Posts tagged mounted

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

1ST NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES POW TOBRUK medal grouping

A full size grouping of four south african medals. All correctly named as issued 6332 L. Of the 1st natal mounted rifles , who was taken prisoner at TOBRUK 20th june 1942. Medal mounted as worn. Complete with original N M R cap badge with thin wire securing pin. Sent with copy service papers which confirm full entitlement and capture ect. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “mike1060_1″ and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped worldwide.
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Issued/ Not-Issued: Issued
  • Era: 1914-1945
  • Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)
  • Country/ Organization: Commonwealth
  • Service: Army
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: South Africa
  • Modified Item: No

Ww2 Africa Medal Group X4 Mounted For Wear + Clasp & 2 Photos

Ww2 Africa Medal Group X4 Mounted For Wear + Clasp & 2 Photos

Ww2 Africa Medal Group X4 Mounted For Wear + Clasp & 2 Photos

Four BRITISH MEDALS including an Africa Star with clasp North Africa 1942 1943. Mounted for wear and with two original photographs, both naval. Nice matching patina and ribbons faded from wear/ display. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “mereeglise” and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped worldwide.
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
  • Country/ Organization: Great Britain
  • Theme: Militaria
  • Featured Refinements: Medal Group
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)
  • Era: 1914-1945

Ww2 Original British Medal Group Court Mounted

Ww2 Original British Medal Group Court Mounted

Ww2 Original British Medal Group Court Mounted

WW2 ORIGINAL BRITISH MEDAL GROUP COURT MOUNTED READY TO WEAR OR FRAME. WAR MEDAL 1939 – 1945. MEDALS ARE IN EXCELLENT ORDER. ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK. CHECK OUT MY OTHER MEDALS FOR SALE AND MORE TO BE LISTED SOON. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “almightywhyty031″ and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped to United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Australia, United States, Bahrain, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, China, Israel, Hong Kong, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Korea, South, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Egypt, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Grenada, French Guiana, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Macau, Monaco, Maldives, Montserrat, Martinique, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Turks and Caicos Islands, Aruba, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Chile, Bahamas, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Kuwait, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay.
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Issued/ Not-Issued: Issued
  • Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)
  • Era: 1914-1945
  • Country/ Organization: Great Britain
  • Theme: Militaria
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

9852? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted miniatures Iron Cross Assault Badge

