Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a very nice genuine medal bar, owned by a German soldier who fought during WWI, and also possibly served post war under the Weimar republic. They may have also served in WWII, but there are no medals from that era. Some of the ribbon colors have faded a bit, but overall the set is quite eye catching.

The set of 3 medals offered in good condition is mounted on a metal backing board with pin and lined in red wool felt. It consists of the following medals:

- Iron Cross 2nd Class: Established by Frederick William in 1813 for gallantry in action, the decoration was revived several times for later conflicts. The bulk of the issues are divided into 1st and 2nd class versions, but a rare and superior 'Grand Cross' was also awarded for successful field commanders. During WW1 the lower decoration was freely awarded with 5½ million second class types issued. Originally, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, however given Prussia's pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it became an award for all of Germany.

The basic design of the WW1 crosses is a central cross patee struck from iron and mounted in a silver frame which has a raised crenulated decorative border. The obverse of the cross bears the date 1914 under a crowned 'W' monogram. Reverse bears an oak leaf cluster with the date of the decoration’s institution, 1813 underneath - the crowned initials of Frederick William are in the top arm above the oak leaf cluster. Suspension for second-class types is by means of a ring, and frequently this ring bears a maker's stamp.

Please examine the edge seam for authentication, which is not present on reproductions. Iron crosses were commonly constructed from an iron core sandwiched in a surrounding two part silver frame, normally the seam of these two silver parts is visible around the edge of the cross as is seen on this fine example.

- Kyffhauser War Veterans Commemorative Medal: Oval gilt bronze medal with eyelet for ribbon suspension; the face with a tattered standard, lightning bolts below, dated ‘1914 1918’ to the left above a sprig of laurel, inscribed above ‘Blank die Wehr, Rein die Her’ (Shining Arms, Pure Honor), signed ‘HOSAEUS’ at the base, all within a stylised laurel border; the reverse inscribed ‘Aufrecht u stoß gehen wir aus dem Kampfe den wir über vier Jahre gegen eine Welt von Feinden bestanden, Hindenburg’ (Upright and battered we came through four years of struggle withstanding a world of enemies, Hindenburg), a small five-pointed star above and below, circumscribed above ‘für Treue im Weltkriege’ (for Loyalty in the World War), circumscribed below ‘Der Kyffhäuserbund’, a sprig of laurel to either side; on original court mounting. The medal was instituted in 1922 and, until the issue of the Cross of Honor of the World War (Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges), better known as the ‘Hindenburg Cross’ in 1934, was often the only medal of the German soldiers of World War I.

- Kyffhäuser Cross of Merit: The face is circular with central medallion bearing the Kyffhäuser Monument; the reverse with a circular central medallion inscribed in Gothic script ‘Für Verdienst im Kriegervereins Wesen’ (for Merit in War Veterans Association). The Cross was instituted after World War I to recognise meritorious service in the Preußischer Landes Kriegern Verband, equivalent of the British and American Legions, in its charitable and social work. The Kyffhäuser Monument was built in 1890-1896 on the summit of the Kyffhäuser Mountain in Thuringia at the suggestion of the 19th Century German War Veterans Federation.

This lovely grouping comes more than ready for further research and display!