Post-World War II[edit]
Emblem of the German Armed Forces[edit]
![[icon]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section requires expansion.(January 2009) |
The Iron Cross is the emblem of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, marked on armored vehicles and aircraft, based on the 1916-March 1918 design at its core, with a matching quartet of flared "flanks" inherited from the Balkenkreuz present.
German Military Decoration[edit]
As Modern German law prohibits the wearing of a swastika, the West German government authorised replacement Iron Crosses in 1957 with an Oak Leaf Cluster in place of the swastika, similar to the Iron Crosses of 1813, 1870, and 1914, which could be worn by World War II Iron Cross recipients. The 1957 law also authorised de-Nazified versions of most other World War II–era decorations (except those specifically associated with Nazi Party organizations, such as SS Long Service medals, or with the expansion of the German Reich, such as the medals for the annexation of Austria, the Sudetenland, and the Memel region).
Since German armed forces began seeing active service again, first in Kosovo and then in Afghanistan, there has been a campaign to revive the Iron Cross and other military medals, since Germany currently has no awards specifically for active military service. In 2007, a petition to the German parliament to revive the Iron Cross decoration was initiated, quickly receiving over 5,000 signatures.
The parliament decided on 13 December 2007 to leave it to the Ministry of Defence to decide on the matter.[12] On 6 March 2008, President Horst Köhler approved a proposal by Minister of DefenseFranz Josef Jung to institute a new award for bravery. The Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit (Cross of Honor for Bravery) was instituted on 10 October 2008. However, it does not have the traditional form of the Iron Cross (resembling instead more the Prussian Military Merit Cross), but is seen as a supplement of existing awards of the Bundeswehr.[13]
The Iron Cross was used as the symbol of the German Army until 1915, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. On 1 October 1956, the President of Germany, Theodor Heuss, gave directions to use the Iron Cross as the official emblem of West Germany's Bundeswehr. Today, after German reunification, it appears in the colors blue and silver as the symbol of the "new" Bundeswehr. This design does not replace the traditional black Iron Cross, however, which can be found on all armored vehicles, planes and helicopters of today's German forces.
When the Quadriga of the Goddess of Peace was retrieved from Paris at Napoleon's fall, the Goddess was re-established atop Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. An Iron Cross was inserted into her laurelwreath, making her into a Goddess of Victory. In 1821 Schinkel crowned the top of his design of the National Monument for the Liberation Wars with an Iron Cross, becoming name-giving as Kreuzberg(cross mountain) for the hill it stands on and – 100 years later – for the homonymous quarter adjacent to it.[14]
In post-war pop culture[edit]
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The Iron Cross has been popular with many bikers, hot rodders, skinheads and others, using German iconic militaria to promote a tough-guy image, or as a symbol of rebellion or non-conformity.
In the 1960s, the Iron Cross was adopted by American surfers, who started wearing medals plundered by their fathers. Cal Look, Volksrod and other Volkswagen enthusiasts often use the Iron Cross as a symbol that reflects the car's country of origin. Ed Roth created accessories for surfers, hot rodders and bikers derived from German World War II trophies, which included the Surfer's cross and the Stahlhelm (also popular with the VW scene). There is an American hardcore band called Iron Cross. Roy Orbison has been filmed wearing an Iron Cross necklace while performing. Metallica lead singer and guitarist James Hetfield has a custom version of the ESP Eclipse(based on the Gibson Les Paul) with the Iron Cross emblazoned on it. This version is known as the "ESP JH-6 Iron Cross". Mortuus, the singer of the Swedish black metal band Marduk, is seen in many promotional and live photos wearing an iron cross on a choker chain. The Cult incorporated Iron Cross medals and imagery extensively for their Electric and Sonic Temple albums. Motörhead lead singer and bassist Lemmy can be seen wearing an Iron Cross live, and often in interviews as he owns a very large collection of German memorabilia. WWE wrestler Triple H (Paul Levesque) has made a variation of the Iron Cross his logo since the early part of the 2000s; the symbol appears six times on his wrestling attire (front and back of trunks, on both elbow pads and on the sides of his boots).
See also[edit]
- Cross pattée
- List of military decorations
- Orders, decorations, and medals of Imperial Germany
- Orders, decorations, and medals of Nazi Germany
- Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Oxalis tetraphylla (a common name is Iron Cross)
Similar-looking awards or crosses[edit]
- Biker Cross
- Krzyż Powstania Warszawskiego (Cross of the Warsaw Uprising)
- Marksmanship Badge (United States)
Similar crosses[edit]
- ✠ Maltese Cross
- ᛭ Runic alphabet cross punctuation symbol
- Cross potent
- Order of Christ Cross
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