The item featured here is a WWII German Iron Cross first class. The award was issued in a box with a certificate. Additional accoutrements such as ribbons could be obtained and were authorized for wear by the recipient of the Iron Cross. The Cross was instituted on September 1st 1939. There are three basic variations. The first design is the one covered here. A second design came with slightly convex arms (Produced by Godet and Son of Berlin). The third design was produced for use by the Navy. This cross has a Brass core which was chemically blackened. There is a cloth version of the award. It came in a few different variations. The construction was very high quality. The front has the appearance of the Iron Cross. The back is plain and often covered in paper. It is possible that these items were private purchase. The actual reason for their creation is not certain. It makes sense that they would be worn in occassions where the metal version would be too cumbersome.

There were several versions of the Iron Cross. First Class Iron Cross - This award has a pin back and does not hang from a ribbon. Second Class Iron Cross - The award has a Award has an upper loop where a ring is attached allowing it to be suspended via a ribbon. This is the award featured on this page. Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross - Introduced on September of 1939. Designed to bridge the gap between the Iron Cross First Class and the Grand Cross. Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves - Introduced on 3 June 1940. Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and swords - Introduced on 15 July 1941. Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, swords and diamonds - Introduced on 15 July 1941. Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, swords and diamonds - Instituted on January 1945. awarded to only one person. Hans Ulrich Rudel. Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross - This is a prototype award. Grand Cross of the Iron Cross - Instituted on September 1st 1939. Identical to the Second Class Iron Cross except that bigger.

CRITERIA FOR AWARD
The Iron Cross First class was awarded for : Distinguishingf oneself three or more times than required for the Second Class award.

IRON CROSS DESIGN
The design of the award consisted of a cross with arms that get wider as they extend from the center. The body of the cross is outlined by a ribbed ridge. It is placed about a quarter of an inch away from the edge of the cross. It follows the contour of the body. The area inside the ridge is painted black. The outer perimeter is of silver color.

The back is solid and has no design. A heavy steel pin is hinged on one side. The other side has a catch that helps secure the pin in the closed position.

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The back of the Cross featured on this page does not have any markings. However, there are many that did.

IRON CROSS MARKINGS Like many other German badges and awards, the Iron Cross could be found with a manufacturer's marking on the back. The marking found is usually a number which is knwon as the LDO Number . This marking is stamped at the time of production and denotes the name of the company and its location. In 1941 it was decided to create the Administration of German Orders Manufacturers ( deutschen Ordenhersteller), known as the LDO. Its main purpose was to control the production of medals and orders. The LDO was directed by the Fuhrer's Chancellery. It is important to note that not all crosses were stamped. It is possible to find a Cross that has no markings whatsoever.

HOW THE IRON CROSS WAS PRESENTED
The Iron Cross First Class was issued in a box. There were several examples available. The one shown below is one type. Black leather cover with the outline of an Iron Cross applied to the top in silver paint. The texture of the cover is very nice. A hinge is exposed in the back. The top of the lid is vaulted.

The inside of the box has a padded silk liner on the top. The bottom section is Khaki in color. Very soft to the touch. A cut-out is found in the center. This feature accomodates the back pin of the award. When stowed away the award does not move very much due to the design of the case. The joint between the top and bottom of the case has a white linen cover to hide the hinge.

BY THE NUMBERS
It is hard to determine the exact number of Iron Crosses that were produced. However, thanks to the record keeping maintained by the Wehrmacht, it is possible to find how many crosses were actually issued.

A total of 300,000 First Class Iron Crosses were awarded during WWII. There were a total of 68,400,000 people living in Germany in 1939.

The actual number of Iron Crosses produced is greater than the number that was issue. It must be accounted that the armed forces would have a stock in hand so it could replace lost ones and issue new awards. In addition the factories were likely to have warehouses with inventory at hand. The Iron Cross was one of the awards most widely distributed during WWII.

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This award is currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this badge. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the badge.

The Iron Cross 1st class was produced by several manufacturers and in different configurations. The more examples of a particular dagger that are examined the more knowledge is gained about the particular piece. Differences in construction can be better appreciated. Markings on the suspension ring and other sections are better understood. The overall knowledge about the Iron Cross First Class is expanded.

This section of the site provides several examples of the Iron Cross.

1957 Re-issued WWII Iron Cross (1) - This award was given to soldiers who had earned the Iron Cross during WWII and wanted to show that fact. The cross does not have a swastika.	WWII Jewler's made Iron Cross (2) - This was an unauthorized version of the Iron Cross. The award has no markings. It is the 1st class with the pin-back type.	WWII GERMAN IRON CROSS 1st CLASS WITH BOX (3) - A very nice example of a cased first class Iron Cross. The back of the pin is marked 100.	WWII German CASED FIRST CLASS IRON CROSS (4) - This is another example of a cased Iron Cross. The pin is stamped with the manufacturer's number, which is 9.
WWII GERMAN CASED FIRST CLASS IRON CROSS (5) - Manufacturer marked with the number 6. Complete with the flat cover box. Some crackling to front paint.	WWII GERMAN CASED FIRST CLASS IRON CROSS (6) - This is a very interesting example. The Iron Cross comes in a box along with the shipping box.	WWII GERMAN CASED FIRST CLASS IRON CROSS (7) - This is another interesting example. The Iron Cross comes in a box along with the shipping box.	WWII GERMAN FIRST CLASS IRON CROSS (8) - This is another interesting example. The Iron Cross is manufacturer marked along the base of the catch.
WWII GERMAN FIRST CLASS IRON CROSS (9) - This is another interesting example. The Iron Cross is manufacturer marked along the base of the catch.