Bidspirit auction | German WWII War Merit Cross

German WWII War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords - A two-tone War Merit Cross (Kriegsverdienstkreuz mit Schwertern), featuring a central roundel with a mobile swastika encircled by a laurel wreath on one face and the date 1939 on the other. Crossed swords are mounted diagonally across the arms of the cross, and the piece is suspended from its ribbon in the red, white, and black national colors. This decoration was instituted in 1939 to recognize wartime contributions, with the swords device denoting an award for direct participation in combat rather than for civilian or non-combatant service. The War Merit Cross was established by Hitler in October 1939 as a wartime successor to the Iron Cross for recognising contributions that fell outside the criteria for combat gallantry awards, extending recognition to both military and civilian recipients. The version bearing crossed swords was reserved for military personnel whose service involved direct exposure to combat conditions, such as medical personnel, engineers, or support troops operating in forward areas, distinguishing them from the plain 2nd Class awarded for meritorious service behind the lines. It ranked below the Iron Cross in the Wehrmacht's hierarchy of decorations but was awarded in substantial numbers throughout the war to both front-line auxiliaries and rear-echelon staff whose duties nonetheless carried risk.