WWII Era. This example is the 2nd class award, given to Non-Commissioned officers and Enlisted men. The back is marked XII for the years of service, and the front reads Treue Dienste bei der Fahne (Loyal service under the Flag). The medal was established in 1913 and was discontinued in 1918, so the soldier who owned this medal bar must have been in the military for some time before the Great War.

– Faithful Service Decoration Second Class Cross for 25 Years of Service – A fullsize frosted silver with an oak leaf wreath and black enameled swas on original ribbon.
The Civil Service Faithful Service Medal (Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen für Beamte Angestellte und Arbeiter im öffentlichen Dienst) was a NSDAP Germany medal of honor that was founded on 30 January 1938, in two grades, to reward civilians and military in the employ of the German public services for long and faithful service.

All officials, employees, and laborers at any level of the public service (local, regional or national) who complete 25 or 40 years service were eligible. The second class award was for 25 years of service was a silver cross, with a silver wreath and a black enameled swas in the center of the cross. The first class award was for 40 years of service was a gold cross, with a gold wreath and a black enameled swas in the center of the cross.

The reverse of both classes was stamped with Für treue Dienste (For faithful Services). in German black letter typeface. The ribbon for the medal is cornflower blue.

A lovely medal bar that comes more than ready for further research and display.