It's interesting how so many items are considered iconic Nazi items. And yet, the Iron Cross, much like the P08 Luger, were developed long before the rise of the Nazi Party.
They really invented very little that is associated with them. The Swastika is a religious symbol in Bushism and Hinduism, the Nazi salute comes from the Roman Empire, the Nazi Eagle is also a much older symbol. Even the SS dearth’s head takes inspiration from past Germanic militaries and maritime flags.
nothing to boost significance of a relic like creating and fostering a cult personality. Hitler was a master. Most of history's mass murderers had that attribute. The swastika had been used for centuries before the a-holes misappropriated it officially in 1939.
@@vokkera6995 Or crazy thought the Nazies toke in the early years a lot from the Kaiserreich to win supporters and in the best case get the Kaiser back so if everything goes to shit they can blame him
At the end of the war Rudel did not want to be captured by the Russians so he flew his Stuka an American airfield near Prague. As his aircraft came to a halt at the airfield he had the canopy open but slammed it shut when a young American climbed aboard his aircraft with the intension of stealing his Knight's Cross. He refused to open the canopy until he could do so safely.
@@lookup49 Thanks. That's very interesting because I remember that in Mark Felton's video on Rudel and in it he mentions the incident when the young American airman tried to steal the award and I have found Mark to be very good at his history. I will have to rewatch the video.
@@VonDilling In general I'm wary of stories that have only surfaced since all the veterans are dead and also wary of just how many have surfaced in the last few years. For example, in Operation Biting, the autobiography stated 90 soldiers not 200. I think sometimes there can be several accounts from different perspectives and historians are picking and choosing sometimes.
Another famous person associated with the Iron Cross was Siegfried Müller, better known under his nickname "Kongo-Müller" for his involvement in the Simba-Rebellion in the 1960s as a mercenary. He wore the Cross on his uniform in combat and unproven rumors are that he kept a second one on his pyjama
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i read his book, The World's a Balloon ( published 1971 ).. very witty and self-deprecating . Niven was a true gent who played down his role as a WW2 commando - he could have stayed in hollywood where his career had just taken off prior to UK entry into the war. studio bosses didnt want to let him go even.
the modern german military did not abolish the iron cross as an award. it is just unused because the Iron Cross is a strictly "war time" awarard and since 1945 despite taking part in certain military operations like afghanistan, germany has not been "at war" offically with anyone
We used to joke that the basic Army Marksmanship badge looked an awful lot like the Iron Cross. In the 80’s and 90’s, most in my unit would use liquid Brasso to remove the black from them. The Expert Marksman badges looked especially awesome all in high luster silver. We’d even do the clasps (rifle, M203, grenade, etc.) the same way.
One notable Iron Cross recipient missing from this video, Surgeon-General William Manley VC CB. He was awarded the VC in 1864 during the Maori Wars in New Zealand, and Iron Cross (second class) in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian Wars. He also collected a bunch of other tinware from the Crimea to Egypt/Sudan and Afghanistan.
Omg I remember the looney toons cartoon I used to watch then with my grandma back when I was a kid I rember that specific episode being one of my favorites
It honestly is THE war medal, though. Military History Visualized did a very detailed video on the Iron Cross that visualize why it's such a highly regarded medal. th-cam.com/video/kBNZ8ZRrtF0/w-d-xo.html
Its crazy that Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (King Charles John lll) was a French born Marshal of the Empire, a Crown Prince, a King, whos bloodline is still on the throne to this day, and a Generalissimo of Sweden got one of the higher awards of the Prussian Iron Cross. Idk i just love the fact that he has one of these medals that are pretty rare.
Ironically I've just ordered an Iron cross first class in used beautiful condition about an hour before seeing your excellent video. Very iconic and collectable still after all these years. Getting rare and expensive.
In Germany, the Iron Cross was also used in obituaries to show that the deceased was killed in action. It can also be found on some graves. And some cities have the Iron Cross in the city's coat of arms.
That current German award is NOT an Iron Cross, but it is a good one that looks nice. The Germans only ever awarded Iron Crosses during wartime, and obviously Germany has not been at war since 1945. American adventurism doesn't count as a war, and even Germany was kind of embarrassed to have their citizens killed in American wars and didn't want to be seen as glorifying illegal wars, so that's kind of why they didn't want to reinstate the Iron Cross and just made a new award instead. I am certain if Russia invaded Germany that they would bring it back in all its iron glory.
Many, dare I say, thousands of war and other feature films, series and war documentaries in which this award appears. But the one in "Sahara" from 1995 when Tambul takes it from the disabled Luftwaffe hero is what I remember most in war film history. And by the way, Steiner 2 a.k.a. 1979's Breakthrough was a worthy sequel to Cross of Iron. Very good video quality John. Here your medal:🏅🧛♂💂♀💂♀💂♀💂♀💂♀💂♀
Thanks, Johnny, for another great and very informative post. I also learned something I'd never been aware of: in "Inglorious Basterds" when I saw Landa's gold RK of the KVK, I thought, "Now why did they do THAT?" I never knew that such a version had been approved but never issued, just like the Diamonds to the DKiG. Thanks again!
For the records, the 1957 "de-nazified" version was not awarded in the Bundeswehr. The respective law meant that veterans (be it retired or in service again) who had earned any Iron Cross variants during the war were now allowed to wear them, and most other respective awards (no Nazi party stuff though), in versions without Nazi symbols.
