Original Item. Only One Available. This is an Imperial German WWI 1914 Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse, or EKII), accompanied by an original award certificate (Besitz-Zeugnis) dated January 1, 1917. The certificate was issued to a soldier whose name appears to read Gefreiter Walter Klöpzig, of the 1st Company, Grenadier-Regiment Prinz Karl von Preußen (2. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 12, for outstanding bravery in the face of the enemy.

The Iron Cross is of traditional multi-piece construction, with a blackened iron core surrounded by a silver-colored frame and finely ribbed inner border. The obverse bears the Prussian royal crown above the central W monogram of Kaiser Wilhelm II, with 1914 on the lower arm. The reverse displays the crowned FW monogram of King Friedrich Wilhelm III, an oak-leaf spray at center, and the original institution date 1813 below. The suspension ring remains attached, together with a length of the traditional black-and-white combatant ribbon.

The accompanying award certificate measures approximately 13" x 8 ⅜" [33 x 21.3 cm] and features an elaborate printed border surrounding the traditional Iron Cross emblem and Gothic lettering. The recipient's name, rank, company, and award date were entered by hand. The lower portion bears a signature appearing to read "v. Johnston," which may be attributable to Alexander von Johnston, who is recorded as having commanded the regiment during this period. The bottom margin retains a Berlin printer's imprint dated 1916.

The Iron Cross shows considerable age and service-related wear, with extensive oxidation and loss of the original blackened finish across both faces. The silver-colored frame has developed a dark patina, while the raised details remain recognizable. The ribbon is heavily worn, with significant fraying, tears, and loose threads, particularly toward the upper portion. The certificate is considerably better preserved, showing moderate age toning, scattered light staining, and old fold lines. The printed decoration and handwritten information remain well defined and legible.

Historical Context

The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) was originally instituted on March 10, 1813, by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleonic France. Designed with the involvement of the Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the decoration recognized military merit and courage across the ranks of the Prussian Army. It was subsequently renewed during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871 and again by Kaiser Wilhelm II in August 1914, shortly after Germany entered the First World War.

During WWI, the Iron Cross 2nd Class became one of the most widely awarded German military decorations, recognizing individual acts of bravery and distinguished wartime service. Military personnel of all ranks could qualify for the award, from enlisted soldiers to senior officers. The combatant version was suspended from a black ribbon with white stripes, representing the traditional Prussian colors. After the initial presentation, recipients commonly wore only the ribbon through the second buttonhole of their uniform tunic, retaining the complete decoration for prescribed occasions.

The regiment named on the certificate, Grenadier-Regiment Prinz Karl von Preußen (2. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 12, was a long-established Prussian infantry formation originally raised on July 1, 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars. The regiment subsequently received its honorary designation in recognition of Prince Karl of Prussia, a prominent member of the Prussian royal family and long-serving military officer. Its peacetime garrison was Frankfurt an der Oder, in the province of Brandenburg.

At the outbreak of WWI, the regiment belonged to the 10th Infantry Brigade of the 5th Infantry Division, III Army Corps. Mobilized in August 1914, the division advanced through Belgium into northern France, taking part in the opening campaigns of the Western Front, including the fighting around Charleroi and the First Battle of the Marne. Following the German retreat from the Marne, the division occupied positions along the Aisne and subsequently participated in operations around Soissons, Arras, and Champagne during 1915.

The following year was particularly demanding for the division. In February 1916, it entered the Battle of Verdun, participating in the fighting around Herbebois and Douaumont. Heavy casualties accompanied the German assaults during February and March, followed by further operations through the spring. In July, the division was transferred to the Somme, where it fought around Longueval and Delville Wood and again suffered substantial losses. Further service in Champagne followed before the division returned to the Verdun sector in December 1916.

By the closing days of December, the 5th Division had been withdrawn from Verdun and transferred to Upper Alsace, in the region around Mulhouse and Ferrette. The troops subsequently occupied positions near the French and Swiss frontiers, undertaking defensive and entrenchment work during the opening months of 1917. The certificate's January 1, 1917, award date falls immediately after the division's withdrawal from Verdun, although the specific action for which Gefreiter Klöpzig received his decoration is not recorded.

The recipient held the rank of Gefreiter, a junior enlisted rank in the Imperial German Army, and was assigned to the regiment's 1st Company, part of its I Battalion. The certificate records the award for hervorragende Tapferkeit vor dem Feinde, meaning "outstanding bravery in the face of the enemy," the traditional wording used to recognize distinguished conduct under combat conditions.

Of additional historical interest is the apparent signature of "v. Johnston" on the certificate. Regimental command records identify Alexander von Johnston as commander of Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 12 from October 1916 until March 1917, encompassing the certificate's date. The signature may therefore belong to this officer, whose full name is recorded in family genealogical material as Alexander Curt Hugo Sebastian von Johnston und Kroegeborn, born in Marburg on February 20, 1869.

Johnston came from an established Prussian military family and had entered the 3rd Guard Grenadier Regiment "Königin Elisabeth" as an officer candidate in 1888, receiving his commission the following year. By the opening months of WWI, he had advanced to the rank of Major and was serving with Leib-Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich Wilhelm III. (1. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 8, where he commanded the Fusilier Battalion.