 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".There were approximately 50,000 awards of the Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg, the largest Hanseatic city.