The War Merit Cross was the non-combatant variant of the Iron Cross. This award was created by Adolf Hitler as an alternative to the non-combatant Iron Cross which was used in earlier wars (same medal but with a different ribbon).
The award was graded the same as the Iron Cross: War Merit Cross Second Class, War Merit Cross First Class, and Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross. Recipients had to have the lower grade of the award before getting the next level.
The award also had two variants: with swords for bravery in a direct combat support role, and without swords for meritorious service behind the lines. One notable winner of the War Merit Cross was William Joyce (aka Lord Haw-Haw).
A tradition was set up that winners of the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross would be awarded the medal by winners of the Knights cross of the Iron Cross, symbolizing the link between the combat soldier and their supporters who helped keep the war effort going.
There was one extra grade of the medal created at the suggestion of Albert Speer: The Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross in Gold, but this was never officially placed on the list of national awards as it came about in 1945 and there was no time to officially promugate the award before the war ended. The Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross in Gold (without swords) was awarded to two recipients on 20 April 1945: Franz Hahne and Karl Saur .
Like the 1914 non-combatant Iron Cross, the ribbon of the War Merit Cross had the red and black colors reversed from the (Combatant) Iron Cross.
