The Prussian and German Iron Cross
The Iron Cross of 1939 was a continuation of the Prussian award instituted in 1813 during the fight for liberation from Napoleon Bonaparte's France. All in all the Iron Cross was introduced three times before World War II; in 1813 during the aforementioned Prussian War of Liberation, in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War, and in 1914 during the First World War. It was instituted in three classes (Second Class, First Class and Grand Cross), and rules specified that one must be in possession of the lower class before receiving the higher class. The Second Class was generally awarded for one act of bravery or merit while the First Class was awarded for multiple acts; usually three or more. The Grand Cross, however, was essentially in a class of its own in that it was generally awarded to only a handful of Prussia's most significant generals and leaders. The Iron Cross First and Second Class were created to award men for bravery or merit but, unlike most awards at the time, were available to all ranks rather than just officers. Awards of the Iron Cross were held in very high regard in Imperial Germany. However, by the middle of World War I, Germany was engaged in a massive struggle that resulted in far more awards of the Iron Cross than ever before. As the war dragged on, millions of awards were rendered - certainly for countless acts of heroism, but also as a band-aid for a grinding war. The Iron Cross remained a significant national symbol, but its reputation suffered.
A Prussian Officer on his wedding day proudly wears his 1914 Iron Cross Second Class
A Prussian Officer on his wedding day proudly wears his 1914 Iron Cross Second Class
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The 1939 Iron Cross Second Class (as depicted in a period postcard) and the Iron Cross First Class. Also shown is the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross
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By 1939, Prussia and Imperial Germany had been replaced by the Third Reich. War began with the German invasion of Poland and the Iron Cross was introduced for the fourth time. The criteria was essentially the same as before and a new cross, the Knight's Cross, was introduced along with the three existing classes. The Knights Cross of the Iron Cross was established as a high level award for extraordinary acts of bravery or exceptional leaership in the field and above and beyond the existing criteria for the First and Second Class awards. In addition, a clasp, or spange, was exstablished to award recipeints of the 1914 Iron Cross who, again, distinguished themselves in the new war. A strict awarding process was established and awarding began immediately as Germany overran Poland. The Imperial Iron Cross awarded, embossed with the W to honor the Kaisers of the Franco Prussian and Great War periods, was replaced with the swastika of the Third Reich.
World War II became a colossal struggle and, similar to the First World War, millions of awards of bravery were ultimately made. From the opening shots in Poland in September 1939, through the victorious days of 1940, the massive battles on the Eastern Front during the mid-war years, and the total collapse of the Wehrmacht in 1945, millions of men were decorated for bravery or merit with the Iron Cross.
World War II became a colossal struggle and, similar to the First World War, millions of awards of bravery were ultimately made. From the opening shots in Poland in September 1939, through the victorious days of 1940, the massive battles on the Eastern Front during the mid-war years, and the total collapse of the Wehrmacht in 1945, millions of men were decorated for bravery or merit with the Iron Cross.
An award ceremony, in the field, of both classes of the 1939 Iron Cross. This NCO has just been awarded the Iron Cross Second Class.
Newly decorated recipients of the 1939 Iron Cross First Class.
Four recenty decorated officers with the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded at the conclusion of the 1940 campaign in the West
Iron Cross Award Documents of World War II
First and Second Class
While the Iron Cross symbolizes the bravery of the German soldier in World War II, the award document often puts a name with the award, and the award itself in context.
The Iron Cross award citation can arguably be considered the award of the Iron Cross. It was the rationale for the medal; it gave the recipient the right to wear the decoration.
The award document was essentially the same for the Iron Cross First and Second Class. The difference, obviously, was the class of award listed. It included five main features and understanding them is the key to appreciating each citation's historic significance. All Iron Cross award documents were awarded in the name of the German High Command and their main features are as follows:
1. The Name of the Recipient - All award documents include the name of the recipient, along with his rank. Most include the first and last name while some include the last name only. Some recipients would go on to have famous roles during the war.
2. Recipient's Unit - The unit of the recipient - generally the unit in which he was serving when he won his award - was recorded directly under the recipient's name. For ground troops, including Luftwaffe infantry, the unit was typically listed as Kompanie, followed by Regiment. Conversely, Iron Cross award documents to Kriegsmarine seamen and Luftwaffe airmen are often found without a unit listed, sometimes making their historical significance harder to determine.
3. Award Location - The location of the recipient's award was always included on an award document; it was the location in which the award document was prepared and approved by the awarding authority and not necessarily where the award was won. Most awards were processed at division headquarters, and include a specific reference such as Division Gefechtsstand, while some simply state Im Feld, as the unit was "in the field" and engaged with the enemy at the time. Others have actual geographic names like an actual city, a region or theatre of operations.
