The War Merit Cross (german: Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was a military decoration awarded by the

Grand Duchy of Baden The Grand Duchy of Baden (german: Großherzogtum Baden) was a state in the southwest German Empire on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918. It came into existence in the 12th century as the Margraviate of Baden and subs ...

. Established 9 September 1916 by Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden, the cross was awarded to recognize war service and voluntary work, primarily on the home-front.

Appearance

The Baden War Merit Cross is made of

gilded Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain, or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was tradi ...

bronze, in the shape of a

maltese cross The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four " V" or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically. It is a heraldic cross variant which developed f ...

. A laurel wreath shows between the arms of the cross. In the center of the obverse of the cross is a circular silver medallion. The medallion depicts the a crowned griffin holding a sword in its right hand and a shield with the arms of Baden in its left. The reverse of the medallion bears the crowned cipher of Grand Duke Friedrich II.

References

{{reflist Orders, decorations, and medals of Baden Awards established in 1916 1916 establishments in Germany