Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross - Definition and Overview

The Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire. It was considered a senior decoration to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross.

The Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to the most outstanding of Generals who performed feats of leadership to the extreme benefit of the German state. It was awarded so rarely that only two awards were made, over a century apart, to Prince von Blücher in 1813 and to Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg in 1918. Von Blucher's award was referred to as the Blücherstern while Hindenburg's was known as the Hindenburgstern.

During the reign of Nazi Germany, it was intended to present the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross as a Nazi award to the most successful German General of the Second World War, once Germany had achieved victory. As Germany was defeated in 1945, the decoration was never bestowed under Nazi authority and has not been awarded since.