PRE WW1 1870 GERMANY IRON CROSS 2ND CLASS MEDAL 25 YEAR OAK LEAF & MINIATURE

Description

German 1870 Franco Prussian War 1870 Iron Cross 2nd Class, with 25 year oak Leaf clasp, full size & miniature. 42mm wide, 3 piece made cross, with majority of black finish to central core, with toned 2 piece frame. Oakleaf clasp with good detail features and bright numerals. Full size medal comes with the scarce requisite miniature.

The Iron Cross was instituted on 10 March 1813 by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia during the War of Liberation against the Napoleonic French forces. It was reinstated in 1870-1871 for the Franco-Prussian War and again in 1914 for World War I. It is awarded for bravery. In spite of its iconic image and fame, it has always been made of modest materials and issued in relatively large numbers. It was designed by the neo-classical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and reflects the cross of the Teutonic Knights in the late Middle Ages which was also the emblem of Frederick the Great.