The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) was a decoration intended for victorious generals of the Prussian Army and its allies. It was the second highest class of the

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...

, following the

Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross The Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Stern zum Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) was the highest military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire. It was considered a senior decoration to the Grand Cross of the ...

, which was awarded only twice. Along with the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, the Grand Cross was founded on 10 March 1813, during the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

. It was renewed in 1870 for the Franco-Prussian War and again in 1914 for

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. In 1939, when

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

renewed the Iron Cross as a German (rather than strictly Prussian) decoration, he also renewed the Grand Cross. The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was twice the size of the Iron Cross and was worn from a ribbon around the neck. The later Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, instituted in 1939, was also worn from the neck; it was smaller than the Grand Cross but larger than the Iron Cross.

1813 Grand Cross

File:Blücher (nach Gebauer).jpg, ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Gebhard von Blücher wearing the 1813 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross and the Star to the Grand Cross ''(Blücherstern)''. File:Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bulow.jpg, ''General'' Friedrich von Bülow wearing the 1813 Grand Cross. File:Karl XIV Johan, king of Sweden and Norway, painted by Fredric Westin (cropped).jpg, Crown Prince Charles John of Sweden, wearing the 1813 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross. File:Graf-tauentzien.jpg, ''General'' Bogislav von Tauentzien wearing the 1813 Grand Cross. File:Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg.jpg, ''Generalfeldmarschall''

Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg Johann David Ludwig Graf Yorck von Wartenburg (born von Yorck; 26 September 1759 – 4 October 1830) was a Prussian ''Generalfeldmarschall'' instrumental in the switching of the Kingdom of Prussia from a French alliance to a Russian allianc ...

wearing the 1813 Grand Cross. 1813_Grand_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross

Five men received the 1813 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross for actions during the Napoleonic Wars: *

Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt (; 21 December 1742 – 12 September 1819), ''Graf'' (count), later elevated to ''Fürst'' (sovereign prince) von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian '' Generalfeldmarschall'' (field marshal). He earne ...

, commander of Prussian forces at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...

, later also awarded the

* Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow * Crown Prince Charles John of Sweden (Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte) - earlier a Marshal under Napoleon, after becoming regent and crown prince of Sweden, he joined the

Sixth Coalition Sixth is the ordinal form of the number six. * The Sixth Amendment, to the U.S. Constitution * A keg of beer, equal to 5 U.S. gallons or barrel * The fraction Music * Sixth interval (music)s: ** major sixth, a musical interval ** minor six ...

against Napoleon. * Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von Tauentzien *

1870 Grand Cross

File:Carl Süssnapp - Albert I. König von Sachsen.jpeg, Crown Prince Albert (I) of Saxony wearing the 1870 Grand Cross. File:General August Karl von Goeben 1875.jpg, ''General''

August Karl von Goeben August Karl Friedrich Christian von Goeben (10 December 181613 November 1880), was a Prussian infantry general, who won the Iron Cross for his service in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71. Early career Born at Stade 30 km west of Hamb ...

wearing the 1870 Grand Cross. File:Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel by Adolphe Braun.png, ''Generalfeldmarschall''

Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel Edwin Karl Rochus Freiherr von Manteuffel (24 February 180917 June 1885) was a Prussian ''Generalfeldmarschall'' noted for his victories in the Franco-Prussian War, and the first Imperial Lieutenant (german: Reichsstatthalter) of Alsace–Lorrai ...

wearing the 1870 Grand Cross. File:Helmuth von Moltke Photo ca. 1889.jpg, ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Helmuth von Moltke the Elder wearing the 1870 Grand Cross. File:Die Gartenlaube (1885) b 461 1.jpg,

Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

wearing the 1870 Grand Cross. File:Emperor Friedrich III (cropped)(2).png, Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (later Kaiser Friedrich III) wearing the 1870 Grand Cross. File:Die Gartenlaube (1887) b 669.jpg, ''General'' August Graf von Werder wearing the 1870 Grand Cross. File:Kaiser Wilhelm I. (cropped).jpg, King Wilhelm I of Prussia (later

German Emperor The German Emperor (german: Deutscher Kaiser, ) was the official title of the head of state and hereditary ruler of the German Empire. A specifically chosen term, it was introduced with the 1 January 1871 constitution and lasted until the offi ...

) wearing the 1870 Grand Cross. File:Großherzog Friedrich Franz II.jpg, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin wearing the 1870 Grand Cross.

