WW1 Imperial German Iron Cross 2nd Class Full Size

The WW1 Imperial German Iron Cross 2nd Class Full Size is a military decoration awarded by the German Empire during the First World War. Established by King Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, the Iron Cross 2nd Class recognized acts of bravery and leadership in battle. The cross measures approximately 42mm in height and width, featuring a blackened iron core surrounded by a silvered frame. The obverse displays a crowned “W” cipher above the year “1914,” with an oak leaf cluster beneath. The reverse typically bears the royal cipher of King Friedrich Wilhelm III and the year “1813,” marking the award’s original institution. The decoration is suspended from a black and white ribbon. The Iron Cross 2nd Class remains a prominent symbol of military history and collecting, representing the service and valor of Imperial Germany’s armed forces during World War I.