My grandfather was awarded the Iron Cross first and second class while serving as an engineering officer on torpedo boats with the Kriegsmarine. When I asked him how he earned his awards he said it was automatically awarded when the ships captain was awarded the knights cross. If you previously were awarded the lower class it meant the first class was then awarded. I don’t know if my grandfather earned those decorations serving with the same captain though. BTW, not mentioned was an interim award between the Iron Cross first class and the Knights Cross, known as the Deutsches Kreuz. It was the swastika medal in a circular sunburst pattern worn on the right breast pocket you sometimes saw in this video.
My great-grandfather and his brother were both awarded the Knight's Cross Generalleutnant Ludwig Stamer and Fregattenkapitän Heinz Stamer. Im luck enough to still have about 90% of their war time items as when my dad pasted away my brothers and sister wanted nothing to do with that stuff
Goering was also awarded the Pour le Mérite during WW-I for personal valour. That beat all of the Iron Cross classes at the time. He also got the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross in WWII. Personally, I think the Pour le Mérite for bravery beats the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross awarded for leadership - despite them being in different wars
I'll have to do a video for the Pour le Mérite and thanks for mentioning it. I felt like if I introduced one more award during the video my eyes would have fully crossed over. German/Prussian awards are complicated.
For the record: Hermann Goering had also a Zahringer Lion medal. Not seen in the Nuremberg series from 2000. Brian Cox played the fatty Reichsmarschall.
Goering didn't just get the Knight's Cross in WW2 - he also got the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, a larger and far more prestigious version that was only awarded a total of only 15 times in all of history, and only one in WW2.
The Pour Le Merit created by Frederick The Great, was a Prussian Award .Only officers could receive it . The Knights Cross Of The Iron Cross, created in 1939 , could be awarded to all ranks.
It's interesting too that a similar symbol to the Iron Cross was worn by Prussian Landwehr Militia during the Napoleonic Wars. It was on their caps after many landwehr regiments were raised in 1813.
That was excellent. Great film selection, flow, editing, commentary. If I had to make one change, I would have added the dialog of General Weidling when he shows Hitler's staff generals his Knights Cross. "You see this?? I forbid you to use that tone of questioning on me!"
In addition to David Niven, there are two other good (Allied) British who received the Iron Cross 2nd class. Namely Sergeant-Mayor Coward in "The Password Is Courage" 1962 and In the film "The Triple Cross" (1966) in which Von Rundstedt pins on Eddie Chapman (Christopher Plummer) the spy an Iron Cross 2nd class, strangely enough the 2nd class turns into this film after 2 minutes in a 1st class version. Hollywood magic, so to speak.
Another fun fact about the Iron Cross: it's very common in the biker sub-culture, because many biker clubs were founded by WWII veterans who brought Iron Crosses back as war trophies and used them to decorate their bikes or were wearing them. You see it also a lot in the hotrodded racing car scene and James Hetfield from Metallica has an ESP signature guitar model with it, because he's a motor bike & hotrodded car enthusiast.
LOVE these educational videos, especially in awards. I was taken back that women were awarded this honor, especially in this time period! I wonder if you could do some segment on women in some theaters of war and their portrayal (fighting i mean)?
The Iron Cross was always an exclusive war time award and not just any war but a war deemed to threaten the existence of Prussia/Germany. It's activation was thus the government''s ultimate call to arms. For example the Iron Cross wasn't active in the war with Denmark or Austria in the 1860thies, these wars just weren't important enough.(Prussia/Germany always had other generic awards for valor.) The Iron Cross is thus not just not an award for valor, but valor displayed when the nations fate is on the line. This is what made it so unique and coveted. It's four iterations(which are separete awards) spans a mere 12 year. Talking about "reinstituting" the Iron Cross shows a complete lack of understanding of it's legacy. The Balkenkreuz is just a stylized Iron Cross, not a seperate symbol, to mark military equipement. The non stylized version is used today as to distance it from the WWII use. That the award snowballed at the end of the war wasn't some kind of inflation in value., when you face hopeless odds continuosuly acts of heroism will necessarily become routine.
I can't get over how the war with Austria wasn't considered important enough to revive the Iron Cross. What an insult to Austria! And its allies! Austria had major German states like Bavaria, Hanover, and Saxony on its side in that conflict; it was -- at least on paper when the war started -- an even contest. Yes, Prussia won crushingly, but it also did so in the Franco-Prussian War. And arguably an Austrian victory would have been much more dangerous than a French one.
I have a 1914 Iron Cross that was in with some of my mom's trinkets. She said that my Great Uncle got it in WW1. She didn't know exactly how he acquired it. He was an American soldier. I was going to try to sell it, but knowing exactly what it is, I think I'll hang on to it.
If you haven’t already, could you maybe do a video on those batons that are often times seen in the hands of high-ranking military officers? Always love seeing your videos Johnny. Even though sometimes I can’t really read the titles of the films in the upper left corner.
And The Hell's Angels. Peter Fonda also had a Nazi iron cross hanging around his neck in the 1966 "Wild Angels" motorcycle gang film. But how was it possible that in "The Odessa File" (1974) Til Kiwe sells an Iron Cross that had nothing on it...? The antique store scene.
I've watched plenty of films and besides the cross always wondered what the distinction was for the different colored ribbons attached to the buttonhole on the tunics. This made it all very clear and easy to understand. Thanks!
