Original German WWI Mounted One Medal Bar with Iron Cross 2nd Class Original Items

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a great Post-WWI worn medal bar for the Iron Cross, 2nd Class. These medal bars were put together and worn during parades and other like events, with this soldier only having been awarded the EK2. This bar pre-dates the 1930s as it doesn’t have the Hindenburg Cross which was awarded to all WWI Veterans. A great piece, ready for further research and display.

Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) 2nd Class:
Emperor Wilhelm II reauthorized the Iron Cross on 5 August 1914, at the start of World War I. During these three periods, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, although – given Prussia’s pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871 – it tended to be treated as a generic German decoration. The 1813, 1870, and 1914 Iron Crosses had three grades.

The Iron Cross 1st Class and the Iron Cross 2nd Class were awarded without regard to rank. One had to possess the 2nd Class already in order to receive the 1st Class (though in some cases both could be awarded simultaneously). The egalitarian nature of this award contrasted with those of most other German states (and indeed of many other European monarchies), where military decorations were awarded based on the rank of the recipient. For example, Bavarian officers received various grades of that Kingdom’s Military Merit Order (Militär-Verdienstorden), while enlisted men received various grades of the Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz). Prussia did have other orders and medals which it awarded on the basis of rank, and even though the Iron Cross was intended to be awarded without regard to rank, officers and NCOs were more likely to receive it than junior enlisted soldiers.

Please 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.