4. The Award Date - The date on an Iron Cross award document is seldom the day the soldier committed the acts to win the award. The date is, typically, the date his award was recommended and or/authorized, and sometimes the day the actual award document was processed. That said, most Iron Cross awards can be attributed to actions just days or weeks before the award date. The exception is when awards were given out following a major campaign. For instance, many awards were made in the months, not just days or weeks, after the German victories in Poland and France.
5. Authorization - All Iron Cross award documents typically include the signature of the authorizing officer, his authority and the relevant stamp of approval. Regulations generally stated that Iron Cross awards (First and Second Class) were not to be processed/awarded by any unit below division level. Although there are exceptions, a typical Heer award document includes the signature of the division commander, his specific general rank and a reference to his authority. These details are accompanied by the division's authorization stamp. In practically every case, the awarding authority and authorizing stamp should match. And, in addition to awards made on division level, a substantial amount of awards were processed on higher levels such as Armeekorps, Armee or Heeresgruppe throughout the war. Awarding authorities also varied by level among the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
An analysis of the Iron Cross award document and its various features opens a window into history. All documents tell a story. Each recipient lived during the most destructive war in history. Their documents tell us that they were witnesses to history, that some of them participated in some of the most decisive battles in the war.
The Iron Cross award citation can arguably be considered the award of the Iron Cross. It was the rationale for the medal; it gave the recipient the right to wear the decoration.
The award document was essentially the same for the Iron Cross First and Second Class. The difference, obviously, was the class of award listed. It included five main features and understanding them is the key to appreciating each citation's historic significance. All Iron Cross award documents were awarded in the name of the German High Command and their main features are as follows:
1. The Name of the Recipient - All award documents include the name of the recipient, along with his rank. Most include the first and last name while some include the last name only. Some recipients would go on to have famous roles during the war.
2. Recipient's Unit - The unit of the recipient - generally the unit in which he was serving when he won his award - was recorded directly under the recipient's name. For ground troops, including Luftwaffe infantry, the unit was typically listed as Kompanie, followed by Regiment. Conversely, Iron Cross award documents to Kriegsmarine seamen and Luftwaffe airmen are often found without a unit listed, sometimes making their historical significance harder to determine.
3. Award Location - The location of the recipient's award was always included on an award document; it was the location in which the award document was prepared and approved by the awarding authority and not necessarily where the award was won. Most awards were processed at division headquarters, and include a specific reference such as Division Gefechtsstand, while some simply state Im Feld, as the unit was "in the field" and engaged with the enemy at the time. Others have actual geographic names like an actual city, a region or theatre of operations.
4. The Award Date - The date on an Iron Cross award document is seldom the day the soldier committed the acts to win the award. The date is, typically, the date his award was recommended and or/authorized, and sometimes the day the actual award document was processed. That said, most Iron Cross awards can be attributed to actions just days or weeks before the award date. The exception is when awards were given out following a major campaign. For instance, many awards were made in the months, not just days or weeks, after the German victories in Poland and France.
5. Authorization - All Iron Cross award documents typically include the signature of the authorizing officer, his authority and the relevant stamp of approval. Regulations generally stated that Iron Cross awards (First and Second Class) were not to be processed/awarded by any unit below division level. Although there are exceptions, a typical Heer award document includes the signature of the division commander, his specific general rank and a reference to his authority. These details are accompanied by the division's authorization stamp. In practically every case, the awarding authority and authorizing stamp should match. And, in addition to awards made on division level, a substantial amount of awards were processed on higher levels such as Armeekorps, Armee or Heeresgruppe throughout the war. Awarding authorities also varied by level among the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
An analysis of the Iron Cross award document and its various features opens a window into history. All documents tell a story. Each recipient lived during the most destructive war in history. Their documents tell us that they were witnesses to history, that some of them participated in some of the most decisive battles in the war.
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The award document for the Iron Cross Second Class shown (left), to a Gefreiter Walzer, is related to the first days of Fall Blau, the great Summer Offensive of 1942. Walzer's decoration can be attributed to the initial stages of the offensive, the drive on Voronezh by 4. Panzerarmee. Fall Blau culminated with the debacle at Stalingrad and the surrender of 6. Armee in February 1943. The document was folded by the recipient, most likely kept in a Soldbich and/or folded and sent home, and hole-punched for (probably) personal and clerical storage after the war. |
Just awarded for bravery, most likely in the East during the summer of 1941, these soldiers wear their Iron Cross Second Class, and hold their award documents. It was standard for recipients of the Iron Cross Second Class to only wear their decorations at the time the award was presented, and to wear just the ribbon for the award on their uniform afterward. These men would have likely sent their Iron Crosses and accompanying award documents to their parents or wives back in Germany.