Dear John, This has become a wonderfully interesting video. 100 Thumbs up from me!!! //////But Telly should have used an Iron Cross 1st class in "The Dirty Dozen and the deadly mission" in 1987 to close a bullet hole in an SS officer's costume during the opera scene. GREAT VIDEO THIS!
I still have my great-great-grandfather's iron cross ww-1, since southern Denmark came under German rule in the second Schleswig war, my great-great-grandfather fought on the German side while the rest of Denmark was neutral.
A video or two about the transition of Prussia into Germany could be in order because of this. I have one thing to add: did animals also get Iron Crosses or something similar, like that cat from that Gramps Is In The Resistance clip (unless I'm getting its strange context wrong)? Dang, all those small additions to the medal bring into mind the Kalidor Crescent from Star Wars, particularly the ones received in the X-Wing games. That German general on WW2 Cherbourg putting up medals for his beleaguered men, according to Nivens, brings into mind certain RTS game upgrade systems.
I myself collect original iron cross examples, recently I’ve gotten into First World War “800” iron crosses that were made of silver, and I’ve gotta say this overview has it pretty spot on. I’ve got no corrections to add
Small correction at 0:30 : those aren't teutonic knights. The red and white ones are Knights Templar and the other ones Johaniter Knights iirc. The teutonic order wore a black cross on a white background. They also didn't fight in the Levant I believe.
My parents stole and threw mine away after I bought a real (or real enough) one in an antique store. All I remember is it wasn't schnotzee. Still have a polish interwar silver pin. When I was 13 I bought war artifacts and almost nothing survives. I was a camo kid for a while, my school backpack was Korean war. Kids are weird. Not my fault, even the ninja turtles dumped their pizza van for a desert camo humvee.
I'm sure it sounds different in the native language and I have nothing but admiration for the men and women who have been awarded such a time-honoured piece of iconography. But in English, hearing something like "the knights cross of the royal cross bearers cross of the legion of the iron cross" sounds kinda funny in how often the word is used in such rapid succession.
It makes no sense that Germany refused to revive the Iron Cross and instead made up a different bravery & leadership medal for its troops in the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan. The fear was obviously that it would somehow look Nazi, but the Iron Cross existed for three different pre-Nazi wars: the Napoleonic Wars, the Franco-Prussian War, and World War One. It especially makes no sense to to shy away from the Iron Cross as a medal now because Germany STILL USES IT as its symbol on its tanks and warplanes!
That was because the Iron Cross was only issued during a huge conflict that directly threatened Germany's existence. The Afghanistan conflict was nowhere near that scale
@@Kalashnikov413 I still don't understand why Prussia didn't activate it for the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The two sides were very evenly matched on paper at least. Both had significant allies among the other German states; Austria most notably having Bavaria, Saxony, and Hanover. And Berlin was much closer to enemy territory than Vienna was, making this war far riskier than the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 for which the Iron Cross WAS activated. There was no prospect of the French being able to reach Berlin in 1870 but a non-trivial danger of the Austrians and their allies doing so in 1866. Yet no Iron Cross.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! Have you done a video on other insignia (sleeve and lapels) in the German armies? What's with the red thingy on the lapels? Again, thanks!
You forgot the Gold Cross. A very meritous award. Generally given when someone won the Close Combat Clasp in Gold or for other combat deeds. This clasp was only issued 600 times, and held mote prestige among combat troops than any other award. As were the Assault Badge in Gold and Tank Destruction Badge. The Iron Cross 2nd class medal was only worn on the day of issue. After that the ribbon was worn, only. Lastly, the Knights Cross went mainly to officers and air aces. 100 air victories got you one. "We may give our lives to our country, but we give our blood, to our brothers. "
Very cool video. I picked up an authentic. Iron cross from an antique mall not far from me. After watching this video im sure now its an Iron Cross 1st Class with the red and black ribbon. Quite eerie to see the swastika on it but its a part of history that we must not forget
Love you introducing that clip from Bugs Bunny where Yosemite Sam slaps away the Iron Cross. He wanted to go on liberty and party with the fraulein! Not fight a crazy wabbit in the air! Well done segment on the Iron Cross!
I wonder why Monopoly has those tokens. When I was a kid the tokens were cast from lead, but I think those were replaced with something non-toxic in case a kid decides to eat his rather than move it to Boardwalk. There was an iron, a boot, a racing car, a Scottie dog, a thimble, a hat, and a battleship. Did those shapes have a significance?
I would suggest for another subject a discussion of the book "Mein Kampf". And you would have to include the silent, dialogue free film sequence from "The Enemy Below" where the Captain (Kurt Jergens) motions to Heine (Theo Bikel) to look at the Chief Engineer (Robert Boon) leafing through a copy of the book. The looks on their faces is priceless, and I think is a key element if the film, one of the first post-war movies to paint the Germans in a more favorable, anti Nazi, light.
MK is neither a weapon, nor a part of a uniform, nor a military commander, nor anything that is subject of this channel. MK is a bunch of brain farts by a certain dictator put into book shape for propaganda purposes.
One of the things that is frustrating for me is they didnt put serial numbers on the award so I cannot figure out where the cross I possess originally was awarded to.
That was an interesting video for sure! Ever considered making one about the "Mutterkreuz" (Cross of Honour of the German Mother)? It's another medal many people haven't even heard of!
It's not a war medal. It was a medal awarded to women who had born a minimum of four children. Those children of course had to be "aryan". It was a nazi propaganda tool and should therefore discussed as little as possible.
