Metal Illness
Hero Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2011
- Messages
- 612
- Reaction score
- 722
- Golden Thread
- 0
- Location
- Englewood, Ohio
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab E-Trac
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
The Cross of Honor of the German Mother (German: Ehrenkreuz der deutschen Mutter), but often referred to simply as the Mother's Cross (Mutterkreuz), was an award of the Nazi regime.
This award was instituted on 16 December 1938 as part of Hitler's initiative to encourage Aryan population growth. Only women of German origin qualified for such awards, though women from absorbed Germanic countries and areas (such as Austria, the Sudetenland and Danzig) were also eligible. A mother could be awarded a bronze, silver, or gold cross depending on the number of children she had borne. Eight or more would entitle the woman to a gold cross, six or seven for silver, and four or five for bronze.
The medal was not a permanent award, as mothers stood to be stripped of the Mother's Cross if they proved themselves unworthy through neglect of their children, marital infidelity, or any other social offense.
The crosses were awarded annually on the second Sunday in May (Mothering Sunday), so despite its institution in 1938, the first awards were rendered in May 1939. The last awards were presented in 1944.
The first woman to receive the Cross of Honor of the German Mother was Magda Goebbels, the wife of Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. The couple had six children, and Magda was awarded the Silver Medal. In a cruel irony, Magda Goebbels murdered her children on 1 May 1945 before she and her husband committed suicide to avoid capture by Soviet forces in Berlin.
This award was instituted on 16 December 1938 as part of Hitler's initiative to encourage Aryan population growth. Only women of German origin qualified for such awards, though women from absorbed Germanic countries and areas (such as Austria, the Sudetenland and Danzig) were also eligible. A mother could be awarded a bronze, silver, or gold cross depending on the number of children she had borne. Eight or more would entitle the woman to a gold cross, six or seven for silver, and four or five for bronze.
The medal was not a permanent award, as mothers stood to be stripped of the Mother's Cross if they proved themselves unworthy through neglect of their children, marital infidelity, or any other social offense.
The crosses were awarded annually on the second Sunday in May (Mothering Sunday), so despite its institution in 1938, the first awards were rendered in May 1939. The last awards were presented in 1944.
The first woman to receive the Cross of Honor of the German Mother was Magda Goebbels, the wife of Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. The couple had six children, and Magda was awarded the Silver Medal. In a cruel irony, Magda Goebbels murdered her children on 1 May 1945 before she and her husband committed suicide to avoid capture by Soviet forces in Berlin.
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would love to hear how you came about it.... Congratz!!!
I have spent several hours traveling and door knocking. Starting to get some results from my efforts. My neighbors are an elderly couple. The other day I walked over and asked them if I could hunt their yard. They said sure. Their house was built in 1908, mine was built in 1969. mostly newer houses in our plat. To my surprise in 3-4 hunts covering about 8 hours I found 43 wheaties, 1 merc., 1 war nickel, and 2 buffs. Then went back a few days later and hunted another part of the yard under a big tree and found the cross 6-15-11 about 3 inches deep. I got a screaming 12/46-47 on the E-Trac, tone sounded like silver, but I usally find clad quarters at these readings. When I dug the target I was rewarded with this cool piece of history. Much better than a clad quarter 
I'm from Dayton Ohio and this is where it was found, a long way from it's original home country. Thanks for the kind comments and as always HH. Bill
Congrats.
. Outstanding!!!
