Original WW2 Iron Cross 1st Class 1939

Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) that comes in its original etui as issued. On 1 September 1939 Hitler reinstituted the Iron Cross (First time in 1813). The first class medal was for award to personnel who performed three to five acts of bravery in combat, and had already been awarded the Iron Cross second class. The magnetic cross has a three piece construction and the cross does still have the neat so-called: 'Hochpolierte Kanten', the cross shows great detail overall. The cross is nicely maker marked with number '26' indicating production by the company of 'B.H. Mayer' from Pforzheim. The cross comes with its original case, the case is in mint condition.

The Iron Cross First Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) of 1939 was a prestigious military decoration of Nazi Germany, reinstituted on September 1, 1939, by Adolf Hitler at the start of World War II. It was a higher grade of the Iron Cross series, positioned between the Second Class and the Knight's Cross.
Award Criteria
The award was not given for single acts but was a progressive honor:
Prerequisite: A recipient must have already been awarded the Iron Cross Second Class.
Heer (Army) & Waffen-SS: Required 3 to 5 additional acts of bravery in the face of the enemy or actions beyond the call of duty.
Luftwaffe (Air Force): Generally awarded to pilots after achieving 6 or 7 confirmed aerial kills.
Kriegsmarine (Navy): Often awarded to U-boat commanders upon sinking 50,000 tons of enemy shipping.

Recipients: Approximately 300,000 to 730,000 were awarded between 1939 and 1945.

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