Years ago my dad collected 3 cases of german medals from wwi to cold war. We have a wwi iron cross and wwii iron crosses. They look brand new being always in cases.
I collected german medals for some time. the 1957 ones are not guaranteed to be made in that year. In fact they have a high chance of being made decades later than 1957 . So if you start collecting too, keep that in mind.
My wife's uncle was awarded the iron Cross in WW11. He also had the infantry assault badge. He was in the German army from 1933 until 1945, took part in the invasion of Poland, fought all the way to Moscow, then on the western front. Wounded at least half a dozen times, then lived to be almost 100 years old.
It's interesting how so many items are considered iconic Nazi items. And yet, the Iron Cross, much like the P08 Luger, were developed long before the rise of the Nazi Party.
Nazis really like to ruin historical icons
They really invented very little that is associated with them. The Swastika is a religious symbol in Bushism and Hinduism, the Nazi salute comes from the Roman Empire, the Nazi Eagle is also a much older symbol. Even the SS dearth’s head takes inspiration from past Germanic militaries and maritime flags.
nothing to boost significance of a relic like creating and fostering a cult personality. Hitler was a master. Most of history's mass murderers had that attribute. The swastika had been used for centuries before the a-holes misappropriated it officially in 1939.
It’s almost like symbols change meanings over time with context or something
@@vokkera6995 Or crazy thought the Nazies toke in the early years a lot from the Kaiserreich to win supporters and in the best case get the Kaiser back so if everything goes to shit they can blame him
*Take a shot everytime Johnny says Iron Cross.*
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Instructions unclear.
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At the end of the war Rudel did not want to be captured by the Russians so he flew his Stuka an American airfield near Prague. As his aircraft came to a halt at the airfield he had the canopy open but slammed it shut when a young American climbed aboard his aircraft with the intension of stealing his Knight's Cross. He refused to open the canopy until he could do so safely.
I read his autobiography and he mentions that his awards were stolen at the time of his capture.
@@lookup49 Thanks. That's very interesting because I remember that in Mark Felton's video on Rudel and in it he mentions the incident when the young American airman tried to steal the award and I have found Mark to be very good at his history. I will have to rewatch the video.
@@bigblue6917ehh Felton is not without mistakes.
@@VonDilling In general I'm wary of stories that have only surfaced since all the veterans are dead and also wary of just how many have surfaced in the last few years. For example, in Operation Biting, the autobiography stated 90 soldiers not 200. I think sometimes there can be several accounts from different perspectives and historians are picking and choosing sometimes.
@@VonDilling felton is god!
Another famous person associated with the Iron Cross was Siegfried Müller, better known under his nickname "Kongo-Müller" for his involvement in the Simba-Rebellion in the 1960s as a mercenary. He wore the Cross on his uniform in combat and unproven rumors are that he kept a second one on his pyjama
Der lachende Mann
Siegfried Muller? OF REICHSKOMISSARIAT ZENTRALAFRIKA??? ‼️‼️HOLY FUCKING SHIT‼️‼️‼️‼️ IS THAT A MOTHERFUCKING TNO REFERENCE??????!!!!!!!!!!11!1!1!1!1!1!1! 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱 TNO IS THE BEST FUCKING MOD 🔥🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯💯 SABLIN IS SO BLESSEDDD 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎👊👊 BLACKSUN BLACKSUN BLACKSUN BLACKSUN BLACKSUN 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩 😩😩😩😩KISHIPURGE KISHIPURGE KISHIPURGE KISHIPURGE KISHIPURGE KISHIPURGE🤬😡🤬😡🤬😡🤬🤬😡🤬🤬😡LBJALLTHEWAY LBJALLTHEWAY LBJALLTHEWAY LBJALLTHEWAY LBJALLTHEWAY LBJALLTHEWAY LBJALLTHEWAY LBJALLTHEWAY LBJALLTHEWAY NIXON IS NOT A CROOK! RFK BLESSED RFK BLESSED RFK BLESSED RFK BLESSED Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Yo Speer! 🇩🇪 Alexei is still alive?!? TICK TOCK FUNNI MAN HAS A MENTAL BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN ❓❓❓❓❓❓❓❓❓❓SHRIMP BOAT SHRIMP BOAT SHRIMP BOAT So Long...‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂😂SANE DSR PATH WHEN? SANE DSR PATH WHEN? SANE DSR PATH WHEN? SANE DSR PATH WHEN? SANE DSR PATH WHEN? SANE DSR PATH WHEN? SANE DSR PATH WHEN? SANE DSR PATH WHEN? 😂🤣🤣🤣😂😂Big Building in Neu Berlin? Big Building in Neu Berlin? Big Building in Neu Berlin? Big Building in Neu Berlin? Big Building in Neu Berlin? Big Building in Neu Berlin? Big Building in Neu Berlin? Big Building in Neu Berlin? 🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺I hate Boris Yeltsin 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺I hate Boris Yeltsin 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺I hate Boris Yeltsin 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺I hate Boris Yeltsin 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺 Yockey and Hall best paths for America
“And That’s How I Won The Iron Cross” - Grandpa Simpson (Also Please Cover The Obrez Pistol)
Hahaha
You'll get your iron cross for this Vonn ryan
"I never thought I could shoot down a German plane. But last year, I proved myself wrong."
