GERMAN NAZI SPANGE TO IRON CROSS MEDAL 2ND CLASS

Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse 1939 (Wiederholungsspange) in the original LDO marked box. The 2nd Class Spange to the Iron Cross 1939 (Repetition Clasp) was awarded to individuals who had received the 2nd Class Iron Cross in WWI and would have earned the 2nd Class Iron Cross in WWII. It is constructed out of a die struck zinc base that has been silver washed and lacquered. The obverse of the badge depicts a German national eagle, with out-stretched wings clutching a wreathed swastika within its talons and is above a trapezoid shaped pebbled bannered that reads “1939”. Back is marked L/11: and retains all four flat wire soldered on tombak prongs. It retains a nice silver wash! The award measures approximately 1 1/4 inches wide and tall.On March 10TH 1813, Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III established the Iron Cross as a temporary award for bestowal during times of war. Originally the Iron Cross was introduced in three grades with a Grand Cross intended for award to Senior Commanders for successfully leading troops in combat and the First and Second classes for award to all ranks for bravery or merit in action. The Iron Cross’s were reinstituted by King Wilhelm I on July 19TH 1870 for award during the Franco-Prussian War and again on August 5TH 1914, by King Wilhelm II for award during WWI. On September 1ST 1939 Hitler once more reinstituted the Iron Cross series of awards in the First and Second Classes and established the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross and two new Spangen, (Bars), for the first and second class awards to be bestowed to recipients of the 1939 Iron Cross who had also been awarded a first or second class 1914 Iron Cross during WWI. Originally the first pattern of this award had slightly scalloped tips to the ends of the date bar which was soon replaced with the second pattern award with diagonally angled ends.