Original German post WW2 / 1957 pattern mounted miniatures: Iron Cross 2nd Class, Wound Badge in Silver & General Assault Badge, IN PERFECT CONDITION, VERY DETAILED & NICE EXAMPLES WITH PERFECTLY WORKING PIN DEVICE, SIZE OF THE MINIATURES: 16 mm, AN ATTRACTIVE GROUP OF MINIATURES. FEW FACTS ABOUT 1957 PATTERN AWARDS. In 1957 the West German government authorised replacement Iron Crosses with an Oak Leaf Cluster in place of the swastika, similar to the Iron Crosses of 1813, 1870, and 1914, which could be worn by World War II Iron Cross recipients. The 1957 law also authorised de-Nazified versions of most other World War II-era decorations (except those specifically associated with Nazi Party organizations, such as SS Long Service medals, or with the expansion of the German Reich, such as the medals for the annexation of Austria, the Sudetenland, and the Memel region). The main government contract to manufacture and supply these new de-nazified WW2 1957 official decorations went to the world famous German firm Steinhauer & Lueck, Luedenscheid Germany. Knights Crosses, Iron Crosses, Wound Badges, Tank Assault Badges etc were re-designed by Steinhauer & Lück – often with the oak-leaf spray replacing the swastika, with S&L having the sole patent rights to all WW2 1957 German decorations. S&L did not have the whole monopoly on medal making, other famous firms such as Deschler & Sohn, BH Maher and Juncker also manufactured these new German decorations. Lüdenscheid is situated between the cities Dortmund and Bonn. It was here that one of the youngest medal firms was founded in 1889 by August Steinhauer and Gustav Adolf Lück. The first production began in a cellar, the customer base continued to increase. A property was bought at 51 Hochstrasse which is still home for this famous company today. During WW2 Steinhauer & Lück produced medals and badges, like the famous Knights Cross and many other types of medals and badges. In 1957 this company was awarded the contract to produce all the newly re-designed legal WW2 1957 de-nazified decorations, plus the contract to manufacture all of Germany’s official decorations including Germany’s highest order the Bundesverdienstkreuz. Only a very limited number of original WW2 1957 medals are still produced, mainly Iron Crosses, German Cross Gold & Silver & Wound Badges and are considered 100% genuine by the German Government. HISTORY OF THE AWARDS. Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz) was a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau. In addition to during the Napoleonic Wars, the Iron Cross was awarded during the Franco-German War, the First World War, and the Second World War. The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. Two examples, the civilian pilot Hanna Reitsch was awarded the Iron Cross First Class for her bravery as a test pilot during the Second World War and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg (also a German female test pilot) was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class. The Iron Cross was also used as the symbol of the German Army from 1871 to 1915, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. In 1956, the Iron Cross became the symbol of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces. The traditional design is black and this design is used on armored vehicles and aircraft. A newer design in blue and silver is used as the emblem in other contexts. The Iron Cross is a black four-pointed cross with white trim, with the arms widening towards the ends, similar to a cross pattée. It was designed by the neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and reflects the cross borne by the Teutonic Knights in the 14th century. The ribbon for the 1813, 1870 and 1914 Iron Cross (2nd Class) was black with two thin white bands, the colours of Prussia. The noncombatant version of this award had the same medal, but the black and white colours on the ribbon were reversed. Initially the Iron Cross was worn with the blank side out. This did not change until 1838 when the sprig facing could be presented. Since the Iron Cross was issued over several different periods of German history, it was annotated with the year indicating the era in which it was issued. For example, an Iron Cross from the First World War bears the year “1914″, while the same decoration from the Second World War is annotated “1939″. The reverse of the 1870, 1914 and 1939 series of Iron Crosses have the year “1813″ appearing on the lower arm, symbolizing the year the award was created. The 1813 decoration also has the initials “FW” for King Frederick William III, while the next two have a “W” for the respective kaisers, Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II. The final version shows a swastika. It was also possible for a holder of the 1914 Iron Cross to be awarded a second or higher grade of the 1939 Iron Cross. In such cases, a “1939 Clasp” (Spange) would be worn on the original 1914 Iron Cross. A similar award was made in 1914 but was quite rare, since there were few in service who held the 1870 Iron Cross. For the First Class award the Spange appears as an eagle with the date “1939″ that was pinned above the Cross. Although two separate awards, in some cases the holders soldered them together. A cross was the symbol of the Teutonic Knights (a heraldic cross pattée), and the cross design (but not the specific decoration) has been the symbol of Germany’s armed forces (now the Bundeswehr) since 1871. The Iron Cross was founded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau and awarded to soldiers during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. It was first awarded to Karl August Ferdinand von Borcke on 21 April 1813. King Wilhelm I of Prussia authorized further awards on 19 July 1870, during the Franco-German War. The Iron Cross was reauthorized by Emperor Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, at the start of the First World War. During these three periods, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, although given Prussia’s pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it tended to be treated as a generic German decoration. The 1813, 1870, and 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 (German: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Großkreuz). Although the medals of each class were identical, the manner in which each was worn differed. Employing a pin or screw posts on the back of the medal, the Iron Cross First Class was worn on the left side of the recipient’s uniform. The Grand Cross and the Iron Cross Second Class were suspended from different ribbons. The Grand Cross was intended for senior generals of the German Army. An even higher decoration, the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, was awarded only twice, to Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher in 1813 and to Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg in 1918. A third award was planned for the most successful German general during the Second World War, but was not made after the defeat of Germany in 1945. 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 (Militär-Verdienstorden), while enlisted men received various grades of the Military Merit Cross (Militär-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. The straight-armed Balkenkreuz, the emblem of the Wehrmacht, first used in a narrower form on Luftstreitkräfte aircraft in mid-April 1918, and as shown here, as it appeared on German planes, tanks, and other vehicles during the Second World War. Adolf Hitler restored the Iron Cross in 1939 as a German decoration (rather than Prussian as in earlier versions), continuing the tradition of issuing it in various grades. Legally it is based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes (Regulation for the Re-introduction of the Iron Cross). The Iron Cross of the Second World War was divided into three main series of decorations with an intermediate category, the Knight’s Cross, instituted between the lowest, the Iron Cross, and the highest, the Grand Cross. The Knight’s Cross replaced the Prussian Pour le Mérite or “Blue Max”. Hitler did not care for the Pour le Mérite, as it was a Prussian order that could be awarded only to officers. The ribbon of the medal (2nd class and Knight’s Cross) was different from the earlier Iron Crosses in that the color red was used in addition to the traditional black and white (black and white were the colours of Prussia, while black, white, and red were the colors of Germany). Hitler also created the War Merit Cross as a replacement for the non-combatant version of the Iron Cross. It also appeared on certain Nazi flags in the upper left corner. The edges were curved, like most original iron crosses. The standard 1939 Iron Cross was issued in the following two grades: Iron Cross 2nd Class Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, Iron Cross 1st Class Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse abbreviated as EKI or E. The Iron Cross was awarded for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions in a battlefield environment. The Iron Cross 2nd Class came with a ribbon and was worn in one of two different methods: when in formal dress, the entire cross was worn mounted alone or as part of a medal bar, for everyday wear, only the ribbon was worn from the second hole in the tunic button. The Iron Cross First Class was a pin-on medal with no ribbon and was worn centered on a uniform breast pocket, either on dress uniforms or everyday outfit. It was a progressive award, with the second class having to be earned before the first class and so on for the higher degrees. It is estimated that some four and a half million Second Class Iron Crosses were awarded in the Second World War, and 300,000 of the First Class. Wound Badge (German: das Verwundetenabzeichen) was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied bombings, it was also awarded to injured civilians. It was ultimately one of the most common of all Third Reich decorations, yet also one of the most highly prized, since it had to be “bought with blood”. The badge had three versions: black (representing Iron), for those wounded once or twice by hostile action (including air raids), or frost-bitten in the line of duty; silver for being wounded three or four times, or suffering loss of a hand, foot or eye from hostile action (also partial loss of hearing), facial disfigurement or brain damage via hostile action; and in gold (which could be awarded posthumously) for five or more times wounded, total blindness, “loss of manhood”, or severe brain damage via hostile action. Badges exist in pressed steel, brass and zinc, as well as some base metal privately commissioned versions. Those of the First World War were also produced in a cutout pattern. All versions of the Wound Badge were worn on the lower left breast of the uniform or tunic. The badge was worn below all other awards on the left. It is thought that more than 5 million were awarded during World War II. In 1957, a revised version of the Wound Badge was authorised for wear; however, the previous type could still be worn if the swastika was removed (for example by grinding). The unaltered Second World War version is shown in the illustration to the right. Wound Badges were primarilly manufactured by the Vienna mint, and by the firm Klein & Quenzer. At first, the Wound badge in Black was stamped from sheet brass, painted semi-matt black, and had a hollow reverse with a needle pin attachment. From 1942, Steel was used to make the badges, which made them prone to rust. The Wound Badge in silver was made (before 1942) from silver-plated brass, and (after 1942) from laquered zinc, and had a solid reverse with either a needle pin or a broad flat pin bar. The Wound Badge in Gold was a gilded version of the Wound Badge in Silver. General Assault Badge – General von Brauchitsch instituted the General Assault Badge on January 1st, 1940. The badge, designed by the firm of Ernst Peekhaus of Berlin, was to be awarded to those German soldiers who participated in infantry attacks but were not part of infantry units and therefore did not quality for the Infantry Assault Badge. The General Assault Badge consisted of an oval disk that measured 53mm by 42mm and was 6mm wide. The disk had raised edges and fine pebbling in the background, with and wreath of oak leaves made of 5 parts laid on each side. This oak leave wreath begins at two acorns located at the base of the badge. The protruding stick grenade and bayonet separate the first two wreaths, while acorns fill the last two separations. The center feature consists of a Wehrmacht Eagle clutching a swastika in its talons. The eagle surmounts a crossed bayonet and a stick grenade, which as mentioned above protruded into the oval disk. The reverse may either be solid or hollow, with a pin and catch serving as the devise that held the badge to the uniform. As with most badges the quality of detail in the General Assault Badge is mostly standard, but the quality of materials was not always the same and as a result some of the badges have lost their finish with the passing of time, yielding a gray appearance. For more information on the construction of the General Assault Badge please see the Badge Construction Technique page. The award was most often presented in plain paper packets, that varied in colors, with the name of the award printed on the outside, or in a simple cellophane packet. As with most badges, the General Assault Badge was worn on the left breast pocket of the tunic as badge was presented with an award document that had the details of the recipient, but no official mention of the deed that earned the award. The General Assault badge was presented to engineers (who it was originally designed for), as well as members of the artillery, anti-tank, and anti-aircraft units that served along with the infantry in the conduct of an assault. Also eligible were medical personnel who treated battlefield wounded. In addition, the badge was presented for the single-handed destruction of eight tanks or armored vehicles until the institution (in March of 1942) of The Special Badge for Single Handed Destruction of a Tank. Specific criteria was as follows: the recipient must not be eligible for the Infantry Assault Badge, to have taken part in three infantry or armored assaults on three different days, to have taken part in three infantry or armored indirect assaults on three different days, to have been wounded while fulfilling the second or third requirement, to have earned a decoration while fulfilling the second or third requirement. As the war went on, the high command recognized the need for a higher grade of this decoration to be presented to the increasing number of seasoned veterans, and on June 6th 1943, four new grades were introduced. The badge would now be presented to veterans in 25, 50, 75 and 100 classes. The first two are rare but attainable, meaning that they come for sale at regular dealers from time to time, while the latter two are rare in the extreme. The 25 and 50 badge were similar in style, design and construction. They consisted of an oval wreath of oak leaves similar to the unnumbered badge but larger, measuring 58mm by 48mm with a width of 7mm. At the base of the oval is a box, measuring 10mm by 8mm, with another box measuring 8mm by 6 mm inside of it. In the smaller box was the Arabic number “25″ or “50″, depending of course on the grade. The central design was blackened, while the wreath was silvered. The central motive was again the eagle clutching a swastika on its talons, surmounting a crossed grenade and bayonet. This center design has a black oxidized finish, and was from a different striking which was held on the oval by way of four ball rivets. These badges were slightly different than the ones described this case, the oak leaves wreaths constituted the inner and outer edge of the oval that measured 56mm by 49mm, and was 7.5mm in width. The box at the base of the circle measured 10mm by 8mm, but the inner box measured 9mm by 7mm, a slight e the box were the numbers “75″ or “100″, depending on the grade. The central design was the familiar eagle clutching the swastika surmounting the bayonet and grenade. In this case the eagle is slightly larger, and the bayonet and grenade are crossed at a different angle. The central design was blackened, while the wreath was in this case gilded. The eagle and bayonet/grenade are secured onto the oval by four rivets. The numbered awards had the same criteria as the single badge, and was presented in progressive order as the veterans gained more experience. There was retrospective credit given for service in Russia accumulated as follows, eight months service equaled 10 actions, twelve months service equaled 15 actions, fifteen months service equaled 25 actions. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “a..anderson” and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped worldwide.
  • Era: 1945-Present
  • Country/ Organization: Germany
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: Germany
  • Theme: Militaria
  • Service: Army
  • Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons

Ww2 Original British Medal Group Court Mounted

Ww2 Original British Medal Group Court Mounted

Ww2 Original British Medal Group Court Mounted

WW2 ORIGINAL BRITISH MEDAL GROUP COURT MOUNTED READY TO WEAR OR FRAME. WAR MEDAL 1939 – 1945. MEDALS ARE IN EXCELLENT ORDER. ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK. CHECK OUT MY OTHER MEDALS FOR SALE AND MORE TO BE LISTED SOON. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “almightywhyty031″ and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped to United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Australia, United States, Bahrain, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, China, Israel, Hong Kong, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Korea, South, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Egypt, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Grenada, French Guiana, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Macau, Monaco, Maldives, Montserrat, Martinique, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Turks and Caicos Islands, Aruba, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Chile, Bahamas, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Kuwait, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay.
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Issued/ Not-Issued: Issued
  • Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)
  • Era: 1914-1945
  • Country/ Organization: Great Britain
  • Theme: Militaria
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

