German WWII 1939 First Class Spange- This is an unmarked example with a silver finish that is mostly intact. The silver has toned to a nice color that makes the details really stand out. This is a desirable example.
History: On March 10th, 1813, Prussian Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm III established the Iron Cross as a temporary award for bestowal during times of war. On September 1st, 1939, Hitler once more reinstituted the Iron Cross series of awards in the First and Second Classes and established the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross and two new Spangen, (Bars), for the first- and second-class awards to be bestowed to recipients of the 1939 Iron Cross who had also been awarded a first or second 1914 Iron Cross during WWI. With the proper documentation, recipients of most TR awards, including the Bar to the Iron Cross were permitted to privately purchase a jeweler’s copy of the award, at their own expense, if so desired.