Germany. A Cased Iron Cross 1939 First Class By Friedrich Orth Of Wien GTRexclude the Banate of Croatia was

the Banate of Croatia was created

3rd Class - Silver with a gilt hammer and sickle insignia

He was later promoted to Lance Corporal and survived the war

seldom awarded in this grade

with an independent flexible nosepiece

Germany. A Cased Iron Cross 1939 First Class By Friedrich Orth Of Wien GTRexclude the Banate of Croatia wasA textbook example of an Iron Cross 1939 First Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1939 1. Klasse) by Friedrich Orth of Vienna; a cross patte of multi piece construction with a blackened iron core (magnetic) within a ribbed border; the obverse with a raised central mobile swastika with the re institution date 1939 in raised numbering on the lower arm; the reverse plain, with a slender banjo style vertical pinback, a barrel hinge, and a slightly rounded catch; maker