Cruz De Guerra's

[Richard Gordon]

Hello all,

I'm putting up for discussion the 2 fine examples that I added recently to my collection.

Where I'm confused is which one is by Ega?a? Maybe both are?

You can see the method of showing the berries on the wreath is different on each one. I believe the type with the actual enameled berries is the Ega?a piece but would welcome any opinion or additional information as to if this is correct or not.

Rich

[Richard Gordon]

Reverse.

[Paul R]

How difficult are these to find? What where they awarded for? Heroism?

[Scott]

Richard, from what I've gathered here and at WAF, Spain/Egana contracted many of it's award manufacture to other countries (Italy was one) as resources were scarce immediately following the Civil War. So, they both could be Egana badges from different foreign contracts.

Paul, the Cruz de Guerra badge is not all that 'rare', as Spain continued to make them long after the SCW had ended (like the SCW Campaign Medal). However, a Legion Condor-attributed badge might be considered scarce. From what I've read, a LC member awarded one of these by Spain was typically awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords when he returned to Germany (1,126 awarded). It was a galantry award; there was another similar award for combat support actions without swords and white enamel on the arms of the cross.

Here's a Cruz de Guerra award document - very similar to other SCW award documents, with the name of the award filled in on the appropriate line.

Scott

Edited August 10, 2008 by Scott

[Paul R]

Richard, from what I've gathered here and at WAF, Spain/Egana contracted many of it's award manufacture to other countries (Italy was one) as resources were scarce immediately following the Civil War. So, they both could be Egana badges from different foreign contracts.

Paul, the Cruz de Guerra badge is not all that 'rare', as Spain continued to make them long after the SCW had ended (like the SCW Campaign Medal). However, a Legion Condor-attributed badge might be considered scarce. From what I've read, a LC member awarded one of these by Spain was typically awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords when he returned to Germany (1,126 awarded). It was a galantry award; there was another similar award for combat support actions without swords and white enamel on the arms of the cross.

Here's a Cruz de Guerra award document - very similar to other SCW award documents, with the name of the award filled in on the appropriate line.

Scott

Thanks for the detailed explanation, Scott!

[Jacques]

Hello Richard,

Both crosses look to Ega?a manufacture.

jacques

[Richard Gordon]

Richard, from what I've gathered here and at WAF, Spain/Egana contracted many of it's award manufacture to other countries (Italy was one) as resources were scarce immediately following the Civil War. So, they both could be Egana badges from different foreign contracts.

Paul, the Cruz de Guerra badge is not all that 'rare', as Spain continued to make them long after the SCW had ended (like the SCW Campaign Medal). However, a Legion Condor-attributed badge might be considered scarce. From what I've read, a LC member awarded one of these by Spain was typically awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords when he returned to Germany (1,126 awarded). It was a galantry award; there was another similar award for combat support actions without swords and white enamel on the arms of the cross.

Here's a Cruz de Guerra award document - very similar to other SCW award documents, with the name of the award filled in on the appropriate line.

Scott

Scott,

Many thanks for that detail. More often than not these are seen awarded to Luftwaffe aircrew. I would assume they made the majority of SCiG awardees.

I have another which was awarded to SCiG awardee that I have shown previously.

Hello Richard,

Both crosses look to Ega?a manufacture.

jacques

Jacques,

The two you show look to have the same centre, mine are different from each other. See the castles and the shape of the lions. Do you mean that mine are variations from Ega?a?

I really like these. The design and the finish make them an attractive award.

Thanks to all who replied,

Rich

Edited August 10, 2008 by Richard Gordon

[Jacques]

Scott,

Many thanks for that detail. More often than not these are seen awarded to Luftwaffe aircrew. I would assume they made the majority of SCiG awardees.

I have another which was awarded to SCiG awardee that I have shown previously.

Jacques,

The two you show look to have the same centre, mine are different from each other. See the castles and the shape of the lions. Do you mean that mine are variations from Ega?a?

I really like these. The design and the finish make them an attractive award.

Thanks to all who replied,

Rich

Yes, I do think it is a variation of Ega?a and WW2 period made. later or previous crosses don't have the same design. If you look at the pictures, comparing german awardees and spanish Azul Div members, they are differences.

May be our Spanish friends have more informations ?

Friendly

jacques

[italianpolitic]

Yes, I do think it is a variation of Ega?a and WW2 period made. later or previous crosses don't have the same design. If you look at the pictures, comparing german awardees and spanish Azul Div members, they are differences.

May be our Spanish friends have more informations ?

Friendly

jacques

Hi all,

I've a very 'strange' Merito en Campagna, possibly awarded to an italian fascsit.

I picked up many years ago, whit this document

[italianpolitic]

Here is the cross. A hand made jewel, whit yellow enamel on cross.

I posted on other forums, but I have not received exaustive answers...

I forgot, this is a quite rare twice awarded badge, look the 2 bars on it

[italianpolitic]

Back

[italianpolitic]

The marks, anybody knows something about them?

Thanks, IP

[Richard Gordon]

The marks, anybody knows something about them?

Thanks, IP

Hi,

The markings are Spanish silver hallmarks. The 'star' or pentagram indicates a minimum of .915 purity and used from 1934 onwards. The hexagonal stamp will be the markers mark.

