German Awards - Iron Cross 1939 2nd Class

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. The crosses were slightly thicker in construction, and the coffins were also made of non-ferrous metal, silvered. It is characteristic that the first crosses have a silver coffin, which is somewhat narrower than the silver-plated coffins made later. They are often referred to as shinkel-shaped crosses, and are very similar to World War I crosses (except for the inner cross). The inner crosses were made of iron or often blackened non-ferrous metal. There are crosses with and without the manufacturer's designation. With a 1st class cross, it is usually found on a 2nd class cross needle, as before, on a band ring or on an ear. The list of manufacturers is encoded. Crosses with the designations LDO - Performance Gemeinschaft der Deutschen Ordenzmakerei - consist of one - L - and one digit. Orders with the manufacturer designation LDO were intended for private sale. Crosses marked with a number only are awards from the Presidential Office and were used for the award. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. VI, 2001.
Notable Iron Cross 2 manufacturers. Class:
Office of the President: 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 11. 13. 15. 16. 19. 22. 23. 24. 25. 27. 33. 35. 40. 41. 42. 44. 49. 52. 55. 56. 65. 66. 75. 76. 80. 93. 95. 96. 98. 100. 103. 106. 108. 113. 120. 123. 125. 128. 133. 137. 138 and 142
LDO numbers: L/3, L/11, L/12, L/13, L/58

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:

In the
• center of the iron core is an oblique swastika.
In
• the lower cross sleeve number of the year - 1939 -

Downside:

In
• lower cross sleeve year - 1813 -
• Other wishbones and center are smooth.

Tape:

• Width 30 mm, side stripes black/white 4 mm each, central stripes red 14 mm.

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