Original German WWI & WWII Era Medal Bar with Iron Cross & 25 Year Faithful Service Medal with Attached Mini-Medal Stickpin Featuring Wound Badge

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a very nice genuine medal bar, owned by a German soldier who fought and was wounded during WWI, and later saw service in the Civil Sector during the WWII NSDAP period. The ribbons are still in great shape, showing very little fading. The set has an added stickpin which displays the four medals on the bar as well as a black wound badge indicating that he was wounded during World War I.

- German WWI Prussian 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.

- Hindenburg Cross with Crossed Swords (for combat): The Honor Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (German: Das Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs 1914/1918), commonly, but incorrectly, known as the Hindenburg Cross was established by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, President of the German Republic, by an order dated 13 July 1934, to commemorate the distinguished deeds of the German people during the First World War. This was Germany's first official service medal for soldiers of Imperial Germany who had taken part in the war, and where they had since died it was also awarded to their surviving next-of-kin. Shortly after its issuance, the government of NSDAP Germany declared the award as the only official service decoration of the First World War and further forbade the continued wearing of German Free Corps awards on any military or paramilitary uniform of a state or NSDAP Party organization.

- Faithful Service Decoration Second Class Cross for 25 Years of Service - A fullsize frosted silver with an oak leaf wreath and black enameled swas on original ribbon. The Civil Service Faithful Service Medal (Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen für Beamte Angestellte und Arbeiter im öffentlichen Dienst) was a NSDAP Germany medal of honor that was founded on 30 January 1938, in two grades, to reward civilians and military in the employ of the German public services for long and faithful service.

All officials, employees, and laborers at any level of the public service (local, regional or national) who complete 25 or 40 years service were eligible. The second class award was for 25 years of service was a silver cross, with a silver wreath and a black enameled swas in the center of the cross. The first class award was for 40 years of service was a gold cross, with a gold wreath and a black enameled swas in the center of the cross.

The reverse of both classes was stamped with Für treue Dienste (For faithful Services). in German black letter typeface. The ribbon for the medal is cornflower blue.

- Austro- Hungarian WWI Pro Deo et Patria Military Medal 1914-1918: Hungary (Austro-hungarian Empire): Hungarian WWI Commemorative Combatant's military medal PRO DEO ET PATRIA (for God and Country). Award for the participation in the Great War. The medal was instituted in 1929. It is mounted on the correct red white and green ribbon, though the green has faded almost completely to yellow. It has the crossed swords on the medal, indicating it was awarded to a Combatant in the war.

This is a great medal bar with a fantastic stickpin that adds a ton of character. Comes ready for further research and display.