Change from Iron Cross to Balkenkreuz?

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Kanone:
Balken means beam, it was called the beam cross, beam as in structure and not a beam of light.
The problem had nothing to do with making it simpler, it had to do with recognition.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Hans]

Kanone, please trust a man with german mother tongue when explaining german expressions...

Balkankreuz is a common misspelling often found in US literature like Focker Eindeckker or Werkenummer or things like that. Balkenkreuz is a heraldic expression meaning a straight cross. The nearest english expression is 'balk'.

The correct heraldic expression (which where NOT used in WWI, but there are often wrong expressions nowadays) is 'Greek Cross' for the Balkenkreuz and Cross Patee for the Eisernes Kreuz ( Heraldic: Tatzenkreuz).

H

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Hans:
I suggest you check your dictionary, Balken, means beam. I checked my Langenscheidt's Taschenwortbuch, English-Deutsch, Erster Teil, by Prof. Edmund Klatt. Langenscheidt KG. Verlagsbuchhandlung, Berlin=Schoeneberg.
Page 58, Balken m beam, rafter; -werk, wood-work, timbers. It is referred to a beam cross, Balken-kreuz whether it is the cross-form with a 4:1, length to width ratio defined by IdFlieg on 20 March 1918. or the 8:1 Lang-balken kreuz-form as specified in the IdFlieg on 4 June 1918.
These are the terms used in the IdFlieg directives.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Kanone]

That certainly solves the mystery -- a mystery for me at least. Talk about the power of incorrect assumptions! It seemed so "obvious" that the name had to refer to the geographical place and it seems like many writers make that same mistake. I had seen it referred to as "beam" cross but didn't make the connection. But if "balken" means "beam" it all makes sense now. Other possible related words that come to mind might be, balcony, bulkhead, and bulwark. Just guessing.

Dedicated people here do know their stuff.

Thanks!

[Hans]

Dan-San, trust me, I am able to use a dictionary myself. Really. Incredible, but true.

Maybe there is another difference between English language and what you are using in the Colonies and you are not using 'balk' at all.

The theme was the usuall mixing-up between Balkankreuz und Balkenkreuz. IdFlieg cannot provide anything to solve this Balkankreuz mystery. And as you can see, there are opinions that Balkankreuz has really to do with the Balkans. So I wanted to give some sort of a mnemonic trick.

That's why I wrote 'nearest english' expression. Nearest. Not best.
LEO Ergebnisse für "balk"

H.

P.S. Taschenwörterbuch , not Taschenwortbuch