Germany, Wehrmacht. A Rare German Cross in Gold, Cloth Version for Assault Gun Troops, with Dietrich Maerz Certification

(Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, Stoffausführung für Sturmgescühtztruppen). A cloth version of the German Cross in Gold issued to Sturmgeschütztruppen (Assault Gun Troops), consisting of a double-overlaid eight-pointed starburst pattern, with a field-grey wool base overlaid by machine-embroidered slate-grey threading, trimmed with machine-embroidered silver aluminum wire rays, bearing a central white embroidered cloth disc overlaid by a black mobile swastika trimmed with silver aluminum wire, set within a circular gilt laurel leaf wreath, the latter wrapped in ribbon and joined together at the bottom by a plaque bearing an institution date of “1941”, bordered on both the inner and outer edges by red threaded piping with an additional knotted exterior silver aluminum wire fringe, the reverse retaining a fully-intact black paper liner with the outline of the wreath’s intact prongs visible, unmarked, measuring 74 mm (w) x 72 mm (h), weighing 8.8 grams, a rare example for highly specialized issue in near mint condition, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity produced by Dietrich Maerz and dated 2 March 2022.