This extensive study, the result of many years of painstaking research, provides the collector and historian with an in-depth analysis of all grades of the 1939 issue of the most famous military decoration of all time. As well as covering all major variants of the Iron Cross itself, miniatures, presentation cases and award documents with many of their variants are also included. Special emphasis has been placed on the various manufacturers, to include their markings and the minuscule but unique die characteristics of their products

Until now, this essential reference book has only been available in its hard-to-find German version - Helion are pleased to announce not only a complete translation of this important source. The text lists all known recipients (over 7,000 of them), giving name, rank, unit, and date of award for each. Recipients of the higher classes of this decoration, such as the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, are also included. Elite of the Third Reich is destined to become a standard reference work on the Second World War German Armed Forces - Army, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS. The publication of occasional updates is planned, containing corrections and amendments.

In 1939 a new grade in the Iron Cross series was introduced, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). It was awarded for a variety of reasons, from skilled leadership to a single act of extreme gallantry, and was bestowed across all ranks, grades, and branches of service. As the war progresed, further distinctions were created for bestowal on existing winners, namely Oak-Leaves (Eichenlaub); Oak-Leaves with Swords (Eichenlaub und Schwertern); and Oak-Leaves with Swords and Diamonds (Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten). This book, the first in a sequence of four, covers winners of the Knights Cross and the Oak-Leaves distinction in the period 1939-40.

Tells the stories of a variety of German soldiers who won the Iron Cross medal during World War II

Iron Cross Award Documents of World War II by Brian Razkauskas is the first comprehensive presentation and study of the 1939 Iron Cross award document. It features over 200 Iron Cross First and Second Class award citations and related material and dissects the documents' various attributes, all while presenting them in historical context. Included are in-depth studies of Iron Cross award regulations, award proceedings, casualty-related awards, unit-specific awards and award document variants. It is likely to be the ultimate source for Iron Cross collectors, and Iron Cross award document collectors and researchers, for years to come.