BACKGROUND: The order of the Iron Cross was founded by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, after the "Friedenskrieg," or war of liberation from Napoleon, in 1813. It was to be an award for gallantry conferred only in time of war, and open to all soldiers, regardless of rank or social status. The Iron Cross was re-instituted at the commencement of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the First World War in 1914, and the Second World War in 1939. In each of the three latter cases, the original institution date may be seen to the lower reverse arm of the cross, and the specific re-institution date to its lower obverse arm. The Iron Crosses of the Second World War were further distinguished by a mobile swastika to their obverse centers. Following the end of that conflict, the allied Occupation Control Office of Germany, as part of their de-Nazification process, made it forbidden for Germans to wear previous military decorations, including former Imperial awards. In July of 1957, however, the West German Republic ordered the making of replacement decorations, re-designing those in which the swastika figured prominently. NSDAP and SS awards were not reproduced.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1957 pattern, private purchase, die struck, three piece, iron and nickel/silver plated alloy construction Pattée style cross with a single piece iron core and a two piece alloy frame. The Iron Cross is painted with black enamel, and features a spray of three oak leaves to its center, replacing the swastika with the re-institution date, "1939", to the bottom arm. The plain a solid, soldered, block type hinge, a broad, tapering vertical pin and a soldered catch all intact. Nice clean example.