{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{no footnotes|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox Military Award |name=Hanseatic Cross (''Hanseatenkreuz'') |image=[[Image:BremenHanseatenkreuz.jpg|120px]] [[Image:HamburgHanseatenkreuz.jpg|126px]] |caption=Obverse of the Hanseatic Cross from [[Bremen (state)|Bremen]] (left) and [[Hamburg]] (right) |presenter=[[Bremen (state)|Bremen]], [[Hamburg]] and [[Free City of Lübeck|Lübeck]] |type=Single-grade |eligibility=Military and civilians who aided the war effort |awarded_for=War merit |campaign=[[World War I]] |status=Obsolete |description=Red-enameled [[cross pattée]] bearing the arms of the relevant city-state on the center medallion. |established=August/September 1915 |total_awarded=Approx. 80,000 |higher=None |lower=None |image2=[[Image:LuebeckHanseatenkreuz.jpg|128px]] [[Image:HanseatenkreuzReverse.jpg|120px]] |caption2=Obverse of the Hanseatic Cross from [[Free City of Lübeck|Lübeck]] (left) and reverse of all three versions, here [[Bremen (state)|Bremen]] (right) }}

The '''Hanseatic Cross''' ({{langx|de|Hanseatenkreuz}}) was a [[Military awards and decorations|military decoration]] of the three [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] [[city-state]]s of [[Bremen (state)|Bremen]], [[Hamburg]] and [[Free City of Lübeck|Lübeck]], who were members of the [[German Empire]] during [[World War I]]. Each republic established its own version of the cross, but the design and award criteria were similar for each.

==Establishment and criteria==

The Hanseatic Cross was jointly instituted by agreement of the [[Senate#Alternative meanings|senates]] of the three cities, with each senate ratifying the award on different days. The Lübeck version was established first, on 21 August 1915. The Hamburg version followed on 10 September and the Bremen version on 14 September. The cross was awarded for merit in war, and could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel. When awarded for bravery or combat merit, it was the three cities' equivalent of the [[Prussia|Prussian]] [[Iron Cross]].

==Description==

The Hanseatic Cross came in only one class, a cross worn from a ribbon on the left chest. The cross was a red-enameled silver [[cross pattée]] which bore the arms of the relevant city-state on the center medallion. The reverse was identical for all three versions and the center medallion bore the phrase "Für Verdienst im Kriege" ("for merit in war") and the date "1914".

==Recipients==

{{main|List of recipients of the Hanseatic Cross}}

There were approximately 50,000 awards of the Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg, the largest Hanseatic city. The Bremen Hanseatic Cross was awarded approximately 20,000 times. Lübeck was the smallest of the Hanseatic cities, and its Hanseatic Cross was awarded approximately 8-10,000 times. The roll for the Lübeck Hanseatic Cross have been transcribed by an international team of phaleristic researchers from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. The complete roll was expected to be available by fall 2008/spring 2009.

==References==

*Dr. Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann, ''Pour le Mérite und Tapferkeitsmedaille'' (1966).

{{Orders of Imperial Germany}}

[[Category:Hanseatic Cities|Cross]] [[Category:Recipients of the Hanseatic Cross|*]] [[Category:Military awards and decorations of Imperial Germany]] [[Category:German Empire in World War I]] [[Category:20th century in Bremen (state)]] [[Category:20th century in Hamburg]] [[Category:20th century in Schleswig-Holstein]] [[Category:Military awards and decorations of World War I]] [[Category:Awards established in 1915]] [[Category:Military history of Bremen (state)]] [[Category:Military history of Hamburg]] [[Category:Military history of Lübeck]]