Iron Cross 2. The supersize class, 47 mm instead of 44 mm, is also called the size of the knight's cross. This is a very rare special form of the 2nd class. The crosses have a wide silver ark. Swastikas and year dates have the same dimensions as standard crosses. The reasons for the manufacture have not been finally clarified. One suggestion is that these crosses were made as examples for a knight's cross to test the soldered eye's durability. As you know, then the knight's crosses were equipped with other eyes, which was due to the insufficient strength of the usual eye in size. These oversized crosses, however, go on sale as 2. Class came. The so-called size of a knight's cross is very rare and, accordingly, expensive.
The Iron Cross was restored on 1 September 1939 by Adolf Hitler as a military decoration and expanded to the level of Knight's Cross. The latter took the position of the Prussian Pour le Merite. Various promotions were introduced to the knight's cross in the course of the war, such as oak leaves, swords, oak leaves with swords, diamonds, and gilded oak leaves with swords and diamonds. Thus, the Iron Cross of 1939 now consisted of 4 classes: Grand Cross, Knight's Cross (with its promotions), 1st Class and 2nd Class. Unlike the originally Prussian award, the Iron Cross of 1939 was awarded on a different ribbon and awarded only to fighters. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. VI, 2001.
The cross consists of a silver (also silver-plated) border in two parts, which is soldered. The cluster has a raised, located inside, 2-step edge, from which the inner edge is shaded semicircular and finely transverse. Between them is an inner cross of blackened iron (magnetic) or blackened non-ferrous metal. On the upper cruciform shoulder is a soldered ordinary eye with a ribbon ring. The manufacturer's designation is on the belt ring or eyelet.
Crosses without manufacturers were also awarded.
Front side:
Downside:
Ribbon: 4 mm black and white side stripes, 14 mm red center stripes.
Photos of www.militaria-berlin.de
Face: Iron Cross 1939 2nd class oversized
Reverse: Iron Cross 1939 2nd class oversized
Awards of World War II