Germany – Imperial: An interesting Mounted group of 4 medals comprising: Germany – Imperial: Iron Cross 1914, 2nd Class, Germany – Imperial – States: Bremen Hanseatic Cross 1914-1918; Honour Cross 1914-1918 with Swords for Combatants, maker marked O.2.; Germany – Imperial – States: Prussia Merit Cross for War Aid. Mounted German style for wear.
Mounted group of 4 medals comprising: Germany – Imperial: Iron Cross 1914, 2nd Class, Germany – Imperial – States: Bremen Hanseatic Cross 1914-1918; Honour Cross 1914-1918 with Swords for Combatants, maker marked O.2.; Germany – Imperial – States: Prussia Merit Cross for War Aid. Mounted German style for wear.
Condition: mounted German style for wear, significant enamel damage to the Hanseatic Cross with the enamel from two of the arms now almost completely absent, Very Fine
The three ancient Hanseatic Cities – Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck – jointly decided to issue a cross of similar design in World War I for bravery and merit in war, differing only in the arms on the central medallion of the face, that for Lubeck being instituted on 21 August 1915. Lubeck was much the smallest of the three Hanse cities and its cross is thus the rarest, with between 8-10,000 awards having been made. The Cross was suppressed at the end of 1918.
The Cross was instituted by King Wilhelm II on 5 December 1916 to be awarded as a recognition of outstanding patriotic war aid service, regardless of rank or status. It was suppressed in 1924.
