Clasp to the Iron Cross
| Clasp to the Iron Cross Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz | |
|---|---|
 1939 editions of the Clasp to the Iron Cross | |
| Awarded by Nazi Germany | |
| Type | Clasp |
| Eligibility | Military personnel who had already received the Iron Cross (1914) for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions in a battlefield environment. |
| Campaign(s) | World War II |
| Status | Obsolete |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1 September 1939 |
The Clasp to the Iron Cross (Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz) was a metal medal clasp displayed on the uniforms of German Wehrmacht personnel who had been awarded the Iron Cross in World War I.[1][2]
Description
A holder of the 1914 Iron Cross could be awarded a second or higher grade of the 1939 Iron Cross. To permit the two medals to be worn together, a "1939 Clasp" (Spange) would be worn on the original 1914 Iron Cross.[2] It depicted a national eagle clutching an oak leaf wreath surrounding a swastika above a trapezoid bearing the year 1939.[2] The clasp was attached to the 1914 Iron Cross medal ribbon. The ribbon was then worn through a tunic button of the uniform.[2]
For the First Class award, the larger but identical clasp, was pinned directly on the upper breast pocket above the Iron Cross 1st class (1914) of the wearer. This pin-back clasp was usually awarded in a presentation case.[3]
Notes
- ↑ Künker, Fritz-Rudolf (2010). Künker Auktion 173 - Orden und Ehrenzeichen aus verschiedenem Besitz (in German). Numismatischer Verlag. Retrieved 2015-06-30. p. 40.
- 1 2 3 4 Angolia 1987, p. 341.
- ↑ Angolia 1987, pp. 345, 346.
References
- Angolia, John (1987). For Führer and Fatherland: Military Awards of the Third Reich. R. James Bender Publishing. ISBN 0912138149.