David Niven was always the absolute gentleman and a brilliant guy. Sadly missed.
i read his book, The World's a Balloon ( published 1971 ).. very witty and self-deprecating . Niven was a true gent who played down his role as a WW2 commando - he could have stayed in hollywood where his career had just taken off prior to UK entry into the war. studio bosses didnt want to let him go even.
Brave chap
Niven did a nice acting job in "Escape to Athena" in 1979 . Roger moore was like a rat on a drainpipe.
Professor Blake. Great movie. Loved it. @@TellySavalas-or5hf
Great story teller too, draws you in.@@coling3957
the modern german military did not abolish the iron cross as an award. it is just unused because the Iron Cross is a strictly "war time" awarard and since 1945 despite taking part in certain military operations like afghanistan, germany has not been "at war" offically with anyone
That's right. All I was saying was that Iron Crosses with the swastika can't be worn hence the reissue for WW2 vets with the oak-leaf cluster.
We used to joke that the basic Army Marksmanship badge looked an awful lot like the Iron Cross. In the 80’s and 90’s, most in my unit would use liquid Brasso to remove the black from them. The Expert Marksman badges looked especially awesome all in high luster silver. We’d even do the clasps (rifle, M203, grenade, etc.) the same way.
The German troops would jokingly call the cross with leaves and swords the "plate with salad and cutlery".
why remove the black?
@@VikingTeddyAnd who said Germans weren’t funny😂
@@VikingTeddyBut what kind of salad though? Would it be...
_Kaiser_ salad? Or Thousand Years dressing?
lol! That brought back memories. Gotta’ admit, I loved having Pistol and Tank Weapon clasps on my Expert badge.
I've got a War Merit Cross with Swords. It's nice you brought it up as it is often overshadowed by the Iron Cross.
Let me guess... From grandpa in Argentina?
I got a War Merit Cross with Swords from my grandpa. He was in the Canadian army though... not the German one.
Also Seen in "Enemy at the Gates" Ed Harris wears one.
😂😂🤣🤣@@themaniomarian
Christmas present 15 years ago, for courage under fire.@@themaniomarian
One notable Iron Cross recipient missing from this video, Surgeon-General William Manley VC CB. He was awarded the VC in 1864 during the Maori Wars in New Zealand, and Iron Cross (second class) in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian Wars. He also collected a bunch of other tinware from the Crimea to Egypt/Sudan and Afghanistan.
Omg I remember the looney toons cartoon I used to watch then with my grandma back when I was a kid I rember that specific episode being one of my favorites
Something that in today's environment you really can't get away with.
its pretty wild to see how much history can be behind something as simple as a medal, great vid!
Also can say good video as well and really gives insight on what those medals the Nazi and German army gave out.
It honestly is THE war medal, though. Military History Visualized did a very detailed video on the Iron Cross that visualize why it's such a highly regarded medal.
th-cam.com/video/kBNZ8ZRrtF0/w-d-xo.html
@@Julenissen117 That's really something and who knows what other topics JJ can cover next. Since there's a lot of choices now.
The highest Dekoration in WW1 was Not the Cross it was :Pour le Merite !
My goodness is that the Burgermeister Meisterburger?
Its crazy that Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (King Charles John lll) was a French born Marshal of the Empire, a Crown Prince, a King, whos bloodline is still on the throne to this day, and a Generalissimo of Sweden got one of the higher awards of the Prussian Iron Cross. Idk i just love the fact that he has one of these medals that are pretty rare.
Ironically I've just ordered an Iron cross first class in used beautiful condition about an hour before seeing your excellent video.
Very iconic and collectable still after all these years.
Getting rare and expensive.
In Germany, the Iron Cross was also used in obituaries to show that the deceased was killed in action. It can also be found on some graves. And some cities have the Iron Cross in the city's coat of arms.
That current German award is NOT an Iron Cross, but it is a good one that looks nice. The Germans only ever awarded Iron Crosses during wartime, and obviously Germany has not been at war since 1945. American adventurism doesn't count as a war, and even Germany was kind of embarrassed to have their citizens killed in American wars and didn't want to be seen as glorifying illegal wars, so that's kind of why they didn't want to reinstate the Iron Cross and just made a new award instead. I am certain if Russia invaded Germany that they would bring it back in all its iron glory.
Take a shot every time Johnny say "Cross"
😅😅😅😅
Many, dare I say, thousands of war and other feature films, series and war documentaries in which this award appears. But the one in "Sahara" from 1995 when Tambul takes it from the disabled Luftwaffe hero is what I remember most in war film history. And by the way, Steiner 2 a.k.a. 1979's Breakthrough was a worthy sequel to Cross of Iron. Very good video quality John. Here your medal:🏅🧛♂💂♀💂♀💂♀💂♀💂♀💂♀
Sahara from 1995 was the remake M8!
Tambul killed the Knights Cross winner, was he Joachim Marseille the Luftwaffe ace?!
Thanks, Johnny, for another great and very informative post. I also learned something I'd never been aware of: in "Inglorious Basterds" when I saw Landa's gold RK of the KVK, I thought, "Now why did they do THAT?" I never knew that such a version had been approved but never issued, just like the Diamonds to the DKiG. Thanks again!
For the records, the 1957 "de-nazified" version was not awarded in the Bundeswehr. The respective law meant that veterans (be it retired or in service again) who had earned any Iron Cross variants during the war were now allowed to wear them, and most other respective awards (no Nazi party stuff though), in versions without Nazi symbols.
