WW1 IMPERIAL GERMAN FIRST CLASS IRON CROSS WWI

This fantastic Imperial German Cased EK1 has a black magnetic iron center and the cross is made from a three piece construction with a heavy vault. There is a "C" shaped, wire catch soldered directly onto the back and a rugged barrel type hinge. Leather covered wood two piece hinged case is also Excellent. The 1914 Iron Crosses had three grades: Iron Cross 2nd Class (German: Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse) Iron Cross 1st Class (German: Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (Groflkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Groflkreuz) The Iron Cross 1st Class and the Iron Cross 2nd Class were awarded without regard to rank. One had to already possess the 2nd Class in order to receive the 1st Class (though in some cases both could be awarded simultaneously). The egalitarian nature of this award contrasted with those of most other German states (and indeed many other European monarchies), where military decorations were awarded based on the rank of the recipient. For example, Bavarian officers received various grades of that Kingdom's Military Merit Order (Milit‰r-Verdienstorden), while enlisted men received various grades of the Military Merit Cross (Milit‰r-Verdienstkreuz). Prussia did have other orders and medals which were awarded on the basis of rank, and even though the Iron Cross was intended to be awarded without regard to rank, officers and NCOs were more likely to receive it than junior enlisted soldiers. In the First World War, approximately four million Iron Crosses of the lower grade (2nd Class) were issued, as well as around 145,000 of the higher grade (1st Class). Exact numbers of awards are not known, since the Prussian archives were destroyed during the Second World War. The multitude of awards reduced the status and reputation of the decoration. Among the holders of the 1914 Iron Cross 2nd Class and 1st Class was Adolf Hitler, who held the rank of Gefreiter. Hitler can be seen wearing the award on his left breast, as was standard, in many photographs