The Iron Cross was originally instituted on 10th March, 1813 by King Friedrich William III to recognise soldiers who took part in the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. In 1870 the award was re-launched during the Franco-Prussian war and on 5th August 1914, Emperor William II dusted the award down once more for what was to become the First World War.
Although technically a Prussian award, it was available to all combatants (and some non-combatants) of the German Empire and was viewed on both sides of the wire as an icon of the German military machine.
We love the Iron Cross here at WoW Towers, and have collated these ten tremendous facts to celebrate this iconic award for bravery.
There were three grades of Iron Cross for the First World War (as there was in 1813 and 1870). The Iron Cross 2nd Class, the Iron Cross First Class and The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross.
The different grades of award were all worn in a slightly different way: The 2nd class award had a standard ribbon, the 1st Class award was completely ribbon-less and was affixed to a soldiers tunic via a pin or screw mechanism. The Grand Cross was worn at the neck with a larger ribbon.
There were two versions of the Iron Cross 2nd Class - one for combatants which had a black ribbon with a white stripe on either edge, and one for non-combatants which had a white ribbon with a black stripe on either edge. The actual iron cross medal was identical for both versions
In fact, the iron cross aspect of all three versions of the award was identical - it was just the way it was worn that signaled the level of award.
Both first and second class awards were granted regardless of rank although the Iron Cross First Class was rarely given out to ordinary soldiers below NCO rank.
During the First World War 5,196,000 Iron Cross 2nd Classes were awarded.
One had to possess the Iron Cross Second Class to be in with a shout of getting the First Class award - although both could be awarded simultaneously.
218,000 Iron Cross First Class were awarded during the First World War
The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was designed for very senior officers of the German military and only 5 were awarded during the First World War: Kaiser Wilhelm II, Paul von Hindenburg, Erich Ludendorff, Prince Leopold of Bavaria and August von Mackensen
If that wasn't rare enough, there was a super-special version that was awarded only twice. The Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was bestowed upon two Field Marshals: von Blücher and von Hindenburg.
Facts and illustration taken from The Great War 100 - The First World War in Infographics (by me).
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