My grandfather was awarded the Iron Cross first and second class while serving as an engineering officer on torpedo boats with the Kriegsmarine. When I asked him how he earned his awards he said it was automatically awarded when the ships captain was awarded the knights cross. If you previously were awarded the lower class it meant the first class was then awarded. I don’t know if my grandfather earned those decorations serving with the same captain though. BTW, not mentioned was an interim award between the Iron Cross first class and the Knights Cross, known as the Deutsches Kreuz. It was the swastika medal in a circular sunburst pattern worn on the right breast pocket you sometimes saw in this video.
My great-grandfather and his brother were both awarded the Knight's Cross Generalleutnant Ludwig Stamer and Fregattenkapitän Heinz Stamer. Im luck enough to still have about 90% of their war time items as when my dad pasted away my brothers and sister wanted nothing to do with that stuff
Goering was also awarded the Pour le Mérite during WW-I for personal valour. That beat all of the Iron Cross classes at the time. He also got the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross in WWII. Personally, I think the Pour le Mérite for bravery beats the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross awarded for leadership - despite them being in different wars
I'll have to do a video for the Pour le Mérite and thanks for mentioning it. I felt like if I introduced one more award during the video my eyes would have fully crossed over. German/Prussian awards are complicated.
Erwin Rommel also had a blue max
For the record: Hermann Goering had also a Zahringer Lion medal. Not seen in the Nuremberg series from 2000. Brian Cox played the fatty Reichsmarschall.
Goering didn't just get the Knight's Cross in WW2 - he also got the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, a larger and far more prestigious version that was only awarded a total of only 15 times in all of history, and only one in WW2.
The Pour Le Merit created by Frederick The Great, was a Prussian Award .Only officers could receive it .
The Knights Cross Of The Iron Cross, created in 1939 , could be awarded to all ranks.
In "the Eagle had landed" Michael Caine was also named Steiner. He lost his Knight's Cross after an argument with SS officers.
It's interesting too that a similar symbol to the Iron Cross was worn by Prussian Landwehr Militia during the Napoleonic Wars. It was on their caps after many landwehr regiments were raised in 1813.
That was excellent. Great film selection, flow, editing, commentary.
If I had to make one change, I would have added the dialog of General Weidling when he shows Hitler's staff generals his Knights Cross.
"You see this?? I forbid you to use that tone of questioning on me!"
The cat caught me off guard 😅
Pappy fait de la Resistance from 1983 = a good comedy.
In addition to David Niven, there are two other good (Allied) British who received the Iron Cross 2nd class. Namely Sergeant-Mayor Coward in "The Password Is Courage" 1962 and In the film "The Triple Cross" (1966) in which Von Rundstedt pins on Eddie Chapman (Christopher Plummer) the spy an Iron Cross 2nd class, strangely enough the 2nd class turns into this film after 2 minutes in a 1st class version. Hollywood magic, so to speak.
Another fun fact about the Iron Cross: it's very common in the biker sub-culture, because many biker clubs were founded by WWII veterans who brought Iron Crosses back as war trophies and used them to decorate their bikes or were wearing them. You see it also a lot in the hotrodded racing car scene and James Hetfield from Metallica has an ESP signature guitar model with it, because he's a motor bike & hotrodded car enthusiast.
That didn't become popular until the 1960s. Not WW2 veterans but their kids.
LOVE these educational videos, especially in awards.
I was taken back that women were awarded this honor, especially in this time period!
I wonder if you could do some segment on women in some theaters of war and their portrayal (fighting i mean)?
The Iron Cross was always an exclusive war time award and not just any war but a war deemed to threaten the existence of Prussia/Germany. It's activation was thus the government''s ultimate call to arms. For example the Iron Cross wasn't active in the war with Denmark or Austria in the 1860thies, these wars just weren't important enough.(Prussia/Germany always had other generic awards for valor.)
The Iron Cross is thus not just not an award for valor, but valor displayed when the nations fate is on the line.
This is what made it so unique and coveted. It's four iterations(which are separete awards) spans a mere 12 year. Talking about "reinstituting" the Iron Cross shows a complete lack of understanding of it's legacy.
The Balkenkreuz is just a stylized Iron Cross, not a seperate symbol, to mark military equipement. The non stylized version is used today as to distance it from the WWII use.
That the award snowballed at the end of the war wasn't some kind of inflation in value., when you face hopeless odds continuosuly acts of heroism will necessarily become routine.
I can't get over how the war with Austria wasn't considered important enough to revive the Iron Cross. What an insult to Austria! And its allies! Austria had major German states like Bavaria, Hanover, and Saxony on its side in that conflict; it was -- at least on paper when the war started -- an even contest. Yes, Prussia won crushingly, but it also did so in the Franco-Prussian War. And arguably an Austrian victory would have been much more dangerous than a French one.
@@IrishCarney i mean the prussians really destroyed the austrians in that war and they knew they would
Really iconic decoration. And in fact, a really simple design
take a shot every time he says "Cross"
In all seriousness, great video!
I have a 1914 Iron Cross that was in with some of my mom's trinkets. She said that my Great Uncle got it in WW1. She didn't know exactly how he acquired it. He was an American soldier. I was going to try to sell it, but knowing exactly what it is, I think I'll hang on to it.
Not entirely correct.. Knight Crosses of the iron cross, were also given to privates and NCOs
I stated this. Though I may not have been clear.
7:50 That cat looks very...cross.
