German WWII Iron Cross 1st Class by Paul Maybauer-This is a very desirable 1939 Iron Cross with a screwback. The black finish on the iron core is 80% in place, there are three spots of finish loss on the upper arm, as well as both the left and right. The silver frame is nicely toned. The silver tone on the reverse is very nice. The screwback works as it should. The small stabilizing pin is still in place on the reverse of the top arm. This is in place to prevent the award from spinning around on your tunic. The medal is lightly marked on the reverse with L/13 which is the code for Paul Maybauer. This is a good example.
History: The German Iron Cross of 1939, awarded during World War II, was a reintroduction of the historic Prussian Iron Cross by Adolf Hitler at the start of the conflict, featuring a swastika in the center and a ribbon incorporating the colors of the TR regime (black, white, and red) instead of the traditional Prussian black and white stripes. This medal was essentially a way to continue the tradition of military valor recognition while aligning it with the new ideology.