German WW1 Commemorative Frontline Soldier's Service Medal

History of the Artifact The Hindenburg Medal, formally known as the Cross of Honor of the World War 1914/1918 (Das Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges 1914/1918), was established in 1934 by President Paul von Hindenburg to recognize the service of German soldiers in World War I.  The medals were made of bronze or iron, and featured a central laurel wreath with the dates "1914–1918”. There were three variations of the medal: the Combatants' Cross, awarded to frontline soldiers, featuring crossed swords; the Non-Combatants' Cross, for those who served in non-combat roles, without the swords; and the Next-of-Kin Cross, posthumously given to families of the fallen, with a black finish. The medals sold here are the Combatants' Cross, awarded to frontline soldiers, featuring the crossed swords. At war’s end in 1918, the defeated German state had not been able to issue service awards to its combat veterans. The medals provided a way for the German state to formally acknowledge and commemorate the cont