The Bavarian Military Merit Cross was Bavaria’s main award for bravery & military merit. Enlisted soldiers i.e ordinary ranks (O.R.’s ) & N.C.O.’s (non commissioned officers) plus some lower ranking officials of The Imperial Bavarian Kingdom were bestowed this award for bravery, it was as prestigious & equivalent to the Prussian or German Iron Cross! 

Instituted in July 1866 it changed in grade’s throughout its lifespan including gold, silver & bronze grades, with Swords for wartime issue, without swords for non wartime issue, with crown & without crown! These different changes to its award potential happened in 1891, 1905 & 1913.

 The medals we have here are a 1st world war ( WW1 1914 to 1918 ) Bavarian medal duo consisting of the Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with Swords (“Militare Verdienstkruex” in German ) & a Hindenburg Combatants Cross Of Honour indicating bravery in combat for one Bavarian soldier! Mounted on the traditional German medal bar with short ribbons with a pin back assembly to the rear for attachment to a uniform!

The Hindenburg Cross of Honour is very nicely maker marked G 14, the Gothic “G” letter being a flamboyant style of the German Empire. 

290,000 Bavarian Military Merit Crosses with swords were awarded for wartime combat in WW1 & after the fall of the German Empire in 1918 the award became obsolete, but the Bavarian Kingdom continued issueing entitled recipients up until 1920! 

This fine bravery medal duo consisting of the Bavarian version of the iron cross & Hindenburg Cross of Honour, nicely marked & in 100% original condition, the Bavarian Cross depicting the monograph of Leopold 2nd to the front, the rear the date 1866 (awards actual institution date) & the Bavarian lion!