The Iron Cross was renewed on 19 July 1870, for the Franco-Prussian War. Nine men received the 1870 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross for service during that war. Seven Grand Crosses were awarded on 22 March 1871, to: * Crown Prince

Albert of Saxony en, Frederick Augustus Albert Anthony Ferdinand Joseph Charles Maria Baptist Nepomuk William Xavier George Fidelis , image = Albert of Saxony by Nicola Perscheid c1900.jpg , image_size = , caption = Photograph by Nicola Persch ...

* Helmuth Graf von Moltke the Elder *

* Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (later Kaiser Friedrich III) * August Graf von Werder

Kaiser Wilhelm I William I or Wilhelm I (german: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and German Emperor from 18 January 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the f ...

received the Grand Cross on 16 June 1871, and

Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis II (German: ''Friedrich Franz II;'' 28 February 1823 – 15 April 1883) was a Prussian officer and Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 7 March 1842 until 15 April 1883. Biography He was born in Schloss Ludwigslust, the e ...

, received it on 4 December 1871. The Kaiser was supreme commander of the Prussian Army, and Moltke was Chief of the General Staff. The others were senior combat commanders of the Prussian Army (Crown Prince Albert initially commanded the Saxon Army as a corps under a Prussian field army, but later took command of a combined Prussian/Saxon field army).

1914 Grand Cross

File:Wilhelm II.tif,

Wilhelm II, German Emperor Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (german: Kaiser) and King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until his abdication on 9 November 1918. Despite strengthening the German Emp ...

wearing the 1914 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross. File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-S51620, Generalfeldmarschall Paul v. Hindenburg.jpg, ''Generalfeldmarschall''

Paul von Hindenburg Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg (; abbreviated ; 2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a German field marshal and statesman who led the Imperial German Army during World War I and later became President of Germany fr ...

wearing the 1914 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross and the Star to the Grand Cross ''(Hindenburgstern).'' File:Erich Ludendorff 1918.jpg, ''General''

Erich Ludendorff Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff (9 April 1865 – 20 December 1937) was a German general, politician and military theorist. He achieved fame during World War I for his central role in the German victories at Liège and Tannenberg in 1914 ...

wearing the 1914 Grand Cross. File:Hermann Eißfeldt - Prinz Leopold von Bayern.jpg,

Prince Leopold of Bavaria Prince Leopold of Bavaria (Leopold Maximilian Joseph Maria Arnulf; 9 February 1846 – 28 September 1930) was born in Munich, the son of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria (1821–1912) and his wife Archduchess Augusta of Austria (1825–1864). H ...

in a painting wearing the 1914 Grand Cross. File:General Feldmarschall August Von Mackensen (cropped).png, ''Generalfeldmarschall''

August von Mackensen Anton Ludwig Friedrich August von Mackensen (born Mackensen; 6 December 1849 – 8 November 1945), ennobled as "von Mackensen" in 1899, was a German field marshal. He commanded successfully during World War I of 1914–1918 and became one of t ...

wearing the 1914 Grand Cross. GrandCross1914

The Iron Cross was renewed again on 5 August 1914. There were five recipients of the 1914 Grand Cross in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

: *

Kaiser Wilhelm II , house = Hohenzollern , father = Frederick III, German Emperor , mother = Victoria, Princess Royal , religion = Lutheranism (Prussian United) , signature = Wilhelm II, German Emperor Signature-.svg Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor ...

, later also awarded the

1939 Grand Cross

reinstituted the Iron Cross as a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

decoration in September 1939, with the Grand Cross again the highest grade (above the various classes of the

Knight's Cross Knight's Cross (German language ''Ritterkreuz'') refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that often denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield. Most frequently the term Knight's Cross is used to refer to the Knight's Cr ...

Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...

became the only recipient of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

when it was awarded to him on 19 July 1940 for his role as the Supreme Commander of the

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

who led them to victory in the French campaign. A World War II version of the higher

was devised, but never formally instituted or awarded. Following the Allied victory in May 1945, the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

seized the only known prototype, which is now a part of the collection of the Museum of the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

(USMA) in

West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...

References

* *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Cross Of The Iron Cross Military awards and decorations of Prussia Military awards and decorations of Nazi Germany 1813 establishments in Prussia Awards established in 1914 Awards established in 1939 1870 establishments in Prussia 1914 establishments in Germany 1939 establishments in Germany Awards established in 1813