MEDAL BAR

MEDAL BAR
Medal bar.
Consisting of a Cross of Honor 1914-18 W/Swords and and Social Welfare Medal.

The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (German: Das Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs 1914/1918)
Commonly, but incorrectly, known as the Hindenburg Cross.To commemorate the distinguished deeds of the German people during WWI, the Reichspräsident, Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg, established through the order of 13 July 1934, the "Honour Cross for Participants in the World War 1914/1918" and for the Next-Of-Kin. This was Germany's first official service medal for soldiers of Imperial Germany who participated in World War I. It was also the first decoration created by the Third Reich.The Honour Cross was awarded in three forms: - for front-line veterans with swords - for war participant’ s veterans without swords - for widows and parents of fallen war participants (surviving dependants) without swords.The cross was patterned after the reverse of the War Commemorative Medal of 1870/71 (Preußen Kriegsdenkmünze 1870-1871). The Honour Cross awarded to combatants (Frontkämpferkreuz) shows a laurel wreath circling the centre medallion with the years 1914 1918. Crossed swords are between the arms, while the Honour Cross for Non-Combatants has no swords and has a wreath of oakleaves. Both crosses are bronze. The Honour Cross for Next-of-Kin (which is commonly known as the Widows Cross), is black.

Social Welfare Medal (Medaille für Deutsche Volkspflege).
On May 1st 1939, Hitler introduced a series of four Social Welfare awards to replace the earlier DRK, Deutsche Rote Kreuz, (German Red Cross) awards. The earlier DRK awards only recognized loyal service in the DRK while the new Social Welfare awards recognized a wider scope of social welfare service. The new Social Welfare awards could be bestowed to all personnel who actively participated in Social Welfare assistance programs including the DRK, the WHW, Winterhilf Werk, (Winter Relief Program), personnel involved with the care of the sick and wounded, live saving services, excluding Fire and Police personnel and care of German nationals in foreign countries.
Fourth class, die struck alloy award. The roughly 38mm diameter, circular award features the embossed Social Welfare emblem of a Greek style cross with slightly textured arms with a stylized national eagle with down-swept wings superimposed to the center of the obverse on a plain field background.
The reverse of the award features embossed Gothic script on a plain background field, "Medaille für Deutsche Volkspflege", (Medal for German Social Welfare).

Honor Cross Maker market D&Co. (unknown maker).

Complete with original pin back device.