Original Item: Only One Available. Established by Frederick William in 1813 for gallantry in action, the Iron Cross decoration was revived several times for later conflicts. The bulk of the issues are divided into 1st and 2nd class versions, but a rare and superior 'Grand Cross' was also awarded for successful field commanders. During WW1 the lower decoration was freely awarded with 5½ million second class types issued. Originally, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, however given Prussia's pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it became an award for all of Germany.

With so many Iron Crosses issued in WWI, it was inevitable that soldiers who already had achieved the 1914 version of the award might receive another during WWII. When the 1939 Iron Cross began being issued, they also introduced the Clasp to the Iron Cross (Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz). This way, a holder of the 1914 Iron Cross could be awarded a second or higher grade of the 1939 Iron Cross. To permit the two medals to be worn together, a "1939 Clasp" (Spange) would be worn on the original 1914 Iron Cross. It depicted a national eagle clutching an oak leaf wreath surrounding a swas above a trapezoid bearing the year 1939. The clasp was attached to the 1914 Iron Cross medal ribbon. The ribbon was then worn through a tunic button of the uniform.

There were however also examples that had a pin attachment on the back, so that they could be attached directly to the uniform, without needing a ribbon. This is a great example of this type, and is in very good condition, showing only minor wear and oxidation on the plating. The details are all there, and the pinback is fully functional, though it can be difficult to get the pin out of the retaining hook. We were not able to see any maker mark, but that is typical for these smaller awards. The specific shape can sometimes be used to identify the maker, but we were not able to determine the maker with this example. Measures approximately 45mm x 30mm.

This is a great chance to pick up a WWII addition to one of the most iconic of all Imperial German awards. Ready to display!