10631? German post WW2 1957 pattern mounted medal group Iron Cross II Winterwar

Original German post WW2 / 1957 pattern mounted medal group: Iron Cross II. Class, War Merit Cross With Swords II. Class & Eastern Front Medal, IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, ON GENUINE RIBBONS, PERFECT PIN DEVICE, MAKER: STEINHAUER & LUECK (ST&L), A REALLY NICE MEDAL GROUPING INDEED. HISTORY OF THE AWARDS. Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz) was a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau. In addition to during the Napoleonic Wars, the Iron Cross was awarded during the Franco-German War, the First World War, and the Second World War. The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. Two examples, the civilian pilot Hanna Reitsch was awarded the Iron Cross First Class for her bravery as a test pilot during the Second World War and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg (also a German female test pilot) was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class. The Iron Cross was also used as the symbol of the German Army from 1871 to 1915, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. In 1956, the Iron Cross became the symbol of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces. The traditional design is black and this design is used on armored vehicles and aircraft. A newer design in blue and silver is used as the emblem in other contexts. The Iron Cross is a black four-pointed cross with white trim, with the arms widening towards the ends, similar to a cross pattée. It was designed by the neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and reflects the cross borne by the Teutonic Knights in the 14th century. The ribbon for the 1813, 1870 and 1914 Iron Cross (2nd Class) was black with two thin white bands, the colours of Prussia. The noncombatant version of this award had the same medal, but the black and white colours on the ribbon were reversed. Initially the Iron Cross was worn with the blank side out. This did not change until 1838 when the sprig facing could be presented. Since the Iron Cross was issued over several different periods of German history, it was annotated with the year indicating the era in which it was issued. For example, an Iron Cross from the First World War bears the year “1914″, while the same decoration from the Second World War is annotated “1939″. The reverse of the 1870, 1914 and 1939 series of Iron Crosses have the year “1813″ appearing on the lower arm, symbolizing the year the award was created. The 1813 decoration also has the initials “FW” for King Frederick William III, while the next two have a “W” for the respective kaisers, Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II. The final version shows a swastika. It was also possible for a holder of the 1914 Iron Cross to be awarded a second or higher grade of the 1939 Iron Cross. In such cases, a “1939 Clasp” (Spange) would be worn on the original 1914 Iron Cross. A similar award was made in 1914 but was quite rare, since there were few in service who held the 1870 Iron Cross. For the First Class award the Spange appears as an eagle with the date “1939″ that was pinned above the Cross. Although two separate awards, in some cases the holders soldered them together. A cross was the symbol of the Teutonic Knights (a heraldic cross pattée), and the cross design (but not the specific decoration) has been the symbol of Germany’s armed forces (now the Bundeswehr) since 1871. The Iron Cross was founded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau and awarded to soldiers during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. It was first awarded to Karl August Ferdinand von Borcke on 21 April 1813. King Wilhelm I of Prussia authorized further awards on 19 July 1870, during the Franco-German War. The Iron Cross was reauthorized by Emperor Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, at the start of the First World War. During these three periods, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, although given Prussia’s pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it tended to be treated as a generic German decoration. The 1813, 1870, and 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 (German: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Großkreuz). Although the medals of each class were identical, the manner in which each was worn differed. Employing a pin or screw posts on the back of the medal, the Iron Cross First Class was worn on the left side of the recipient’s uniform. The Grand Cross and the Iron Cross Second Class were suspended from different ribbons. The Grand Cross was intended for senior generals of the German Army. An even higher decoration, the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, was awarded only twice, to Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher in 1813 and to Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg in 1918. A third award was planned for the most successful German general during the Second World War, but was not made after the defeat of Germany in 1945. 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 (Militär-Verdienstorden), while enlisted men received various grades of the Military Merit Cross (Militär-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. The straight-armed Balkenkreuz, the emblem of the Wehrmacht, first used in a narrower form on Luftstreitkräfte aircraft in mid-April 1918, and as shown here, as it appeared on German planes, tanks, and other vehicles during the Second World War. Adolf Hitler restored the Iron Cross in 1939 as a German decoration (rather than Prussian as in earlier versions), continuing the tradition of issuing it in various grades. Legally it is based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes (Regulation for the Re-introduction of the Iron Cross). The Iron Cross of the Second World War was divided into three main series of decorations with an intermediate category, the Knight’s Cross, instituted between the lowest, the Iron Cross, and the highest, the Grand Cross. The Knight’s Cross replaced the Prussian Pour le Mérite or “Blue Max”. Hitler did not care for the Pour le Mérite, as it was a Prussian order that could be awarded only to officers. The ribbon of the medal (2nd class and Knight’s Cross) was different from the earlier Iron Crosses in that the color red was used in addition to the traditional black and white (black and white were the colours of Prussia, while black, white, and red were the colors of Germany). Hitler also created the War Merit Cross as a replacement for the non-combatant version of the Iron Cross. It also appeared on certain Nazi flags in the upper left corner. The edges were curved, like most original iron crosses. The standard 1939 Iron Cross was issued in the following two grades: Iron Cross 2nd Class Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, Iron Cross 1st Class Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse abbreviated as EKI or E. The Iron Cross was awarded for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions in a battlefield environment. The Iron Cross 2nd Class came with a ribbon and was worn in one of two different methods: when in formal dress, the entire cross was worn mounted alone or as part of a medal bar, for everyday wear, only the ribbon was worn from the second hole in the tunic button. The Iron Cross First Class was a pin-on medal with no ribbon and was worn centered on a uniform breast pocket, either on dress uniforms or everyday outfit. It was a progressive award, with the second class having to be earned before the first class and so on for the higher degrees. It is estimated that some four and a half million Second Class Iron Crosses were awarded in the Second World War, and 300,000 of the First Class. The War Merit Cross (Kriegsverdienstkreuz) and War Merit Medal (Kriegsverdienstmedaille) was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel. It was reissued in 1957 by the Bundeswehr in a De-Nazified version for veterans. This award was created by Adolf Hitler in 1939 as a successor to the non-combatant Iron Cross which was used in earlier wars (same medal but with a different ribbon). The award was graded the same as the Iron Cross: War Merit Cross Second Class, War Merit Cross First Class, and Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross. The award had two variants: with swords given to soldiers for exceptional service in battle above and beyond the call of duty (but not worthy of an Iron Cross which was more a bravery award), and without swords for meritorious service behind the lines which could also be awarded to civilians. Recipients had to have the lower grade of the award before getting the next level. There was also another version below the 2nd class simply called the War Merit Medal (German: Kriegsverdienstmedaille), set up in 1940 for civilians in order to offset the large number of 2nd class without swords being awarded. It was usually given to those workers in factories who significantly exceeded work quotas. One notable winner of the War Merit Cross was William Joyce (aka Lord Haw-Haw) who received both the second and first class, both without swords. Recipients of the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross customarily received the medal from holders of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, to symbolize the link between the combat soldier and their supporters, who helped maintain the war effort. There was one extra grade of the War Merit Cross, which was created at the suggestion of Albert Speer: The Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross in Gold, but this was never officially placed on the list of national awards as it came about in 1945 and there was no time to officially promulgate the award before the war ended. The Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross in Gold (without swords) was awarded’on paper’ to two recipients on 20 April 1945: Franz Hahne and Karl-Otto Saur. The ribbon of the War Merit Cross was in red-white-black-white-red; that was, the red and black colors being reversed from the ribbon of the World War II version of the Iron Cross. The ribbon for the War Merit Medal was similar, but with a narrow red vertical red strip in the center of the black field. Soldiers who earned the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords wore a small crossed-swords device on the ribbon. The War Merit Cross 1st Class was a pin-backed medal worn on the pocket of the tunic (like the Iron Cross 1st Class). The ribbon of the War Merit Cross 2nd Class could be worn like the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class (through the third buttonhole). Combat soldiers tended to hold the War Merit Cross in low regard, referring to its wearers as being in’Iron Cross Training’, and prior to 28 September 1941, the War Merit Cross could not be worn with a corresponding grade of the Iron Cross, which took precedence. A total of 118 awards of the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross with swords, and 137 awards of the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross without swords were awarded. Considering the relative rarity of the award compared with the grades of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, it took on extra meaning. For example, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring made a concerted effort to get Hitler to award him this order, much to Hitler’s annoyance. In response, Hitler outlined a series of criteria governing the awarding of this decoration and the philosophy of such awards, and directed that “prominent party comrades” were not to be awarded with the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross (or similar decorations), and withdrew the proposed awards of this order to Gauleiter Erich Koch and State Secretary Karl Hanke. Directing his comments at Göring personally, Hitler ordered that such attempts to gain this award be stopped (from a letter dated 27 August 1943 from Führerhauptquartier). Also, the scarcity of the award of the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross compared with the Kinghts Cross of the Iron Cross gave it an “air of exclusiveness” it did not really deserve, as it ranked below the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. Six persons received two Knights Cross’ of the War Merit Cross (one with Swords and one without Swords): Walter Brugmann, Julius Dorpmuller, Karl-Otto Saur, Albin Sawatzki, Walter Schreiber, and Walter Rohlandt. The Eastern Front Medal, (Winterschlacht Im Osten), more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front (World War II) during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942. It was commissioned to recognise the hardship endured by German and Axis Powers personnel, combatant or non-combatant, during the especially bitter Russian winter of’41/’42. It was wryly called the “Gefrierfleischorden” (Frozen Meat Medal) by the Heer, Luftwaffe & Waffen-SS personnel to whom it was awarded. Qualification for the award: 14 days served in active combat within the specified area between November 15, 1941 – April 15, 1942, 60 days served in specified area between November 15, 1941 – April 15, 1942, non-combat, wounded in action, killed in action (posthumous award) or injury caused by frostbite (or another injury related to the climate) severe enough to warrant the issue of a Wound Badge. Unique in that its designer was a contemporary serving soldier, SS-Unterscharführer Ernst Krause, the medal was held in high regard by all branches of the Wehrmacht. Measuring 36mm in diameter, of (generally) zinc construction, the medal was given a gun-metal coloured coating. On one side an eagle grasps a Swastika and the reverse features the text “Winterschlacht Im Osten 1941/42″ featuring a crossed sword and branch below the text. The helmet and outer ring were finished in a polished silver effect. A ribbon that accompanied the medal was coloured red, white and black (symbolic of blood, snow and death). The medal and ribbon were usually presented in a paper packet, but these were invariably discarded. Over 3 million were made by more than 26 confirmed firms by the time the order was officially decommissioned by Oberkommando der Wehrmacht on September 4, 1944. The medal itself was not worn on the combat tunic as per the 1st class Iron Cross & War Merit Cross for example, but worn as a ribbon bar, or as the ribbon alone stitched through the second from top tunic buttonhole as per 2nd Class Iron Cross and War Merit Cross. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “a..anderson” and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped worldwide.
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: Germany
  • Country/ Organization: Germany
  • Theme: Militaria
  • Featured Refinements: Medal Group
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)
  • Service: Army
  • Era: 1945-Present

