WW1 Imperial German Iron Cross 2nd Class With Parade Mount

The WW1 Imperial German Iron Cross 2nd Class with Parade Mount is a military decoration awarded during the First World War by the German Empire. Instituted in 1813 and reissued in subsequent conflicts, the Iron Cross recognized acts of bravery or leadership on the battlefield. The 2nd Class medal consists of a blackened iron core within a silver-framed cross pattée, measuring approximately 42mm in width. The obverse features a central “W” (for Kaiser Wilhelm II), the royal crown above, and the year “1914” below, marking its issuance during WW1. The reverse displays the royal cypher of King Friedrich Wilhelm III and the year “1813,” the date of the medal’s original institution. This example includes a parade mount, featuring a ribbon in black with two white edge stripes, fitted onto a mounting pin for attachment to formal uniforms. The Iron Cross was a highly regarded decoration within the Imperial German military honors system.