German WW1 Iron Cross | Second Class

German WW1 Iron Cross | Second ClassHistory of the Artifact The Iron Cross Second Class was a widely awarded German military decoration issued for acts of bravery and meritorious service during World War I. The medal takes the form of a cross patte with a black iron core, typically bearing the crowned cipher of Kaiser Wilhelm II on the upper arm, an oak leaf cluster in the center, and the date 1914 on the lower arm, marking the year the award was reinstated for the war. Unlike the First

especially in regions such as Central Asia and the Byzantine Empire

linear borders

and spiritual energy

after which Romulus founded the city of Rome in 753 BCE

Made from inexpensive fired clay rather than metal

child sacrifices to secure divine favor

symbolizing the state’s close connection to the Zoroastrian faith

The shield itself was quartered with the arms of England

serving as a tribute to the city that had been the heart of the empire for centuries

the Good Conduct Medal honored those who demonstrated faithful service

also bore associations with Pan and Dionysian cults

and handled as representative artifacts of the competitive political culture that defined the final century of the Roman Republic