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

7714? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

Original German mounted medal group: Prussian Iron Cross II. Class & Bavarian War Merit Cross with Swords III. Class – WW1, NICE CONDITION, GENUINE RIBBONS, PERFECT PIN DEVICE, the Iron Cross is a three piece construction example with magnetic core, maker marked on ring: “KAG”. HISTORY OF THESE MEDALS. Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz) was a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau. In addition to during the Napoleonic Wars, the Iron Cross was awarded during the Franco-German War, the First World War, and the Second World War. The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. Two examples, the civilian pilot Hanna Reitsch was awarded the Iron Cross First Class for her bravery as a test pilot during the Second World War and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg (also a German female test pilot) was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class. The Iron Cross was also used as the symbol of the German Army from 1871 to 1915, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. In 1956, the Iron Cross became the symbol of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces. The traditional design is black and this design is used on armored vehicles and aircraft. A newer design in blue and silver is used as the emblem in other contexts. The Iron Cross is a black four-pointed cross with white trim, with the arms widening towards the ends, similar to a cross pattée. It was designed by the neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and reflects the cross borne by the Teutonic Knights in the 14th century. The ribbon for the 1813, 1870 and 1914 Iron Cross (2nd Class) was black with two thin white bands, the colours of Prussia. The noncombatant version of this award had the same medal, but the black and white colours on the ribbon were reversed. Initially the Iron Cross was worn with the blank side out. This did not change until 1838 when the sprig facing could be presented. Since the Iron Cross was issued over several different periods of German history, it was annotated with the year indicating the era in which it was issued. For example, an Iron Cross from the First World War bears the year “1914″, while the same decoration from the Second World War is annotated “1939″. The reverse of the 1870, 1914 and 1939 series of Iron Crosses have the year “1813″ appearing on the lower arm, symbolizing the year the award was created. The 1813 decoration also has the initials “FW” for King Frederick William III, while the next two have a “W” for the respective kaisers, Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II. The final version shows a swastika. It was also possible for a holder of the 1914 Iron Cross to be awarded a second or higher grade of the 1939 Iron Cross. In such cases, a “1939 Clasp” (Spange) would be worn on the original 1914 Iron Cross. A similar award was made in 1914 but was quite rare, since there were few in service who held the 1870 Iron Cross. For the First Class award the Spange appears as an eagle with the date “1939″ that was pinned above the Cross. Although two separate awards, in some cases the holders soldered them together. A cross was the symbol of the Teutonic Knights (a heraldic cross pattée), and the cross design (but not the specific decoration) has been the symbol of Germany’s armed forces (now the Bundeswehr) since 1871. The Iron Cross was founded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau and awarded to soldiers during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. It was first awarded to Karl August Ferdinand von Borcke on 21 April 1813. King Wilhelm I of Prussia authorized further awards on 19 July 1870, during the Franco-German War. The Iron Cross was reauthorized by Emperor Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, at the start of the First World War. During these three periods, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, although given Prussia’s pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it tended to be treated as a generic German decoration. The 1813, 1870, and 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 (German: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Großkreuz). Although the medals of each class were identical, the manner in which each was worn differed. Employing a pin or screw posts on the back of the medal, the Iron Cross First Class was worn on the left side of the recipient’s uniform. The Grand Cross and the Iron Cross Second Class were suspended from different ribbons. The Grand Cross was intended for senior generals of the German Army. An even higher decoration, the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, was awarded only twice, to Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher in 1813 and to Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg in 1918. A third award was planned for the most successful German general during the Second World War, but was not made after the defeat of Germany in 1945. 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 (Militär-Verdienstorden), while enlisted men received various grades of the Military Merit Cross (Militär-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. The straight-armed Balkenkreuz, the emblem of the Wehrmacht, first used in a narrower form on Luftstreitkräfte aircraft in mid-April 1918, and as shown here, as it appeared on German planes, tanks, and other vehicles during the Second World War. Adolf Hitler restored the Iron Cross in 1939 as a German decoration (rather than Prussian as in earlier versions), continuing the tradition of issuing it in various grades. Legally it is based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes (Regulation for the Re-introduction of the Iron Cross). The Iron Cross of the Second World War was divided into three main series of decorations with an intermediate category, the Knight’s Cross, instituted between the lowest, the Iron Cross, and the highest, the Grand Cross. The Knight’s Cross replaced the Prussian Pour le Mérite or “Blue Max”. Hitler did not care for the Pour le Mérite, as it was a Prussian order that could be awarded only to officers. The ribbon of the medal (2nd class and Knight’s Cross) was different from the earlier Iron Crosses in that the color red was used in addition to the traditional black and white (black and white were the colours of Prussia, while black, white, and red were the colors of Germany). Hitler also created the War Merit Cross as a replacement for the non-combatant version of the Iron Cross. It also appeared on certain Nazi flags in the upper left corner. The edges were curved, like most original iron crosses. The standard 1939 Iron Cross was issued in the following two grades: Iron Cross 2nd Class Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, Iron Cross 1st Class Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse abbreviated as EKI or E. The Iron Cross was awarded for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions in a battlefield environment. The Iron Cross 2nd Class came with a ribbon and was worn in one of two different methods: when in formal dress, the entire cross was worn mounted alone or as part of a medal bar, for everyday wear, only the ribbon was worn from the second hole in the tunic button. The Iron Cross First Class was a pin-on medal with no ribbon and was worn centered on a uniform breast pocket, either on dress uniforms or everyday outfit. It was a progressive award, with the second class having to be earned before the first class and so on for the higher degrees. It is estimated that some four and a half million Second Class Iron Crosses were awarded in the Second World War, and 300,000 of the First Class. Bavarian Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz) was that kingdom’s main decoration for bravery and military merit for enlisted soldiers. It was intended to reward extraordinary merit by non-commissioned officers, soldiers, and lower-ranking officials. It was originally established on July 19, 1866 as the 5th Class of the Military Merit Order, which was the main decoration for bravery and military merit for officers and higher-ranking officials. Civilians acting in support of the army were also made eligible for the decoration. The Military Merit Cross ranked after the Gold and Silver Military Merit Medals (renamed the Bravery Medals in 1918), which were Bavaria’s highest military honors for NCOs and enlisted soldiers. The cross was a Maltese cross with a center medallion. The obverse of the center medallion had an “L” cipher of King Ludwig II in the center and the word “MERENTI” on the ring. The reverse had a Bavarian lion with the date of founding, “1866″, on the ring. The center medallion was enameled (the original Military Merit Cross was distinguished from the Knight 2nd Class of the Military Merit Order only by having silver instead of blue enameled arms). The first recipient appears to have been Gendarm Johann Winter, who received the Military Merit Cross in the Armee-Befehl (Army Order) of August 20, 1866 The Bavarian Military Merit Cross underwent three major revisions. In February 1891, awards with swords were authorized to distinguish wartime awards, whether for bravery or military merit, from peacetime awards. This was made retroactive for wartime awards from the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. In 1905, the statutes of the Military Merit Order were revised and the Military Merit Cross was divided into two classes. The former Military Merit Cross became the Military Merit Cross 1st Class, and a new second class was created which had no enamel on the medallion. The distinction in classes was based on the rank of the recipient. In 1913, another revision of the statutes of the Military Merit Order divided the Military Merit Cross into three classes. The old non-enameled 2nd Class became the 3rd Class and was changed from silver to bronze. The old 1st Class became the 2nd Class. The new 1st Class was identical to the 2nd Class except that it was gilt rather than silver. In addition, all classes were authorized to be awarded with a crown. The crown could be used for a second award to an NCO or soldier who already had received a particular class and whose rank precluded award of a higher class, or to recognize greater merit. There were then effectively 12 combinations: 3 classes each with or without crown, and each with or without swords. This doubled when one takes into account that there were two possible ribbons, one for soldiers and one for officials (Beamtenband). World War I broke out the following year, and the Military Merit Cross became Bavaria’s main decoration for bravery and merit by enlisted soldiers in that war, roughly equivalent to Prussia’s Iron Cross (except unlike the Iron Cross, the classes of the Military Merit Cross were awarded based on rank). According to one source, the total number of awards of all classes was 380,976 [5]. Approximately 290,000 were of the 3rd Class with Swords and approximately 73,000 of the 3rd Class with Crown and Swords, the two lowest grades. The Military Merit Cross became obsolete with the fall of the German Empire and the Bavarian Kingdom in 1918, although the Bavarian government continued to process awards up to 1920. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “a..anderson” and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped worldwide.
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: France
  • Country/ Organization: Germany
  • Issued/ Not-Issued: Issued
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)
  • Service: Army
  • Era: 1945-Present
  • Featured Refinements: Medal Group

