WW2 German Military Medal - the Iron Cross

WW2 German Military Medal - the Knights Cross or Iron Cross in excellent condition. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross or simply the Knight's Cross and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Germany. The Knight's Cross/Iron Cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks, from a senior commander for skilled leadership of his troops in battle to a low-ranking soldier for a single act of military valour. Presentations were made to members of the three military branches of the Wehrmacht: the Heer (Army), the Kriegsmarine (Navy) and the Luftwaffe (Air Force), as well as the Waffen-SS, the Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD—Reich Labour Service) and the Volkssturm (German national militia), along with personnel from other Axis powers. The award was re-instituted on 1 September 1939, at the onset of the German invasion of Poland. Over 7,000 awards were made during the course of World War 2.