Nazi War Merit Cross

The War Merit Cross was created by Adolf Hitler in 1939 to award military and civilian service under the Nazi regime. This War Merit Cross is “without swords,” which means it was awarded to a civilian that assisted in some manner to further the war effort. The medallion was found by the donor in their front yard in Munich, Germany in 1970. It was not uncommon to find Nazi artifacts in areas around Germany following the war. The recipients of the award would have been unable to wear it publicly as all Nazi era symbols were banned after World War II.