If you haven’t already, could you maybe do a video on those batons that are often times seen in the hands of high-ranking military officers?
Always love seeing your videos Johnny. Even though sometimes I can’t really read the titles of the films in the upper left corner.
And The Hell's Angels. Peter Fonda also had a Nazi iron cross hanging around his neck in the 1966 "Wild Angels" motorcycle gang film. But how was it possible that in "The Odessa File" (1974) Til Kiwe sells an Iron Cross that had nothing on it...? The antique store scene.
Actor Tile Kiwe was a Knight's Cross holder. He did Luftwaffe service in WW2.
So good I'm watching again and liking and subscribed
I've watched plenty of films and besides the cross always wondered what the distinction was for the different colored ribbons attached to the buttonhole on the tunics. This made it all very clear and easy to understand. Thanks!
Dear John, This has become a wonderfully interesting video. 100 Thumbs up from me!!! //////But Telly should have used an Iron Cross 1st class in "The Dirty Dozen and the deadly mission" in 1987 to close a bullet hole in an SS officer's costume during the opera scene. GREAT VIDEO THIS!
Very fascinating. That is by far my favorite metal. I think this is in the top 3 videos you’ve ever made Johnny. Congrats!!!
Well thank you kindly 🙏
you should do some on famous US Decorations like the Purple Heart or Medal of Honor
I still have my great-great-grandfather's iron cross ww-1, since southern Denmark came under German rule in the second Schleswig war, my great-great-grandfather fought on the German side while the rest of Denmark was neutral.
A video or two about the transition of Prussia into Germany could be in order because of this.
I have one thing to add: did animals also get Iron Crosses or something similar, like that cat from that Gramps Is In The Resistance clip (unless I'm getting its strange context wrong)?
Dang, all those small additions to the medal bring into mind the Kalidor Crescent from Star Wars, particularly the ones received in the X-Wing games.
That German general on WW2 Cherbourg putting up medals for his beleaguered men, according to Nivens, brings into mind certain RTS game upgrade systems.
I’d award you the Iron Cross, Johnny, if I were able
I myself collect original iron cross examples, recently I’ve gotten into First World War “800” iron crosses that were made of silver, and I’ve gotta say this overview has it pretty spot on. I’ve got no corrections to add
Magnificent research and presentation!!! You are a living encyclopedia!!! Tank´s Johnny!
Small correction at 0:30 : those aren't teutonic knights. The red and white ones are Knights Templar and the other ones Johaniter Knights iirc. The teutonic order wore a black cross on a white background. They also didn't fight in the Levant I believe.
True, except the white cross on black were knights hospitaler.
They did fight in the Levant, however they got in a rivalry with the Knights Templar defeated and pushed out, then mainly focused on Eastern Europe.
I think they missed doing one "Iron cross on iron cross with cross first class iron cross". But that's only my advice, idk
I love how this was just recorded on the spot and not in a studio
Wait
Wrong vid
My parents stole and threw mine away after I bought a real (or real enough) one in an antique store. All I remember is it wasn't schnotzee.
Still have a polish interwar silver pin. When I was 13 I bought war artifacts and almost nothing survives. I was a camo kid for a while, my school backpack was Korean war. Kids are weird.
Not my fault, even the ninja turtles dumped their pizza van for a desert camo humvee.
I'm sure it sounds different in the native language and I have nothing but admiration for the men and women who have been awarded such a time-honoured piece of iconography. But in English, hearing something like "the knights cross of the royal cross bearers cross of the legion of the iron cross" sounds kinda funny in how often the word is used in such rapid succession.
Well, I'm cross I hadn't seen this one yet. Catch ya for another one, Johnny. Take care.
Great overview
A video on the Close Combat Clasp and the various Infantry and Panzer Assault badges in all their grades would be very interesting.
It makes no sense that Germany refused to revive the Iron Cross and instead made up a different bravery & leadership medal for its troops in the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan. The fear was obviously that it would somehow look Nazi, but the Iron Cross existed for three different pre-Nazi wars: the Napoleonic Wars, the Franco-Prussian War, and World War One. It especially makes no sense to to shy away from the Iron Cross as a medal now because Germany STILL USES IT as its symbol on its tanks and warplanes!
That was because the Iron Cross was only issued during a huge conflict that directly threatened Germany's existence. The Afghanistan conflict was nowhere near that scale
@@Kalashnikov413 I still don't understand why Prussia didn't activate it for the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The two sides were very evenly matched on paper at least. Both had significant allies among the other German states; Austria most notably having Bavaria, Saxony, and Hanover. And Berlin was much closer to enemy territory than Vienna was, making this war far riskier than the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 for which the Iron Cross WAS activated. There was no prospect of the French being able to reach Berlin in 1870 but a non-trivial danger of the Austrians and their allies doing so in 1866. Yet no Iron Cross.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! Have you done a video on other insignia (sleeve and lapels) in the German armies? What's with the red thingy on the lapels? Again, thanks!
"And I'll show you where the Iron Crosses grow" -Cpl Steiner
Where is LEMMY Kilmister in the video?
He should be! And was in the original cut to be honest. The clips I had just poorly showed his Cross...
Do Victoria cross and Medal of Honour
Take a drink every time Johnny says “Iron Cross”
Nice explanation of the greatest war decoration of all time!
Victoria Cross?
And its not just a bit of tin! Its got a ribbon on it
I don’t mind decorations, but I ‘cross’ a line when they have similar names.
