Original German WWII Named Iron Cross 2nd Class 1939 Grouping with Photo, Award Document, Postcard & More on Display Board

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent example of a German WWII Iron Cross 2nd Class 1939 (Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse 1939) with its original red, black, and white ribbon, as well as an original paper packet and named Besittzzeugnis "possession/award" certificate. Additionally, it comes with the original award packet, a ribbon bar pin, a period post card of the award, and even a picture of the recipient, Gefreiter Kiefer! Mounted onto a 11 5/8" x 17 3/4" black display board, this is a perfect candidate for professional framing!

The award document indicates that it was awarded to Gefr. K I E F E R of 1. / Pz. Nachr. Abt. 79, short for 1. Kompanie / Panzer Nachrichten Abteilung 39, or" 1st Company Armored Signal Corps Detachment 39". Gefreiter (Exempted) is a Mannschaften (enlisted personnel) rank equivalent to a U.S. Army Lance Corporal. The location it was presented is given as Im Felde (in the field), and it was awarded 19. Juni 1940..

There is a Dienſtſiegel (official seal) stamp in the lower corner for the 4. Panzerdivision, and it is signed by the GEN.MAJOR U. DIV. KDR., which looks to read "Stever". This would be for Generalmajor Johann Joachim Stever, who commanded the 4th Panzer Division 8 June 1940 to 24 July 1940. He would later attain the rank of Generalleutnant, however his health deteriorated and he retired in 1940. He later disappeared shortly following his capture by Soviet forces in 1945.

The document measures about 7 3/4" x 5 1/2", (about 20cm x 14cm), printed on heavy-weight paper with black print and typed in particulars. It is in good condition, showing light staining, and was not folded in half at any point. The 3 3/8" x 5 3/8" photo postcard has the correct metallic sheen for a period photograph, and shows who we believe to be Kiefer in his service uniform, wearing his Iron Cross 2nd class. There is some writing on the reverse of the photograph, however it is in very stylized script that we are unable to read.

The Iron Cross itself is a very nice example with crisp beading, and the silvering to the frame is in fantastic shape, still bright and shiny with just a bit of tarnishing. The matte black core paint on the iron center on both sides is still in excellent condition, showing just a bit of wear on the raised portions, with no flaking or wear through to the base metal. There is some crazing to the paint, showing that it is original and has not been repainted. The original ribbon is in excellent condition, and is threaded through the hanger ring, which does not have any maker marking on it.

The original paper packet is the blue paper version, and shows light wear and a bit of past wrinkling, however there are no tears and the top flap is fully intact. It has the correct markings in German Black Letter Typeface:

Eiſernes Kreuze
2. Klaſſe
1939

There is a maker mark on the reverse for Karl Hensler / Pforzheim, a known maker of the EKII. Given the condition of the packet, award, and ribbon, we believe this to be the original packet for the Iron Cross.

Please also note 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.

The basic design of the WWII crosses is a central Tatzenkreuz (cross pattée) struck from iron and mounted in a silver frame which has a raised crenulated decorative border. The obverse of the cross bears the date 1939 under a "mobile" swas. Second class crosses would have a ring at the top where a ring was attached, and had more markings on the back. The first class award, however, was meant to attach directly to the front of the uniform.

A fantastic example of the most iconic of all German awards, complete with an original award document, photo, and other items. Ready to research and display!

Gebirgsjäger material is among the most popular of all German WWII items. They were the light infantry part of the alpine or mountain troops (Gebirgstruppe) of Germany and Austria. The word Jäger (meaning "hunter" or "huntsman") is a characteristic term used for light-infantry or light-infantryman in German-speaking military context.

The mountain infantry of Austria have their roots in the three Landesschützen regiments of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The mountain infantry of Germany carry on certain traditions of the Alpenkorps (Alpine corps) of World War I. Both countries' mountain infantry share the Edelweiß insignia. It was established in 1907 as a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Landesschützen regiments by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These troops wore their edelweiss on the collar of their uniforms. When the Alpenkorps came to aid the Landesschützen in defending Austria-Hungary's southern frontier against the Italian attack in May 1915, the grateful Landesschützen honored the men of the Alpenkorps by awarding them their own insignia: the edelweiss. Together with the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers) they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army.

There is no more iconic German military award than the Iron Cross. The long history of this order began during the Napoleonic Wars. King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia instituted the “Eisernes Kreuz” (Iron Cross) in March of 1813. The award criteria changed somewhat with time, but generally speaking, Iron Crosses could be awarded for individual acts of bravery, or for leadership achievements on the battlefield. The design was created by a Karl Friedrich Schinkel, his choice of the black cross with silver outline was derived from the heraldic emblem of the Teutonic Knights. This central Tatzenkreuz (cross pattée) struck from iron and mounted in a silver frame which has a raised crenulated decorative border.

There were a number of different type and grades of Iron Cross awards throughout its long history, but the basic details of the most widely awarded grades: The Iron Cross 1st Class and Iron Cross 2nd Class- remained the same. The first class award was a breast badge, with fittings on the reverse to allow it to be worn on the uniform. These fittings varied widely over time and from maker to maker, and could be a simple in and catch, a screw post and retaining disc, or more elaborate setups. The second class award was suspended from a ribbon, originally in the Prussian colors of black and white, later in the Reich colors of black, red and white.

On the original versions of these crosses, in 1813, the front of the iron core of each grade was bare, and only the second class award had ornamentation: a crown over the initials “FW” representing the King, a sprig of oak leaves, and the date 1813. The core was redesigned in 1870, when the cross was re-instituted during the Franco-Prussian War. The reverse ornamentation on the Iron Cross 2nd Class remained the same, but the front of the core on both grades now bore another crown, a “W” representing Kaiser Wilhelm, and the date 1870. This pattern repeated again when the cross was reinstituted for WWI- everything stayed the same, only the date 1870 was replaced with 1914.

The final reinstitution of the cross came in 1939. For this version, the front of the core for both grades bore a swas and the date 1939. The oak leaves, crown and royal initials were removed from the reverse, with only the date 1813 remaining as a reminder of the legacy of this award. In WWII, hundreds of thousands of Iron Cross First Class awards were bestowed, and four and a half million Iron Cross Second Class awards. Iron Crosses were made by a large number of authorized manufacturers. Some variants of these awards were mass produced in huge numbers. Others were made in very limited quantities.