Bidspirit auction | Third Reich German Mother's Cross

Third Reich German Mother's Cross in Bronze with Packet - German Cross of Honor of the German Mother, Third Class (Bronze), in Karl Wurster Packet A bronze-grade example of the Mutterehrenkreuz, with blue enamel arms and central swastika medallion on its ribbon, presented in its original paper issue envelope titled ”Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter, Dritte Stufe.” The packet carries the retailer's imprint for Karl Wurster of Markneukirchen i./Sa., and a small tag on the ribbon is hand-dated ”16 Dezember 1938” with an accompanying signature. The Cross of Honor of the German Mother was instituted by decree in December 1938 as part of Nazi Germany's pronatalist policy, awarded annually on the birthday of Hitler's mother (12 August) and other designated dates to mothers of large families, in recognition of their contribution to the ”national community” through childbearing. The bronze third class was given to mothers of four or five children, with silver and gold grades reserved for those with six-seven and eight or more children respectively. Karl Wurster of Markneukirchen was among the commercial firms licensed to produce and distribute these decorations, packaging them with award documentation for presentation to recipients through local Nazi Party welfare offices.