You forgot the Gold Cross. A very meritous award. Generally given when someone won the Close Combat Clasp in Gold or for other combat deeds. This clasp was only issued 600 times, and held mote prestige among combat troops than any other award. As were the Assault Badge in Gold and Tank Destruction Badge. The Iron Cross 2nd class medal was only worn on the day of issue. After that the ribbon was worn, only.
Lastly, the Knights Cross went mainly to officers and air aces. 100 air victories got you one. "We may give our lives to our country, but we give our blood, to our brothers. "
1:30 Me at every party in college.
I got me a vest with an iron cross embroidery on it. It's one of my most favorite symbols.
You should do a video on the Churchill and its use.
If you know who The Night Witches were and what they did, you'll understand why any German soldier who shot down and or killed one got an iron cross.
In Lima, Peru, we have a private museum, "Museo de Oro" ("Museum of Gold"). There is an exhibition of four German Iron Crosses.
Very cool video. I picked up an authentic. Iron cross from an antique mall not far from me. After watching this video im sure now its an Iron Cross 1st Class with the red and black ribbon. Quite eerie to see the swastika on it but its a part of history that we must not forget
If it has a red and black ribbon it’s a 2nd class. The 1st class had no ribbon.
Wow, never knew this! Thank you so much!
Love you introducing that clip from Bugs Bunny where Yosemite Sam slaps away the Iron Cross. He wanted to go on liberty and party with the fraulein! Not fight a crazy wabbit in the air! Well done segment on the Iron Cross!
Another great vid, JJ.
Enjoyable and informative video. Thank you!
Johnny, you could have said "Iron out of puns today."
Thanks for another fun and interesting video.
Damn! That would have been perfect.
"I will show you where the iron crosses grow "(Feldwebel Rolf Steiner).
During Warsaw Uprising polish Home Army makes medals from Iron Crosses and polish 1zł pre-war coin: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_the_Warsaw_Uprising
Wow, Anthony Hopkins is the spitting image of Him.
You are right. Tony Hopkins is the spitting image of Tony Hopkins.
Hopkins did a Dolfy imitation.
I own one second Class from World War 2. Its quite a Nice Item to own.....it has something special to it. The Prices are Climbing my Friends.
I started collecting militaria in 1971 when my uncle gave me a German helmet. Now I have 9 cased Iron crosses😮😅
I wonder why Monopoly has those tokens. When I was a kid the tokens were cast from lead, but I think those were replaced with something non-toxic in case a kid decides to eat his rather than move it to Boardwalk. There was an iron, a boot, a racing car, a Scottie dog, a thimble, a hat, and a battleship. Did those shapes have a significance?
I would suggest for another subject a discussion of the book "Mein Kampf".
And you would have to include the silent, dialogue free film sequence from "The Enemy Below" where the Captain (Kurt Jergens) motions to Heine (Theo Bikel) to look at the Chief Engineer (Robert Boon) leafing through a copy of the book. The looks on their faces is priceless, and I think is a key element if the film, one of the first post-war movies to paint the Germans in a more favorable, anti Nazi, light.
MK is neither a weapon, nor a part of a uniform, nor a military commander, nor anything that is subject of this channel. MK is a bunch of brain farts by a certain dictator put into book shape for propaganda purposes.
would love to see more awards these are just as enteresting as weapons to me.
General: "For shooting down der enemy and all that kind of jazz... der Iron Cross."
Sam: "Iron Cross?! Ah'm sick and tired of Iron Crosses!"
🤣🤣🤣🤣
2:12 I like how Prussian king first had the Russian order of St George and then only the Iron cross, even on a portrait.
One of the things that is frustrating for me is they didnt put serial numbers on the award so I cannot figure out where the cross I possess originally was awarded to.
You can find that symbol in Templar church ruins
Prob not first but keep up the good content johnny :)
You are first.
You are the first. Iron Cross for you! Edit: You'll just have to pretend my hearting the comment is an Iron Cross.
@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq yay
Consequently, I was second. Do I get a second class?
That was an interesting video for sure! Ever considered making one about the "Mutterkreuz" (Cross of Honour of the German Mother)? It's another medal many people haven't even heard of!
It's not a war medal. It was a medal awarded to women who had born a minimum of four children. Those children of course had to be "aryan". It was a nazi propaganda tool and should therefore discussed as little as possible.
Good video JJ and who knows what others you can do next maybe look into stuff Soviets built is another idea or do.
Years ago my dad collected 3 cases of german medals from wwi to cold war. We have a wwi iron cross and wwii iron crosses. They look brand new being always in cases.
Sam: "Iron Crosses? I'm sick of Iron Crosses!" Lmao!
"A soldier will fight long and hard for a piece of colored ribbon." ~ Napoleon Bonaparte.
I collected german medals for some time. the 1957 ones are not guaranteed to be made in that year. In fact they have a high chance of being made decades later than 1957 . So if you start collecting too, keep that in mind.
My wife's uncle was awarded the iron Cross in WW11. He also had the infantry assault badge. He was in the German army from 1933 until 1945, took part in the invasion of Poland, fought all the way to Moscow, then on the western front. Wounded at least half a dozen times, then lived to be almost 100 years old.
WW2* or WWII* (I = shift+ "i"). World War Eleven has not taken place yet.
@@einundsiebenziger5488 Roman II
Your an expert Johnny, I wouldn't cross you in a debate!
For me one of the most pretty looking awards ever created