Original German WWII Iron Cross 2nd Class 1939 EKII with Named Award Document, Packet & Ribbon – 86th Infantry Division Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice lightly patinated example of a German WWII Iron Cross 2nd Class 1939 (Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse 1939) with its original rayon red, black, and white ribbon, as well as the issue paper packet. Also included is the original besittzzeugnis “possession/award” certificate!

The award document indicates that it was awarded to Gefreiten H o p p of San.Kp. 1. / 186, short for Sanitäts Kompanie 1. Bataillon / 186. Regiment (Medical Company, 1st Battalion, 186th Regiment. This is an enlisted rank equivalent to a U.S. Army “Acting Corporal”. It was awarded at the Division Corporal Staff on 22. 7. 1941, and has the ink stamp of the Kdr. Inf. Div 86 (86th Infantry Division Command). It was also signed by Witthöft, listed as Generalleutnant u. Kommandeur der 86.Inf.-Division.

We have checked historical records, and Joachim Witthöft was the commander of the 86th Infantry division from 26 August 1939 to 1 January 1942, so this is correct. They were awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross while commanding this division, and would later be promoted to General der Infanterie. Definitely some good research potential here!

The document has all the correct stamps and markings, and measures about 7 7/8″ x 5 1/2″, (about 20cm x 14cm), printed on heavy-weight paper with black print and typed in particulars. It is in good condition, and was folded in half long ago. It also looks to have been matted and framed at some point, as there is paper tape on the rear.

The original paper packet is the light blue paper version, and shows a bit of period wear and fading, and measures 4″W x 5 1/8″H. It has the correct markings in German Black Letter Typeface on the front:

Eisernes Kreuze
2. Klasse
1939

The back of the packet is maker marked Jakob Bengel / Oberſtein, a known maker of the award. The Iron Cross itself is a very fine example with crisp beading, and is actually maker marked on the hanger ring with Präsidialkanzlei des Führers Lieferant (Presidential Chancellery Supplier) number 66. on the hanger ring. This represents maker Friedrich Keller of Oberstein, a known maker of the EKII. Most EKIIs we see are unmarked, so this is a real treat! It does not match the packet, but both were in the same city, so it is possible that they were subcontracted.

The silvering to the frame has a lovely lightly tarnished patina and looks great! The matte black core paint on the iron center is also almost fully complete on both sides, with no wear on the Swas (hook cross) or other raised portions. There is a bit of light crazing in the finish, which confirms the age. The cross comes with its original ribbon, properly installed on the award, and  is in excellent condition.

Please also note the edge seam for authentication, which is not present on reproductions. Iron crosses were commonly constructed from an iron core sandwiched in a surrounding two part silver frame, normally the seam of these two silver parts is visible around the edge of the cross as is seen on this fine example.

The basic design of the WWII crosses is a central Tatzenkreuz (cross pattée) struck from iron and mounted in a silver frame which has a raised crenulated decorative border. The obverse of the cross bears the date 1939 under a “mobile” swas. Second class crosses would have a ring at the top where a ring was attached, and had more markings on the back. The first class award, however, was meant to attach directly to the front of the uniform.

A great example of the most iconic of all German awards, complete with an original award document, packet, and ribbon, ready to research and display!

There is no more iconic German military award than the Iron Cross. The long history of this order began during the Napoleonic Wars. King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia instituted the “Eisernes Kreuz” (Iron Cross) in March of 1813. The award criteria changed somewhat with time, but generally speaking, Iron Crosses could be awarded for individual acts of bravery, or for leadership achievements on the battlefield. The design was created by a Karl Friedrich Schinkel, his choice of the black cross with silver outline was derived from the heraldic emblem of the Teutonic Knights. This central Tatzenkreuz (cross pattée) struck from iron and mounted in a silver frame which has a raised crenulated decorative border.

There were a number of different type and grades of Iron Cross awards throughout its long history, but the basic details of the most widely awarded grades: The Iron Cross 1st Class and Iron Cross 2nd Class- remained the same. The first class award was a breast badge, with fittings on the reverse to allow it to be worn on the uniform. These fittings varied widely over time and from maker to maker, and could be a simple in and catch, a screw post and retaining disc, or more elaborate setups. The second class award was suspended from a ribbon, originally in the Prussian colors of black and white, later in the Reich colors of black, red and white.

On the original versions of these crosses, in 1813, the front of the iron core of each grade was bare, and only the second class award had ornamentation: a crown over the initials “FW” representing the King, a sprig of oak leaves, and the date 1813. The core was redesigned in 1870, when the cross was re-instituted during the Franco-Prussian War. The reverse ornamentation on the Iron Cross 2nd Class remained the same, but the front of the core on both grades now bore another crown, a “W” representing Kaiser Wilhelm, and the date 1870. This pattern repeated again when the cross was reinstituted for WWI- everything stayed the same, only the date 1870 was replaced with 1914.

The final reinstitution of the cross came in 1939. For this version, the front of the core for both grades bore a swas and the date 1939. The oak leaves, crown and royal initials were removed from the reverse, with only the date 1813 remaining as a reminder of the legacy of this award. In WWII, hundreds of thousands of Iron Cross First Class awards were bestowed, and four and a half million Iron Cross Second Class awards. Iron Crosses were made by a large number of authorized manufacturers. Some variants of these awards were mass produced in huge numbers. Others were made in very limited quantities.