Iron Cross

The Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz) is a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813. The Iron Cross is only awarded in wartime. In addition to the Napoleonic Wars, the Iron Cross was awarded during the Franco-Prussian War, and the First (WWI) and Second World Wars. It has not been awarded, nor any other form of a military decoration to honor or bravery, since May 1945 in the german Bundeswehr.

Early awards

The Iron Cross was founded in 1813 and awarded to soldiers during the so-called Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. The Prussian King Wilhelm I authorised further awards on 19 July 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War. Recipients of the 1870 Iron Cross who were still in service in 1895 were authorized to purchase a 25 year clasp consisting of the numerals "25" on three oak leaves. The Iron Cross was reauthorized by Kaiser Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, at the start of the First World War. During these three periods, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, although given Prussia's preeminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it tended to be treated as a generic German decoration.

Related Topics:
King - Wilhelm I - 19 July - 1870 - 1895 - Wilhelm II - 5 August - 1914 - German Empire

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The 1813, 1870 and 1914 Iron Crosses had three grades:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Iron Cross 2nd Class
• Iron Cross 1st Class
• Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (German language: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Großkreuz)

The Grand Cross was intended for senior Generals of the German Army. An even higher decoration, the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, was only awarded twice, to Prince von Blücher in 1813 and to Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg in 1918. A third award was planned for the most successful German general during the Second World War, but was not made after the defeat of Germany in 1945.

Related Topics:
Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross - Prince von Blücher - 1813 - Paul von Hindenburg - 1918 - 1945

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the First World War, approximately 5 million Iron Crosses of the lower grade (2nd Class) were issued, as well as around 218,000 of the higher grade (1st Class). Exact numbers of awards are not known, since the Prussian archives were destroyed during the Second World War. The multitude of awards reduced the status and reputation of the decoration. One of the most famous holders of the 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class was Adolf Hitler (which was unusual as very few holders of the 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class were enlisted soldiers: Hitler held the rank of Gefreiter, or Lance Corporal).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~