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.

Post-WWII

The Iron Cross is solely a war-time decoration of the German military and has not been awarded since May 1945. Following the end of the Second World War, the government of West Germany permitted its military veterans to wear it, although 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 in place of a swastika.

Related Topics:
May - 1945 - West Germany - 1957

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Iron Cross was also used as the symbol of the German Army until 1915, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross, which was easier to recognize from a distance. The Iron Cross was taken up again by West Germany's military forces (the Bundeswehr) in 1955, despite its use by the Nazi Wehrmacht.

Related Topics:
German Army - 1915 - Greek cross - West Germany - Bundeswehr - 1955 - Wehrmacht

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1977 Sam Peckinpah directed a film entitled Cross of Iron, based on a novel of the same name, which told the story of a veteran German sergeant on the Russian Front, including his relationship with a commanding officer more interested in getting his own Iron Cross than in taking care of his men.

Related Topics:
1977 - Sam Peckinpah - Cross of Iron

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Iron Cross has also been appropriated by several American sub-cultures after WWII. In particular, motorcycle clubs, surfing and skateboarding culture, and the hot rod and custom car cultures use the symbol in various forms.

Related Topics:
Surfing - Skateboarding - Hot rod

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~