Frontkämpfer Ehrenkreuz marked on the back with the letters ESL.

The “Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer” (Cross of Honor for Front Fighters) was an award established in Germany in 1934 under the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. It was intended to recognize World War I veterans who had served at the front, either in the trenches or in similar combat conditions.

The Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer was awarded to men who had served in the German armed forces during World War I and who met certain criteria, such as having actually taken part in combat at the front. It was a way of paying respect to those who had enlisted in the harsh combat conditions of trench warfare.

The award itself was a bronze cross, similar to the Iron Cross of World War I. Laurel branches and a sword were depicted on the cross. On the back of the cross was the year “1914”. The decoration was worn on a ribbon on the chest.