Gold Cross Medal Recipients

The Gold Cross is one of the highest levels of the Badge of Honour, a military decoration given by the Bundeswehr of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Award provisions
The "Gold Cross of Honour" is given for exemplary and meritorious service over 20 years or exemplary achievements. The "Gold Cross of Honour for Outstanding Deeds" is given for outstanding deeds at the risk of one's life.

According to the decree, the Foundation Award is given for "exceptionally brave deeds" [1] and for "... acts of soldiers of the Bundeswehr, which on the expected level of bravery in the performance of duty go far...". [ 4]

Award recipients

 * 2009: Master Sergeant Jan Berges (29), Master Sergeant Alexander Dietzen (33), Staff Sergeant Markus Geist (28), Master Sergeant Henry Lukács (28)


 * 2010: Master Sergeant Daniel Seibert (30), Sergeant Knoska Steffen (29)


 * 2010 U.S. Army 12th CAB 5-158AVN Troops: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason Lacrosse, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Steven Husted, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nelson Visaya, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jason Brown, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Sean Johnson, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric Wells, Army Staff Sgt. Travis Brown, Army Sgt. William Ebel, Army Sgt. Antonio Gatti, Army Sgt. Steven Schumaker, Army Spc. Matthew Baker, Army Spc. Todd Marchese, Army Spc. Gregory Martinez, and Capt. Robert McDonough.


 * 2010: Sergeant Major in January Hecht (36).

Comparability with historic German military awards
The Iron Cross was awarded in the past, but only after declaration of a general and formal state of war, but not for combat operations in times of peace (such as "police actions" abroad or actions against internal disturbances).

In this respect, the Cross of Honour of the Bundeswehr is more in the tradition of bravery awards of the old German states prior to 1918. The majority of these awards were, however, awarded to certain grade groups only (e.g., Prussian military Merit ), or to higher classes for officers (so-called members of the Order) and lower classes for noncommissioned officers and enlisted men (known as the Order holder) (e.g. Baden military-Karl-Friedrich Merit ).

Contrast to crosses of honour in a special version
The Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for valor was created at the same time as the two crosses of honor in a special design. In addition to the award for time of service, specific personal individual action can be honored with the Cross of Honour. A Silver Cross is for outstanding achievement without danger to life and limb; the Gold Cross is for outstanding action with danger to life and limb. When this marking is a red outline of the cross. These two special versions are not separate steps; they are new opportunities (the fifth and sixth) of the Medal of Honour. In the past such actions were honored in some cases by awarding the Federal Cross of Merit.