Original German WWII Iron Cross First Class 1939 EKI with Vertical Pinback – by B. H. Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt Original Items

Original Items: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a WWII Iron Cross First Class 1939, flat pattern, with straight vertical pin attachment. The award features a Magnetic core, “flat” design, and straight pin attachment. It is maker marked on the back with Präsidialkanzlei des Führers Lieferant (Presidential Chancellery Supplier) number 26 on the top of the pin, which represents B.H. Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt GmbH of Pforzheim.

The medal is in good overall condition, and the silver plate is retained well, showing minor tarnishing or patination. It does appear to have either been refinished at some point or suffered moisture damage, regardless it still looks very nice. The black paint on the central cross does show some flaking and oxidation, but overall it still presents very well. The paint on the central swas and date is still intact. The pin and hook catch are in good functional condition

The basic design of the WWII crosses is a central 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.

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.

The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz, abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and NSDAP Germany (1933–1945). It was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia in March 1813 backdated to the birthday of his late wife Queen Louise on 10 March 1813 during the Napoleonic Wars (EK 1813). Louise was the first person to receive this decoration (posthumous). The recommissioned Iron Cross was also awarded during the Franco-Prussian War (EK 1870), World War I (EK 1914), and World War II (EK 1939, re-introduced with a swas added in the center).

The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. Two examples of this were civilian test pilots Hanna Reitsch who was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and 1st Class and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, who was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class, for their actions as pilots during World War II.