When the award was bestowed for bravery, it had two crossed swords superimposed. When awarded for merit, the swords were
absent.
The criteria for the award for Bravery followed more or less the rules of the Iron Cross, while the Merit one followed those of the
Kriegverdienstkreuz (War Merit Cross). It was necessary to have received the lower grade of the award before receiving the upper classes but
sometimes, both grades could be awarded at once.
All of the items I have seen are made in zinc alloy with a gold, silver or bronze very thin layer that normally wears off
rapidly, so in the first class awards, unless a rest of the layer has been left, it is impossible to distinguish if it is a
gold or silver one. In second class, if no rest of layer is left, we will distinguish them by the ribbon.
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