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Allied Warships
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Das Deutsche Kreuz
(The German Cross)
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The German Cross was awarded in two classes since 28th September 1941 :
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Deutsches Kreuz in Gold Deutsches Kreuz in Silber |
German Cross in Gold German Cross in Silver |
| (The German Cross in Silver was awarded only for non combatants. In the U-boat-force f. e. Kapitän zur See Hans-Georg von Friedburg (BdU org.) got this decoration on 6th June 1942) | |
Das Deutsche Kreuz in Gold
The German Cross stands from rank between the Iron Cross and the Knights Cross. It shows an iron cross in a golden star. In the U-boat force were awarded 530 German Crosses. Kptlt. Otto Salman, the commander of U-52, received the first German Cross on 9th December 1941. The following table shows how the decorations were divided on the individual positions:| Kommandant Leitender Ingenieur Wachoffizier Obersteuermann Obermaschinist seemänischer Maat technischer Maat Funkmaat Torpedomaat Seemann/Heizer sonstige |
(Commander) (Chief engineer) (Watch officer) (Quartermaster) (Machinist) (seaman mate) (technical mate) (radio mate) (torpedo mate) (seaman/mechanic) (other) |
112 66 9 50 88 81 71 27 16 5 5 |
| The following 5 enlisted men got the German Cross in Gold : | ||||
| Matrosenobergefreiter Maschinenobergefreiter Matrosengefreiter Matrosenobergefreiter Matrosenobergefreiter |
Waskow, Arnold Steinbock, Günter Buscher, Siegfried Drewello, Herbert Boeder, Heinz | U-277 U-129 U-190 | 22nd Oct 1941 22nd Oct 1941 4th May 1944 26th July 1944 3rd Nov 1944 |
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Kptlt. Werner Hartenstein commander of U-156
wearing the German Cross contrary to instructions.
