von Manstein-decorations..

Just received the following photo fom a friend who is curious about the cross which appears over the breast pocket on the left? Any ideas...?

 

Definately a medal from a monarchy.
Couldn't it be romanian?(Manstein fought a lot alongside romanian troops in the Crimean peninsula in 1942.)

Maybe the "Order of Michael the Brave", the highest romanian military order.

 

The Lexikon der Wehrmacht mentions the occasions on which Manstein was awarded the Knight's Cross, the Oak Leaves and the Swords to it, but no medal from any monarchy of Europe can be found.

 

He doesn't wear Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlauben in this, does he?

 

You are correct Castelot! l actually sent the same inquiry to several friends in different web-sites. My instincts told me it had to be Romanian because of the shape of the cCross, Orthodox rather than Catholic-or Protestant..but had no definite proof until l received an e-mail this AM with the photo l am posting . Though l did not men to raise any questions about the decorations earned by gral. von Manstein, as a matter of interest here's a list of them.

Best Regards!

* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross: 19 July 1940, General der Infanterie, Commanding General of XXXVIII Army Corps.
* Oakleaves (No. 209): 14 March 1943, Generalfeldmarschall, Commander-in-Chief of Army Group South.
* Swords (No. 59): 30 March 1944, Generalfeldmarschall, Commander-in-Chief of Army Group South.
* Prussian Royal Hohenzollern House Order, Knight's Cross with Swords
* Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914) with 1939 Bar
* Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914) with 1939 Bar
* Medal for the Winter Campaign in Russia 1941/1942 ("East Medal")
* Württemberg Friedrich Order, Knight 1st Class with Swords
* Schaumburg-Lippe Cross for Faithful Service
* Hamburg Hanseatic Cross
* Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918
* Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross)
* Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal)
* Austrian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration
* Turkish War Medal ("Iron Crescent")
* Wound Badge in Black - World War I award
* Crimea Shield in Gold (special version of the standard bronze shield worn only by Manstein and Romanian Marshal Ion Antonescu)
* Luftwaffe Combined Pilot/Observer Badge in Gold with Diamonds
* Romanian Order of Michael the Brave, 2nd Class 16 July 1942 (Royal Decree No. 2029).
* Romanian Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd Class: 25 November 1941 (Royal Decree No. 3258).
* Bulgarian Order of St. Alexander, 2nd Class ? pre-World War II