Danzig Red Cross - Recipients

[Nicolas7507]

Hello,

Are there any known recipients of the "Danzig Red Cross"?
I only know of Erich Koch
Did they have to work in the Red Cross or have anything to do with the NSDAP?

Best regards,
Nicolas

[Dieter Zinke]

SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS und Generalarzt der Polizei Dr. med. Gerhard Karehnke:

20.03.1935 Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse vom Roten Kreuz der Freien Stadt Danzig
00.00.193_ Großes Ehrenzeichen vom Roten Kreuz der Freien Stadt Danzig

Dieter Z.

[Nicolas7507]

Hi Dieter,
Thanks for your reply. I know there are different versions of the Danzig Red Cross.
One is PreWar?

Nicolaw

[matthew4108]

The cross (I presume we're talking the Honor Cross Class of Danzig Red Cross since you mentioned Koch) came in 4 different versions technically speaking but as far as the class or grade- it was all the same one. Those were: regular ribboned type, regular pinback type, ribboned type with the addition of a swastika & pinback type with swastika.
I remember asking years ago why two different mounting methods when talking to one of the recipients & was told it they introduced the pinback as the ribboned type was deemed to long to hang from the ribbon bar. To this day I am not sure if the fellow was joking or not but the facts are- all of those mentioned above are the exact same size (unlike say Danzig Cross 1 & 2 class) and only one class Honor Cross of DRC is ever mentioned in all materials I have ever seen (unlike their Verdienstkreuz counterpart that did come in 2 different classes, one of which is pictured below).
It is generally accepted that the addition of swastika was dated post Sept.1, 1939. Some featured black enameled ones while others had solid metal ones -either gold or silver depending on the cross. It is unknown to me why that varied or even if there was any reason behind it.

cheers

Matt

[Nicolas7507]

Matthew,

Thanks for your reply and explanation. Those awards are really beautiful.
IMO, Danzig awards are very unappreciated by a lot of people, not by all, in our hobby....
Do you have an own website or are you active on a specific forum?
I always found your knowledge unbelievable....

Best,

Nicolas

[Sid Guttridge]

When were the awards introduced? Before or after the local Nazis gained power in Danzig in 1933?

This would probably establish if there was always a necessary Nazi connection.

Cheers,

Sid.

[matthew4108]

Matthew,

Thanks for your reply and explanation. Those awards are really beautiful.
IMO, Danzig awards are very unappreciated by a lot of people, not by all, in our hobby....
Do you have an own website or are you active on a specific forum?
I always found your knowledge unbelievable....

Best,

Nicolas

Thank You for your kind words Nicolas. My home base is www.nsdap-awards.com but frequent most other forums.

cheers

Matt

[Nicolas7507]

Thanks Mathew. I just created an account....

Best,

Nicolas

[matthew4108]

When were the awards introduced? Before or after the local Nazis gained power in Danzig in 1933?

This would probably establish if there was always a necessary Nazi connection.

Cheers,

Sid.

Hello Sid,

Those awards were introduced at the end of 1934.
The real kicker is the fact that the Constitution of the Free City of Danzig expressly forbade the City to authorize or award any honor titles, orders or decorations. It also forbade any citizens of the city to accept any. Thankfully for us collectors, that law was largely ignored.
The Nazis generally did not step up their advances towards changing Danzig medals to 'their' versions until mid 1938 (Danzig Polizei medals among others) but the whole thing was totally overhauled after the war broke out when Danzig became part of the Reich, losing its "Free City" status. After that date and for most cases, regular German decorations replaced Danzig ones.

cheers

Matt

[Sid Guttridge]

Hi Matthew,

Thanks.

It looks as though they were a relatively early and innocuous part of the thin end of the wedge as the Nazis began to undermine the League of Nations status of the city. The League was hardly likely to make much fuss over so minor a matter, but it nevertheless represented a breach of the Free City's League-guaranteed constitutional status and encouraged later, more serious violations.

Cheers,

Sid.

[Oberbootsmann]

Hello,

in consultation with Matt I'd like to show some scans of my "Danzig" Red Cross Honor Cross. It is the not so often seen ribbon version.

Regards, Matthias

[Oberbootsmann]

more

[Oberbootsmann]

and more

[Oberbootsmann]

last ones

[matthew4108]

Looks pretty good, IMO.

Amazing how much detail they managed to include on those when compared to Danzig Crosses.