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The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) was established in 1813 as a military honor by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. Prussia was deeply involved in the Napoleonic Wars and this was a way to honor its brave soldiers.
The Iron Cross was designed by the neo-classical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The decoration is comprised on a four pointed cross, traditionally cast in iron (although, in later years, the decoration was cast in zinc and aluminum). The symbolism of the decoration originated from the legend of the Goddess of Peace in that when her Quadriga was retrieved from Paris at Napoleon's fall, the Goddess was re-established atop Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. An Iron Cross was substituted for her laurel wreath, making her into a Goddess of Victory.
The Iron Cross was awarded again in 1870 in the Franco-Prussian War. Those awardees still in service in 1895 received a 25 year clasp. It was reauthorized in 1914 at the start of World War I. One of the more famous holders of the cross was Adolf Hitler. Millions of the lower grade (second class) were issued, as well as a considerable number of first class awards. Exactly numbers are not known, since the Prussian archives were destroyed during World War II.
Adolf Hitler again restored the award in 1939, continuing the tradition of issuing it in various grades.
- Iron Cross 2nd Class,
- Iron Cross 1st Class,
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross,
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was further expanded to include:
- Knight's Cross with Oakleaves,
- Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords,
- Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds
- Knight's Cross with Golden Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds
The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was considered the highest grade of the Iron Cross, but was only awarded to senior German generals. An even higher grade, the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross has only been awarded twice since its creation in the 19th century. It should be understood that the Iron Cross was a progressive award, with second class having to be earned before the first class, etc. As of 1944, the final series of Iron Cross decorations appeared as follows:
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Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
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With Oakleaves and Swords |
With Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds |
With Golden Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds |
Only 27 men were ever awarded the Diamonds grade of the Knight's Cross.
Hans Rudel was the only recipient of the Knights Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.
The Iron Cross was awarded for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions to a battlefield environment. The Iron Cross Second Class was worn as a chest ribbon with the cross suspended from the ribbon. The Iron Cross First Class was a pin-on metal worn centered on a uniform breast pocket. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and all subsequent levels of the Iron Cross, were worn suspended from the collar.
For "behind the lines" activities, such as war plans and war effort contributions, the Third Reich issued separate decorations known as the German Cross and War Merit Cross.
 1939 Bar to the Iron Cross Since the Iron Cross was issued over several different periods of German history, the Iron Cross is annoted by a year numeral, to indicate in which historical period the Iron Cross was issued. For instance, an Iron Cross from the First World War would be annoted with the year numeral "1914", while the same decoration from the Second World War would be annoted with the numeral "1939". All Iron Crosses from the Second World War also contained a swastika centered on the decoration. It was also possible for a holder of the 1914 Iron Cross to be awarded a higher grade of the 1939 Iron Cross. A reward of the first or second class was also possible. In such cases, a "1939 Clasp" ("spange") would be worn on the original 1914 Iron Cross. (A similar award was made in 1914, but that was quite rare, since there were few 1870 winners still in service.)
The Iron Cross is only a war-time decoration of the German military and the decoration has not been awarded since May 1945.
Post-WWII
The insignia of Germanys military forces Bundeswehr is a stylized Iron Cross.
Following the end of the Second World War, the government of West Germany permitted its military veterans to continue to wear the Iron Cross, however German law prohibits the wearing of an Iron Cross with a swastika. In 1957 the German government issued new Iron Crosses to World War II veterans, altered to display an Oak Leaf Cluster, instead of a swastika, in the center of the medal.
In 1977, Sam Peckinpah directed a film inspired by the Iron Cross, entitled Cross of Iron.
See Also
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