Military Merit Cross Militär-Verdienstkreuz

The Bavarian Military Merit Cross was the Kingdom's principal award to non- commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers. The cross came in three classes and could be awarded with and without crown, creating effectively six classes, as well as with and without swords. There were also awards of the cross on the so-called "ribbon for officials" (am Beamtenband). This page will attempt to illustrate many of the varieties of this award. I am indebted to Claudio Ortelli and Jens F., whose impressive collections of the varieties of this cross provide most of the illustrations on this page.

With Crown and Swords / mit Krone und Schwertern Photo credit: Claudio Ortelli

With Swords / mit Schwertern Photo credit: Claudio Ortelli

With Crown and Swords / mit Krone und Schwertern Another example: Obverse - Reverse (Photo credit: JF)

With Swords / mit Schwertern Photo credit: JF

With Crown and Swords / mit Krone und Schwertern

With Crown and Swords / mit Krone und Schwertern Another example Photo credit: JF Another example: Obverse - Reverse (Photo credit: Claudio Ortelli)

With Swords / mit Schwertern Photo credit: JF

With Swords / mit Schwertern Late-war zinc variety Photo credit: Claudio Ortelli

 

An unusual variant in black-painted bronze Photo credit: JF

A three-medal bar with the Military Merit Cross, 1st Class with Crown and Swords, Silver Military Merit Medal and Iron Cross, 2nd Class

Photo credit: Hermann-Historica oHG, Munich/Germany

A three-medal bar with the Iron Cross, 2nd Class, Bavarian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with Swords, and World War One Honor Cross for Combatants