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

10582? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Brunswick Merit Cross

Original German WW1 mounted medal group: Iron Cross II. Class & Brunswick War Merit Cross II. Class, IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, GENUINE RIBBONS, WORKING PIN DEVICE, THE IRON CROSS IS THREE PIECE CONSTRUCTION WITH MAGNETIC CORE, A GREAT PARADE MOUNTED MEDAL GROUP. HISTORY OF THE AWARDS. Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz) was a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau. In addition to during the Napoleonic Wars, the Iron Cross was awarded during the Franco-German War and the First World War. The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. The Iron Cross was also used as the symbol of the German Army from 1871 to 1915, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. In 1956, the Iron Cross became the symbol of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces. The traditional design is black and this design is used on armored vehicles and aircraft. A newer design in blue and silver is used as the emblem in other contexts. The Iron Cross is a black four-pointed cross with white trim, with the arms widening towards the ends, similar to a cross pattée. It was designed by the neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and reflects the cross borne by the Teutonic Knights in the 14th century. The ribbon for the 1813, 1870 and 1914 Iron Cross (2nd Class) was black with two thin white bands, the colours of Prussia. The noncombatant version of this award had the same medal, but the black and white colours on the ribbon were reversed. Initially the Iron Cross was worn with the blank side out. This did not change until 1838 when the sprig facing could be presented. Since the Iron Cross was issued over several different periods of German history, it was annotated with the year indicating the era in which it was issued. For example, an Iron Cross from the First World War bears the year “1914″. The reverse of the 1870, 1914 series of Iron Crosses have the year “1813″ appearing on the lower arm, symbolizing the year the award was created. The 1813 decoration also has the initials “FW” for King Frederick William III, while the next two have a “W” for the respective kaisers, Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II. A cross was the symbol of the Teutonic Knights (a heraldic cross pattée), and the cross design (but not the specific decoration) has been the symbol of Germany’s armed forces (now the Bundeswehr) since 1871. The Iron Cross was founded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau and awarded to soldiers during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. It was first awarded to Karl August Ferdinand von Borcke on 21 April 1813. King Wilhelm I of Prussia authorized further awards on 19 July 1870, during the Franco-German War. The Iron Cross was reauthorized by Emperor Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, at the start of the First World War. During these three periods, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, although given Prussia’s pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it tended to be treated as a generic German decoration. The 1813, 1870, and 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 (German: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Großkreuz). Although the medals of each class were identical, the manner in which each was worn differed. Employing a pin or screw posts on the back of the medal, the Iron Cross First Class was worn on the left side of the recipient’s uniform. The Grand Cross and the Iron Cross Second Class were suspended from different ribbons. The Grand Cross was intended for senior generals of the German Army. An even higher decoration, the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, was awarded only twice, to Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher in 1813 and to Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg in 1918. 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 (Militär-Verdienstorden), while enlisted men received various grades of the Military Merit Cross (Militär-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 Iron Cross was awarded for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions in a battlefield environment. The Iron Cross 2nd Class came with a ribbon and was worn in one of two different methods: when in formal dress, the entire cross was worn mounted alone or as part of a medal bar, for everyday wear, only the ribbon was worn from the second hole in the tunic button. The Iron Cross First Class was a pin-on medal with no ribbon and was worn centered on a uniform breast pocket, either on dress uniforms or everyday outfit. It was a progressive award, with the second class having to be earned before the first class and so on for the higher degrees. Brunswick War Merit Cross, II class, on combatant ribbon BRAUNSCHWEIG – Kriegsverdienstkreuz, II. The Cross was instituted by Duke Ernst August on 23 October 1914, initially in one class, for merit in action and to be awarded regardless of rank. It is often known as the’Ernst August Cross’. On 20 March 1918, a first class of the Cross was created in pinback form, the present Cross becoming the second class, thus mirroring the main awards of other German states, such as the Prussian Iron Cross. The Duchy had a population of less than half a million people and the Cross is not one of the more frequently encountered German decorations. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “a..anderson” and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped worldwide.
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Featured Refinements: Medal Group

