War Merit Cross 2nd Class With Swords and Award Documen

War Merit Cross 2nd Class With Swords and Award Documen
War Merit Cross 2nd Class With Swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz II mit Schwertern) and Award Document (Urkunde).

The War Merit Cross was instituted on October 18th 1939, in two classes with both classes issued, with and without swords, for award to military personnel and civilians, including females and foreigners, for exemplary service and/or bravery in Germany's war effort, in a non-combatant role. The addition of swords to the award signified bravery while awards without swords were bestowed for service.

Cross

Die struck bronze, construction bravery award, with a bronze wash is in the form of a Maltese style cross with a circular centerpiece with an embossed, canted, swastika encircled by a nicely detailed oak-leaf wreath to the obverse.
The reverse centerpiece has the embossed date, "1939", which is also encompassed by a nicely detailed oak-leaf wreath. The background field of both the obverse and reverse centerpieces is smooth while the arms of the cross have a pebbled background field with raised, smooth, outer edges. The swords, indicating bravery, emanated upward, between the arms of the cross. The ribbon suspension ring and medal loop are both intact.
The cross comes complete with a piece of original ribbed rayon ribbon.

Award Document (Urkunde):

14,7 x 21 cm medium weight paper document with black, printed script and typewritten details.
The document shows age-typical yellowness.