So, made in Spain commissioned as a private piece. The colours maybe having meaning to the wearer.

I will see if I can find more.

Rich

[italianpolitic]

Hi,

The markings are Spanish silver hallmarks. The 'star' or pentagram indicates a minimum of .915 purity and used from 1934 onwards. The hexagonal stamp will be the markers mark.

So, made in Spain commissioned as a private piece. The colours maybe having meaning to the wearer.

I will see if I can find more.

Rich

Hi Rich,

many thanks for explain the marks.

Possibly made at war time or postwar?

On a spanish website, the description of the colour of the cross is: de oro brillante o amarillo (In shining gold or yellow).

Is it possible that yellow enamel is in order to simulate gold colour?

Thanks,

IP

[Scott]

Is it possible that yellow enamel is in order to simulate gold colour?

That would be my thought. A superb piece - thanks for sharing it.

[Panzerpionier]

That would be my thought. A superb piece - thanks for sharing it.

Just my thoughts:

Both Spanish War Crosses posted by Gordon were made by Ega?a; subtle diferencies are indeed due to different dies and/or different batches. Ega?a company won several huge contratcs ordered by victorious nationalists, and they had to produce several thousands of medals - hence the need to have several die sets. On the other hand, it's true that nationalists had several of their medals made abroad (Italy) during the war, but I am pretty sure the Ega?a company did not subcontract abroad. Some years ago I contacted a foundation that keeps the now-defunct Ega?a company records looking for info on their 1930-1940 activities and products, but it seems that their records from that decade are lost. As the company used forced labour after the war (republican political prisoners), I think the owners could have destroyed their recors of that era after Franco's death to avoid embarrasing investigations.

About the enameled cross posted by italianpolitic I think it does not match the document; each foreigner that fought alognside the Spanish nationalist side (Germans, Italians) received only one decoration for bravery when the war ended, and that cross has a second bar for a second awarding. What's more, I have seen the silver content and hexagon-shaped Spanish hallmarks in several Spanish medals and badges made after 1940, and therefore I think that cross was custom-made for a Spanish SCW veteran, who received the award twice.

Diferent coloured War Crosses were introduced in 1942, according to the rank of the recipient. But the colour difference was in the sunburst - not in the wreath/central motif. The one posted by italianpolitic is the first enameled War Cross I have ever seen and, as long as more enameles crosses fail to appear, I would say it was either from a short deluxe batch or a rather unique extravaganza.

Best regards

Edited August 20, 2008 by Panzerpionier

[italianpolitic]

Hello Panzerpionier,

thanks for your precious info.

The document is for a graduate of black shirts & I don't think the medal was of the same person, but they came at same time in a big lot of italian document/awards many, many years ago.

For the medal, you think it was made after 1940, but possibly wartime (<'45) or '60ies made?

If you know, how many people take twice or more Cruz de Guerra? I see a spanish website of a veteran that show a third!

Many thanks,

IP

[Scott]

Panzerpionier, you said the Ega?a company is now defunct. Do you know when they went out of business? Did they sell their medal dies to another company?

Thanks!

Edited August 22, 2008 by Scott

[Panzerpionier]

For the medal, you think it was made after 1940, but possibly wartime (<'45) or '60ies made?

I would say closer to the 40's rather than the 60's... but that's just my gut feeling.

Bear in mind that the bulk of the medals were made just after the war end... later batches should have been mainly restrikes to be sold as replacements. It's true that hundreds of Ega?a-made medals are sold today, but I think they are either unissued batches or modern restrikes with original dies made by a "smart guy".

On the other hand, quality of mass produced Spanish military awards has drop from acceptable to simply mediocre with time... so I would tend to think "the older the better" ergo "the better the older". That applies to custom made, deluxe items, but in a lesser degree.

If you know, how many people take twice or more Cruz de Guerra? I see a spanish website of a veteran that show a third!

I've seen another Cruz de Guerra with three bars (three awards). It seems that nationalist soldiers received decorations for SCW service in a point system basis after the war ended. On the other hand, a few crosses were awarded during the war for single acts of bravery. So several cross could be won.

On the other hand, as I wrote foreign "volunteers" received only a bravery award when the war ended... After all, they received also awards from their own government - Spanish awards should be some sort of "souvenir"... hard-earned "souvenirs" in some cases.

Panzerpionier, you said the Ega?a company is now defunct. Do you know when they went out of business?

The people that hold their records told me that they have documents from 1956 to 1986. So I would say that the activities of the company ended that year.

On the other hand, manufacturing of short batches of medals would not be profitable for a industrial firm, so I would tend to think that the company changed to other products after the big contracts ended. But that's just a gut feeling - I have not checked the records of the company.

Did they sell their medal dies to another company?

Please read my comment to italianpolitic above.

[Scott]

Thanks!

[paddywhack]

from what iv also gathered the crosses with a finely detailed/engraved flat wide coke bottle pin system were made in the 50/ and 60s to!nice pieces!! :beer:

[Scott]

I've searched, but can't find the answer: Did any LC members awarded the Cruz de Guerra earn the Spanish Cross in Silver w/sords, or only the Spanish Cross in Gold?