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

9735? German Prussian WW1 mounted medal group Iron Cross Bavarian Merit Cross

Original WW1 German / Bavarian mounted medal group: Prussian Iron Cross II. Class & Bavarian War Merit Cross with Swords III. Class, IN NICE CONDITION, GENUINE RIBBONS, PERFECT PIN DEVICE, THE BACK OF THE BAVARIAN CROSS SEEMS TO BE LOST / DAMAGED AND REPLACED WITH A COPPER PLATE / BUTTON, A REALLY INTERESTING SMALL MEDAL GROUPING. HISTORY OF THE AWARDS. Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz) was a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau. In addition to during the Napoleonic Wars, the Iron Cross was awarded during the Franco-German War, the First World War, and the Second World War. The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. Two examples, the civilian pilot Hanna Reitsch was awarded the Iron Cross First Class for her bravery as a test pilot during the Second World War and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg (also a German female test pilot) was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class. The Iron Cross was also used as the symbol of the German Army from 1871 to 1915, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. In 1956, the Iron Cross became the symbol of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces. The traditional design is black and this design is used on armored vehicles and aircraft. A newer design in blue and silver is used as the emblem in other contexts. The Iron Cross is a black four-pointed cross with white trim, with the arms widening towards the ends, similar to a cross pattée. It was designed by the neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and reflects the cross borne by the Teutonic Knights in the 14th century. The ribbon for the 1813, 1870 and 1914 Iron Cross (2nd Class) was black with two thin white bands, the colours of Prussia. The noncombatant version of this award had the same medal, but the black and white colours on the ribbon were reversed. Initially the Iron Cross was worn with the blank side out. This did not change until 1838 when the sprig facing could be presented. Since the Iron Cross was issued over several different periods of German history, it was annotated with the year indicating the era in which it was issued. For example, an Iron Cross from the First World War bears the year “1914″, while the same decoration from the Second World War is annotated “1939″. The reverse of the 1870, 1914 and 1939 series of Iron Crosses have the year “1813″ appearing on the lower arm, symbolizing the year the award was created. The 1813 decoration also has the initials “FW” for King Frederick William III, while the next two have a “W” for the respective kaisers, Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II. The final version shows a swastika. It was also possible for a holder of the 1914 Iron Cross to be awarded a second or higher grade of the 1939 Iron Cross. In such cases, a “1939 Clasp” (Spange) would be worn on the original 1914 Iron Cross. A similar award was made in 1914 but was quite rare, since there were few in service who held the 1870 Iron Cross. For the First Class award the Spange appears as an eagle with the date “1939″ that was pinned above the Cross. Although two separate awards, in some cases the holders soldered them together. A cross was the symbol of the Teutonic Knights (a heraldic cross pattée), and the cross design (but not the specific decoration) has been the symbol of Germany’s armed forces (now the Bundeswehr) since 1871. The Iron Cross was founded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau and awarded to soldiers during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. It was first awarded to Karl August Ferdinand von Borcke on 21 April 1813. King Wilhelm I of Prussia authorized further awards on 19 July 1870, during the Franco-German War. The Iron Cross was reauthorized by Emperor Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, at the start of the First World War. During these three periods, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, although given Prussia’s pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it tended to be treated as a generic German decoration. The 1813, 1870, and 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 (German: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Großkreuz). Although the medals of each class were identical, the manner in which each was worn differed. Employing a pin or screw posts on the back of the medal, the Iron Cross First Class was worn on the left side of the recipient’s uniform. The Grand Cross and the Iron Cross Second Class were suspended from different ribbons. The Grand Cross was intended for senior generals of the German Army. An even higher decoration, the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, was awarded only twice, to Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher in 1813 and to Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg in 1918. A third award was planned for the most successful German general during the Second World War, but was not made after the defeat of Germany in 1945. 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 (Militär-Verdienstorden), while enlisted men received various grades of the Military Merit Cross (Militär-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. The straight-armed Balkenkreuz, the emblem of the Wehrmacht, first used in a narrower form on Luftstreitkräfte aircraft in mid-April 1918, and as shown here, as it appeared on German planes, tanks, and other vehicles during the Second World War. Adolf Hitler restored the Iron Cross in 1939 as a German decoration (rather than Prussian as in earlier versions), continuing the tradition of issuing it in various grades. Legally it is based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes (Regulation for the Re-introduction of the Iron Cross). The Iron Cross of the Second World War was divided into three main series of decorations with an intermediate category, the Knight’s Cross, instituted between the lowest, the Iron Cross, and the highest, the Grand Cross. The Knight’s Cross replaced the Prussian Pour le Mérite or “Blue Max”. Hitler did not care for the Pour le Mérite, as it was a Prussian order that could be awarded only to officers. The ribbon of the medal (2nd class and Knight’s Cross) was different from the earlier Iron Crosses in that the color red was used in addition to the traditional black and white (black and white were the colours of Prussia, while black, white, and red were the colors of Germany). Hitler also created the War Merit Cross as a replacement for the non-combatant version of the Iron Cross. It also appeared on certain Nazi flags in the upper left corner. The edges were curved, like most original iron crosses. The standard 1939 Iron Cross was issued in the following two grades: Iron Cross 2nd Class Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, Iron Cross 1st Class Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse abbreviated as EKI or E. The Iron Cross was awarded for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions in a battlefield environment. The Iron Cross 2nd Class came with a ribbon and was worn in one of two different methods: when in formal dress, the entire cross was worn mounted alone or as part of a medal bar, for everyday wear, only the ribbon was worn from the second hole in the tunic button. The Iron Cross First Class was a pin-on medal with no ribbon and was worn centered on a uniform breast pocket, either on dress uniforms or everyday outfit. It was a progressive award, with the second class having to be earned before the first class and so on for the higher degrees. It is estimated that some four and a half million Second Class Iron Crosses were awarded in the Second World War, and 300,000 of the First Class. Bavarian Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz) was that kingdom’s main decoration for bravery and military merit for enlisted soldiers. It was intended to reward extraordinary merit by non-commissioned officers, soldiers, and lower-ranking officials. It was originally established on July 19, 1866 as the 5th Class of the Military Merit Order, which was the main decoration for bravery and military merit for officers and higher-ranking officials. Civilians acting in support of the army were also made eligible for the decoration. The Military Merit Cross ranked after the Gold and Silver Military Merit Medals (renamed the Bravery Medals in 1918), which were Bavaria’s highest military honors for NCOs and enlisted soldiers. The cross was a Maltese cross with a center medallion. The obverse of the center medallion had an “L” cipher of King Ludwig II in the center and the word “MERENTI” on the ring. The reverse had a Bavarian lion with the date of founding, “1866″, on the ring. The center medallion was enameled (the original Military Merit Cross was distinguished from the Knight 2nd Class of the Military Merit Order only by having silver instead of blue enameled arms). The first recipient appears to have been Gendarm Johann Winter, who received the Military Merit Cross in the Armee-Befehl (Army Order) of August 20, 1866 The Bavarian Military Merit Cross underwent three major revisions. In February 1891, awards with swords were authorized to distinguish wartime awards, whether for bravery or military merit, from peacetime awards. This was made retroactive for wartime awards from the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. In 1905, the statutes of the Military Merit Order were revised and the Military Merit Cross was divided into two classes. The former Military Merit Cross became the Military Merit Cross 1st Class, and a new second class was created which had no enamel on the medallion. The distinction in classes was based on the rank of the recipient. In 1913, another revision of the statutes of the Military Merit Order divided the Military Merit Cross into three classes. The old non-enameled 2nd Class became the 3rd Class and was changed from silver to bronze. The old 1st Class became the 2nd Class. The new 1st Class was identical to the 2nd Class except that it was gilt rather than silver. In addition, all classes were authorized to be awarded with a crown. The crown could be used for a second award to an NCO or soldier who already had received a particular class and whose rank precluded award of a higher class, or to recognize greater merit. There were then effectively 12 combinations: 3 classes each with or without crown, and each with or without swords. This doubled when one takes into account that there were two possible ribbons, one for soldiers and one for officials (Beamtenband). World War I broke out the following year, and the Military Merit Cross became Bavaria’s main decoration for bravery and merit by enlisted soldiers in that war, roughly equivalent to Prussia’s Iron Cross (except unlike the Iron Cross, the classes of the Military Merit Cross were awarded based on rank). According to one source, the total number of awards of all classes was 380,976 [5]. Approximately 290,000 were of the 3rd Class with Swords and approximately 73,000 of the 3rd Class with Crown and Swords, the two lowest grades. The Military Merit Cross became obsolete with the fall of the German Empire and the Bavarian Kingdom in 1918, although the Bavarian government continued to process awards up to 1920. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War II (1939-1945)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “a..anderson” and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped worldwide.
  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Featured Refinements: Medal Group

