Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Iron Cross First Class 1939, or EKI, with a magnetic iron core, vaulted construction, unmarked reverse, distinctive tapered “fat belly” pin, and original presentation case. The cross has developed an attractive age toned appearance, with substantial silver colored finish remaining on the frame and extensive loss of the black finish from the iron core.

The Iron Cross First Class was intended for direct wear on the uniform and therefore used a pinback attachment rather than the suspension ring found on the Second Class award. This example has the classic three piece construction with a magnetic iron center mounted within a surrounding silver colored frame. The obverse bears the date:

1939

beneath the central mobile swas.

The cross has a pronounced vaulted profile rather than lying completely flat. The surrounding frame retains much of its original silver colored finish and has developed an even lightly tarnished patina. Tarnish alone does not establish the precise silver content, so the finish is described here by appearance rather than as proof of solid silver construction.

The black finish on the magnetic iron core is largely missing. Oxidation of the iron has caused considerable flaking and loss, leaving a strongly patinated surface while the principal raised details remain clear.

The reverse is unmarked and fitted with a tapered “fat belly” vertical pin attached by a barrel hinge. The pin remains functional but shows some deformation. The rounded wire catch is also somewhat bent, though still present.

A visible seam is present around portions of the outer edge where the frame components were joined around the iron core. This is a construction feature commonly seen on period Iron Crosses, though it should be considered together with the award’s overall construction rather than treated by itself as absolute proof of authenticity.

The award is accompanied by its original leatherette presentation case. The lid bears a silver colored Iron Cross emblem, and the front closure remains functional. The lower left corner shows significant damage consistent with moisture or water exposure, including loss to the exterior covering and deformation of the case structure, with additional distortion extending inward from that corner. The rear hinge remains fully functional.

With its vaulted magnetic core, unmarked construction, tapered “fat belly” pin, surviving frame finish, visible edge seam, and original presentation case, this is a strong patinated example of a German WWII Iron Cross First Class. The extensive core finish loss, oxidation, deformed pin, bent wire catch, and water damaged case are all fully disclosed. It would fit especially well in an Iron Cross, German military awards, cased decorations, or advanced WWII medal collection.

There is no more iconic German military award than the Iron Cross. The long history of this order began during the Napoleonic Wars. King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia instituted the “Eisernes Kreuz” (Iron Cross) in March of 1813. The award criteria changed somewhat with time, but generally speaking, Iron Crosses could be awarded for individual acts of bravery, or for leadership achievements on the battlefield. The design was created by a Karl Friedrich Schinkel, his choice of the black cross with silver outline was derived from the heraldic emblem of the Teutonic Knights.

There were a number of different type and grades of Iron Cross awards throughout its long history, but the basic details of the most widely awarded grades: The Iron Cross 1st Class and Iron Cross 2nd Class- remained the same. The first class award was a breast badge, with fittings on the reverse to allow it to be worn on the uniform. These fittings varied widely over time and from maker to maker, and could be a simple in and catch, a screw post and retaining disc, or more elaborate setups. The second class award was suspended from a ribbon, originally in the Prussian colors of black and white, later in the Reich colors of black, red and white.

On the original versions of these crosses, in 1813, the front of the iron core of each grade was bare, and only the second class award had ornamentation: a crown over the initials “FW” representing the King, a sprig of oak leaves, and the date 1813. The core was redesigned in 1870, when the cross was re-instituted during the Franco-Prussian War. The reverse ornamentation on the Iron Cross 2nd Class remained the same, but the front of the core on both grades now bore another crown, a “W” representing Kaiser Wilhelm, and the date 1870. This pattern repeated again when the cross was reinstituted for WWI- everything stayed the same, only the date 1870 was replaced with 1914.

The final reinstitution of the cross came in 1939. For this version, the front of the core for both grades bore a swas and the date 1939. The oak leaves, crown and royal initials were removed from the reverse, with only the date 1813 remaining as a reminder of the legacy of this award. In WWII, hundreds of thousands of Iron Cross First Class awards were bestowed, and four and a half million Iron Cross Second Class awards. Iron Crosses were made by a large number of authorized manufacturers. Some variants of these awards were mass produced in huge numbers. Others were made in very limited quantities.

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.