Baltenkreuz Opinion?

[wschmidt]

Hello People,

I'm looking for this Baltenkreuz. The catch looks like diferent for me (as EK1 catch), if it compare with another Baltenkreuz. Is it good???

Regards,

William Schmidt

[Ulsterman]

good question. It looks like a one piece brass casting to me.

These have been faked in Poland and Sedalzek made these post war as well (and was decent enough to put his name on them).

Honestly, I don't know for certain, but my gut tells me this is a '57 one.

[speedytop]

Hi Ulsterman,

I can not say anything about the originality.

But I know definitely, that it is not a " '57 one".

Uwe

[Ulsterman]

How do you know it's not a "57" one? I have seen ads for them in the back of old German vets magazines, so I assume that they were sold as such to people who actually earned them.

Is there a specific 1957 version?

[speedytop]

57 versions are several denazified decorations of the Third Reich, specified with maker instructions and pictured in official documents.

The Baltenkreuz is not a TR award, and it must not be denazified.

Only these are 1957 versions, plus the life saving medal:

http://www.ordensmus...16Jan0857er.pdf

Uwe

[Ulsterman]

ahhhhh....you are being lawyerly in your language.OK I understand. I was referring more to the method of manufacturing (e.g. metal content and gilding etc.).

For example "57" versions of the 1914 EK2 typically have several characteristics dissimilar to the 1945 and 1914 versions-thinner edges, different metal content etc.. Jamie Cross and I once had a very long email discussion on this @ 15 years ago when he had a few 1957 versions for sale.

[speedytop]

"... "57" versions of the 1914 EK2..."

You had a discussion about copies/fakes of 1914 EK's?

You know, that several (most?) of the pieces you erroneously call "57" versions were made before the law from 1957?

As copies! Sometimes as fakes/forgeries!

Without the law from 1957 everybody in the world would call them copies/fakes.

Uwe