Acquired over a 40 year period, and curated with particular attention to manufacture variations, eMedals is pleased to offer at auction, a selection of Iron Cross decorations. Established on the 17th of March 1813 during the Napoleonic Wars, the Iron Cross as a recognition of gallant action, was open to all ranks including enlisted men. Ultimately derived from the cross pattée of the Teutonic Order and used by knights on occasions from the 13th century, the design was adopted and subsequently altered by neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel to suit the direct requests of Friedrich Wilhelm III. From this point onwards, the Iron Cross in conjunction with the standardized Black Cross (Schwarzes Kreuz) became synonymous with the Prussian and later, an overarching German military motif. Due to this inherent connection between the Iron Cross emblem and the military history of Germany throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the decoration has emerged as a favourite amongst international medal collectors and history enthusiasts.