ww1 Iron Cross 2nd class Maker mark

[roypaule]

Hi All,

Just wanted tl get your opinion on a WW1 EK2Class with a maker mark '2' and '5'. I've seen an iron cross 2nd Class with a maker mark 2 and 5. This is quite new to me because almost all of my iron crosses (Imperial ww1) are maker marked from makers during WW1. Most of my iron cross WW2 are maker marked with ww2 makers.

Is it possible that these WW1 Iron Crosses (marked 2 & 5) are made by makers post WW1 or possibly by makers during WW2 for a veteran of ww1? Hence the numbers 2 & 5 on these crosses?

Thanks for your inputs.

Roy

.

[Redcap]

During WW1, regulations required that manufacturers of official ( as opposed to "private purchase") award pieces of the Iron Cross marktheir products with the firms initials (G=Godet, SW = Sy und Wagner etc).

During WW2, a numerical system was used - those with an L/ prefix indicating a retail copy for supply through uniform outfitters etc (L=Leistungsgemainschaft deutscher Ordenshersteller or LDO the organisation for quality control - but only for retail items, not official awards) and non-prefixed numbers being for official government award pieces manufactured for the Präsidialkanzlei.

In this case if it is marked 25, the number is for the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Graveur,Gold und Silberschmiedeinnungen in Hanau, and indicates an official award piece.

That fact that a WW2 code is on a WW1 medal simply indicates that the cross is a replacement obtained through official channels (as opposed to private retail purchase) by a WW1 veteran still serving during WW2 a relatively uncommon, though not unknown event..

Medals could be replaced free is lost during the course of duty but as the Iron Cross 2nd Class itself was rarely worn, just the ribbon in the buttonhole, it likely this is a "paid for" piece, but obtained officially.

Even if later replacement pieces are looked down on by some WW1 "purists", Imperial Iron Crosses with WW2 official Präsidialkanzlei codes are relatively scarce so worth keeping hold of !