The Spanish Cross was an award of Germany given to Germans who participated in the Spanish Civil War

Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...

, fighting for Franco.

History

With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 sent the Condor Legion

Condor Legion

The Condor Legion was a unit composed of volunteers from the German Air Force and from the German Army which served with the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legion developed methods of terror bombing which were used widely in the Second World War...

 to give military aid to Francisco Franco's nationalist forces.

On April 14, 1939, Germany instituted the Spanish Cross as a decoration for the German soldiers that fought in the Spanish Civil War.

Bronze

The non-combatant version was awarded for three months of service in Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

.

7869 bronze crosses were awarded.

Bronze with Swords

The Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords was given for showing merit during the war.

8462 bronze with Swords crosses were awarded.

Silver

The Silver Cross was a non-combatant version awarded for merit.

327 silver crosses were awarded.

Silver with Swords

The Spanish Cross in Silver was awarded to the soldiers who took part in decisive battles or had a considerable fighting experience.

8304 silver crosses with swords were awarded.

Gold

The Spanish Cross in Gold was awarded to a soldier who showed great merits in combat or achieved uncanny accomplishments.

1126 gold crosses were awarded.

Gold with Diamonds

The Spanish Cross in Gold with Diamonds was the highest rank of the decoration. It was awarded to those who showed great leadership skills in battle or great merits.

28 gold crosses with diamonds were awarded.
(Sperrle

Hugo Sperrle

Hugo Sperrle was a German field marshal of the Luftwaffe during World War II. His forces were deployed solely on the Western Front and the Mediterranean throughout the war...

, Volkmann, Richthofen, von Thoma

Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma

Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma was a German officer who served in World War I, in the Spanish Civil War, and as a General der Panzertruppe in World War II.-Early life:...

, Mehnert, Harlinghausen

Martin Harlinghausen

Martin Harlinghausen was a Luftwaffe Commander during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

, Wolff, Harder, Lützow

Günther Lützow

Colonel Günther Lützow was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and a leader in the "Fighter Pilots Revolt". Lützow was credited with 110 victories achieved in over 300 combat missions. He scored 5 victories during the Spanish Civil War...

, Mölders

Werner Mölders

Werner Mölders was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot and the leading German fighter ace in the Spanish Civil War. Mölders became the first pilot in aviation history to claim 100 aerial victories—that is, 100 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft, and was...

, von Moreau, Neudörffer, Schellmann

Wolfgang Schellmann

Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Schellmann was German World War II Luftwaffe Ace, commander of JG 2 and JG 27 and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...

, Schlichting

Joachim Schlichting

Major Joachim Schlichting was German Spanish Civil War and World War II Luftwaffe Ace and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...

, Balthasar

Wilhelm Balthasar

Major Wilhelm Balthasar was a German World War II Luftwaffe flying ace, commander of Jagdgeschwader 2 and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery...

, Bertram

Otto Bertram

Otto Bertram was a was a German Spanish Civil War and World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the end of World War II...

, Enslen, Galland

Adolf Galland

Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...

, Hoyos, von Kessel, Kraft, Oesau

Walter Oesau

Walter "Gulle" Oesau was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1934 until his death in 1944...

, Seiler

Reinhard Seiler

Major Reinhard Seiler was German Spanish Civil War and World War II Luftwaffe Ace, commander of Jagdgeschwader 104 and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves....

, Stärcke, Boddem, Fehlhalber, Henrici, Runze)*

* ordered by rank, beginning with General der Flieger

Next of Kin

The Spanish Cross for Next of Kin was awarded to relatives of soldiers who died during their stay in Spain.

315 crosses of this class were awarded.

Design

The Spanish Cross is very similar in shape to a Maltese cross

Maltese cross

The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...

. In its centre is a swastika

Swastika

The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...

, and between each arm of the cross there is the Luftwaffenadler, coats of arms, and two crossed swords (they aren't in the non-combatant version). Diamonds are placed around the swastika in the highest ranking of these awards.

The reverse side is plain and has a pin used for wearing the cross on the uniform.

The cross for next of kin is shaped as a non-combatant cross, only smaller in size. Unlike the other it is attached to a ribbon in black with edges in red, yellow, and red (the colours of the Spanish flag

Flag of Spain

The flag of Spain , as it is defined in the Spanish Constitution of 1978, consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red, the yellow stripe being twice the size of each red stripe...

).