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1

Original WW1 / WW2 Austro-Hungarian Empire / Hungarian Kingdom parade mounted medal grouping: Austro-Hungarian Empire / Bronze Karl IV. Bravery Medal (late war bronzed zinc example), Austro-Hungarian Empire Karl Troop Cross, Hungarian Kingdom Commemorative Medal of the World War for combatants (rare zinc example), Austro-Hungarian Empire General Campaign Medal , Hungarian Kingdom / Commemorative Medal Liberation of Transylvania – 1940, Austro-Hungarian Empire / Jubilee Cross – 1908 & Austro-Hungarian Empire Mobilisation Cross , IN WORN CONDITION, GENUINE RIBBONS, PERFECTLY WORKING PIN DEVICE, ALL MEDALS ARE WORN & LOST PART OF THEIR FINISH, CLEARLY A WELL WORN MEDAL GROUPING. HISTORY OF THE AWARDS. Since 1809 this was known as the Bravery Medal or Tapferkeitsmedaille. On the 19th August 1848 Kaiser Ferdinand divided the Silver Bravery Medal into two classes – a First and a Second Class. The 2nd Class Medal being a smaller version with a diameter of 31mm. On the 14th February 1915 Kaiser Franz Joseph introduced the Bronze Medal which was the same size as the 2nd Class Silver. Unlike the three senior awards, the Bronze Medal could be awarded to NCOs and Private Soldiers of allied armies. The Bravery Medals displayed the reigning Kaiser’s head on the obverse. In the case of Franz Joseph, he was depicted in a Marshals’ uniform and the following inscription was placed around the outer edge of the medal: FRANZ JOSEPH I. OESTERREICH (Franz Joseph I, by the grace of God Emperor of Austria). The obverse showed six crossed regimental colours surrounded by a laurel wreath and the motto: “Der Tapferkeit”. The diameter of the Gold and large Silver Medal was 40mm. The ribbon of the Bravery Medal was the same white and red ribbon as the Military Merit Cross. An Imperial Decree of the 29th November 1915 introduced bars for repeat awards and these took the form of an 8mm wide smooth rustless iron bar. The recipient of a Bravery Medal was entitled to a lifelong pension and as ordered by the “Zirkularverordnung” of 18th September 1914 the sums were as follows with effect from the1st October 1914: Golden Bravery Medal – 30 Crowns per month, Silver Bravery Medal 1st Class – 15 Crowns per month, Silver Bravery Medal 2nd Class – 7.50 Crowns per month. With effect from the 4th April 1917 as published in the Normal-Verordnungsblatt Nr. 18 new versions of the Medal were introduced bearing the new Kaiser’s portrait and the inscription: CAROLVS D. The reverse was altered to bear the Motto “FORTITVDINI”. A further change was the newly introduced eligibility for Commissioned Officers to be awarded the Golden and Silver Bravery Medals with effect from the 15th of September 1917 although the Officers’ Awards did not attract the monthly pension. The Officers’ version was distinguished by the addition to the triangular ribbon of a gold or silver “K”. Although the awards to NCOs and Men were delegated to Army Commanders in the field those of the Golden and Silver Medals for Officers remained an Imperial prerogative. Karl Troop Cross (Karl Truppenkreuz) was instituted on 13 December 1916 by Emperor Karl I of Austria-Hungary. The cross was awarded until the end of the First World War to soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian Army , regardless of rank, who had been with a combatant unit for at least twelve weeks and who had actually served at the front. The medal is of zinc and consists of a cross pattée resting on a laurel wreath. The obverse bears the Latin inscription “GRATI PRINCEPS ET PATRIA, CAROLVS REX”, (A grateful prince and country, Karl, Emperor and King). The reverse shows the Austrian and Hungarian Imperial crowns above the letter “C” (for Carolus) with the inscription “VITEM ET SANGVINEM”, (With life and blood) and the date MDCCCCXVI, (1916). The cross was worn on the left chest from a red ribbon with alternate red-white side strips towards each edge. A total of 651,000 were awarded. Commemorative War Medal (Háborús Emlékérem) – Instituted on May 26, 1929 by the Hungarian regent Admiral Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya to commemorate Hungarian subjects who participated and fell during the Great War. Medals statute was finalized only on November 14, 1929 and gazetted two days later in the official publication of the Hungarian Ministry of Defence, Honvédségi Közlöny (Military Bulletin). Awards presentation started early next year. Commemorative War Medal was awarded to military personnel regardless of rank and status, frontline soldiers and non-combatants, wounded and disabled war veterans, medical personnel and awardees of the Red Cross badges, ex-POWs, relatives of KIA. Civilians who worked at homefront and those participated in Hungarian Soviet Republic defeat in summer and fall 1919 were also eligible for this medal. Documents verifying participation in the Great War had to be presented to military authorities and in case of their absence one had to enlist support of two reliable witnesses. Central Powers military personnel who fought alongside Hungarians during the Great War had to apply for the medal. Foreigners received award in envelope that also contained certificate and miniature after verification and reimbursement worth 15 peng. Nevertheless levy could have been lifted by a decree of the Minister of defence due to exceptional circumstances. Outlets distributed medals wrapped in filigree exactly as they came from the mint. No boxes or envelopes were provided. Commemeorative War medal was instituted in two classes for frontline soldiers and war participants, i. These variants different in obverse and reverse design as well as in ribbon colors. In case an applicant was eligible for both classes he received Commemorative War medal for frontline soldiers. Medal was designed by famous Hungarian sculptor Kisfaludi Strobl Zsigmond (01.07.1884 14.08.1975) who was Great War participant himself. Circular 37 mm medal with laterally-pierced loop for ribbon suspension was made of bronze with silver finish and was 3 mm thick. It was worn on the left breast suspended by the traditional Austrian triangular ribbon while women wore it on a bow. Commemorative War medal for frontline soldiers (Haborús Emlékérem kardokkal és sisakkal). Obverse had crowned arms of Hungary imposed on crossed swords within a wreath of laurel and oak. Latin inscription Pro Deo Et Patria (For God and Fatherland) was on the upper part while two laurel leaves at the bottom tied at the base by a ribbon tie. 40 mm wide ribbon of a Commemorative War medal for frontline soldiers was white with two wide vertical red stripes close to edges and thin horizontal green stripes placed between red ones. Special combat clasp in form of two silvered crossed swords could be applied to the ribbon bar. Commemorative War medal for noncombatants (Haborús Emlékérem kardok és sisak nélkül) Obverse had crowned arms of Hungary within a wreath of laurel and oak. Crossed swords were missing. Steel helmet image was missing. 40 mm wide ribbon of a Commemorative War medal for noncombatants was white with two wide red stripes close to edges and two wide green stripes between them. Miniatures of this medal with a wide clip on reverse were also issued, their design followed obverse of the respective class. General Campaign Medal (Kriegsmedaille) was instituted by the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Franz Joseph I (18.08.1830-21.11.1916) on December 02, 1873, i. On the day the celebrations in conjunction with the 25th jubilee of his enthronement were held. Initially Kriegsmedaille was awarded to servicemen on active military service who entered the Army since December 02, 1848, the day the head of the Dual Monarchy ascended to the Austrian throne, and who participated in at least one battle since that year. Holders of the following Austrian medals were automatically eligible for decoration with the Kriegsmedaille: Commemorative Medal for Defence of Tyrol 1848 (Denkmünze an die Tiroler Landesverteidigung von 1848), Commemorative Medal for the 1864 Military Campaign against Denmark (Erinnerungs-Medaille an den Feldzug 1864 gegen Dänemark), Commemorative Medal for Defence of Tyrol 1866 (Denkmünze an die Tiroler Landesverteidigung von 1866) and Prague Home Guard Medal 1866 (Prager Bürgerwehrmedaille von 1866). Statute of the Kriegsmedaille was changed later on and it was made a decoration for military personnel who took part in subsequent campaigns. Thereupon Kriegsmedaille