Iron Cross 1st Class 1939 "26" with Engraving

Iron Cross 1st Class 1939 "26" with Engraving
Iron Cross 1st Class, 1939 "26" (Eisernes Kreuz I Klasse) and Award Document.

On March 10th 1813, Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III established the Iron Cross as a temporary award for bestowal during times of war. Originally the Iron Cross was introduced in three grades with a Grand Cross intended for award to Senior Commanders for successfully leading troops in combat and the First and Second classes for award to all ranks for bravery or merit in action.
The Iron Crosses were re-instituted by King Wilhelm I on July 19th 1870 for award during the Franco-Prussian War and again on August 5th 1914, by King Wilhelm II for award during WWI.
On September 1st 1939 Hitler once more re-instituted the Iron Cross series of awards in the First and Second Classes and established the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The first class medal was for award to personnel who performed three to five acts of bravery in combat, and had already been awarded the Iron Cross second class.Recipients of an Iron Cross were permitted, with the proper documentation, to privately purchase a jeweler's copy of the award, at their own expense, if so desired.

Iron Cross
1939 pattern, die struck three piece, magnetic cross with a single piece core and a two piece alloy frame. The obverse of the award features an embossed, central, canted, swastika with re-institution date, "1939", to the bottom arm. The swastika is in nice high relief while the date is somewhat lower. The plain reverse of the award has a solid, soldered hinge, a broad, thick, tapered, vertical, pin and catch all intact. The reverse of the pin is well marked with the stamped manufacturerss numerical code "26", indicating manufacture by (Hersteller): B.H. Mayer, Pforzheim.

Material frame / core: nickel silver / iron
Height: 29mm
Width: 29mm
Weight: 18,88 g
Magnetic.

Engraving:
Hpt. Getr.
Schwerdtfeger
FP.N.
01321 (Stab z.b.v. Artillerie-regiment 618)