was issued to those who took part in suppression of the insurrections in Bosnia-Herzegovina and South Dalmatia in 1882. The latter comprised of Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan and the USA. An obverse showed laurelled bust of Franz Joseph I facing right and circumscribed with 5 mm capital letters Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, etc. Apostolic King of Hungary. An inscription is separated by a small six-pointed or, rarely, five-pointed star at the bottom. Two types of an obverse are known to exist, differing in spelling of the words Emperor, Austria, King and Bohemia: Franz Josef I. König n and Franz Josef I. Type of spelling, i. Utilization of diacritic letters with umlaut or digraphs, depended on linguistic preferences. Thus, the former were characteristic of the German language, while the latter to the Latin. Most medals had thin inner ring just below that inscription, while some lacked it. A reverse bore the date of institution of Kriegsmedaille, ber 1873 executed in three rows in capital letters and encircled by a wreath made of olive branch at the left and of oak branch at the right. The wreath is tied with a ribbon at the bottom. Once again, two types of the medal differed in the spelling of the date: ber 1873 (Latin) and ber 1873 (German). The latter type is less common, in fact and is said to be manufactured after 1900. Slight variations differing in a shape of 2 (straight and fashioned numerals) are known to exist as well. Thereby, on the basis of combination of German and Latin letters three variations of Kriegsmedaille could be marked out: Latin obverse and reverse, German obverse and reverse, German obverse and Latin reverse. Quite unusual type of the War Medal had no image on its reverse at all, save for chequered surface. Those medals dating beginning of the XX century were produced for wearing by officers with white summer tunics. Absence of an image at reverse precluded inevitable rubbing of metal against cloth, thus leaving tunic clean and preventing dark indelible stains. In fact, reverse was made attachable and was manufactured of nonmetal material, e. Patent for that invention was issued to the Belgian chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland (14.11.1863-23.02.1944) in 1909. In most cases the edge of Kriegsmedaille was plain, though some specimen bore mintmarks, e. As the War Medal was manufactured for half a century, from 1873 till 1920s and the number of awards was quite numerous, many variations of Kriegsmedaille existed. They differed in size, weight, metal, shape of ring, presence of mintmarks, as well as in slight distinctions of obverse and reverse design. Kriegsmedaille had a circular shape, measured 36-37,5 mm in diameter and was made either of gilt bronze or gilt bronzed zinc. The War Medal was worn suspended from a traditional triangular silk ribbon of Habsburg colors: 40 mm wide yellow ribbon with two black 4,5 mm wide stripes closer to both edges and 22 mm long thin horizontal black stripes in-between. To make an article complete, table medal of the similar design is worth being mentioned here. It was manufactured of light bronze and was 37 mm in diameter. Commemorative Medal for the Liberation of Transylvania (Erdélyi Emlékérem), 1940 Circular medal in Kriegsmetall (zinc alloy) with laterally-pierced loop for ribbon suspension; the face with the head of King Mátyás Corvinus circumscribed ERDÉLYI RÉSZEK FELSZABADULÁSÁNAK EMLÉKÉRE (Medal for the Liberation of Part of Transylvania); the reverse with the arms of Transylvania circumscribed MÁTYÁS KIRÁLY SZÜLETÉSÉNEK 500 ÉVFORDULÓJÁN (King Mátyás 500th Anniversary of his Birthright) and inscribed around the rim VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS KORMÁNYZÓ ORSZÁGLÁSÁNAK XX ÉVÉBEN (In the 20th Year of the Regency of Valiant Miklós Horthy de Nagybányai). The medal was instituted on 1 October 1940 to mark the return of part of Transylvania to Hungary. At the end of World War I, Hungary lost almost three-quarters of its territory, amongst them many areas with large Hungarian populations, including Transylvania. In mid-1940, with Romania under pressure from the Soviet Union and Bulgaria, Hungary lodged a claim to Transylvania. Germany and Italy led arbitration at Vienna and on 30 August Romania ceded approximately 43,500 square kilometres of territory and almost 2,400,000 people in northwest Transylvania to Hungary. In 1479 to 1483 he retook Transylvania from the Ottoman Turks and is revered in Hungary as a national hero. The 1908 Military Jubilee Cross (1908 Militär-Jubiläumskreuz or the 1908 Katonai Jubileumi Kereszt) was instituted on 10 August 1908 (published 18 August 1908) to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the rule of Kaiser Franz Joseph I which occurred on 2 December 1908. In the case of multiple qualification for one of the 3 various Jubilee awards, this award was restricted to only one per person. The military version was considered the highest, the civil was the middle (exactly the same as the military version but for a solid red ribbon), while the court version was the lowest which was quite a change from the 1898 Jubilee awards! It was also awarded to all those on duty on 2 December 1908 on a non-professional military status who had received a minimum of 2 years of military training (specifically: students of Officer Candidate Schools from the 2nd Class and higher and conscript candidates for any reserve rank who were in their 2nd or higher year of service). On 31 December 1914 (published 6 January 1915), Kaiser Franz Joseph I ordered that all officers and officials of the Reserve (or any other similar status) who have participated in the current war and who had already possessed the status of an officer (or official) on 2 December 1908 and had not received the 1908 Military Jubilee Cross should now receive it. The bronze gilt alloy medal is cross shaped ca. 36 mm x 42 mm and surrounded by a laurel wreath. Within the obverse center of the cross is a circle ca. 27 mm with the bust of Kaiser Franz Joseph I. At the 8:00 to 11:00 position is FRANC. At first glance, the entire design appears to be struck off-centered but this design was purposely incorporated. The reverse is plain (except for the wreath) with a thick 1848 1908 centered in a 2 line inscription. The medal is almost 4 mm at the thickest point and tapers to the ends of the cross. It is suspended from a thick barrel type suspension which is part of the struck medal and has a hole bored through for the suspension ring. The suspension ring is usually of the same metal as the medal but the alloy varies. The tri-fold military silk ribbon (40 mm wide) is white with a narrow red stripe (5 mm wide) 3 mm from each end. Note that various ribbons are often used on this award but only the solid red (Civilian Jubilee Medal) was ever additionally awarded, the remainder being fantasy ribbons. The original ribbon was woven silk with a very distinctive weft – most modern ribbons are a poly based material and some have printed coloring rather than woven. The original grommet and hook device was of thin fine brass and very tightly affixed – almost all show various degrees of suspension ring wear to the internal ribbon. Commemorative Cross for Mobilisation (Mobilisierungs-Erinnerungskreuz), 1912-13 Gilt bronze Leopold cross with loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a circular central medallion bearing the dates 1912 1913; the reverse plain; gilding now largely absent; on correct, possibly replaced ribbon. The medal was created in 1913 and awarded to those Austro-Hungarian forces that had been mobilised as a precautionary measure during the Balkan Wars between an alliance of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia on the one hand and Ottoman Turkey on the other. Austria did not intervene in the wars but they led to Turkey being largely thrown out of Europe and a much-strengthened of Serbia, making Austria more nervous of her Slav neighbour and laying the ground for the outbreak of World War I following the assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 and Austrias declaration of war on Serbia on 18 July 1914. The item “9454 Austro-Hungarian Empire Hungarian Kingdom mounted medal grouping WW1″ is in sale since Wednesday, March 31, 2021. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War I (1914-1918)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “a..anderson” and is located in ST. ALBANS. This item can be shipped worldwide.