Prinzen EK2 Spange

Product Description: This Prinzen EK2 Spange is a beautiful example of an uncommon award. These smaller, “Prinzen” size pieces are hard to find. This one is a high quality example, made of a brass alloy (Buntmetall). Virtually all of the original thick silver finish is still intact, with beautiful age toning. All of the original detail is intact, with a nice, even patina. The reverse of this Prinzen EK2 Spange is flat and smooth, with a deep, uncleaned patina. It’s neatly maker marked behind the swastika with the LDO number “L/15” indicating manufacture by the firm of Otto Schickle in Pforzheim. One of the vertically mounted attachment prongs is present, and the other is missing. Some slight bends on the remaining prong suggest this is a piece that was worn. This desirable and scarce size Iron Cross 2nd Class Spange displays very nicely. The condition rates as very good plus.

Historical Description: When Adolf Hitler reinstituted the historical Iron Cross decoration on September 1, 1939, he also instituted a special new award, the “Wiederholungsspange,” to recognize people who had earned the 1914 Iron Cross during WWI and whose actions in this new war merited being awarded the Iron Cross again. There were two different patterns of this Spange, for the First and Second Classes of the Iron Cross. Both of them took the form of a German national eagle and swastika emblem, with outstretched wings, over a bar with the date “1939.” The First-Class award had a pin attachment or screw back, to enable it to be worn on the uniform pocket over the 1914 Iron Cross. Some combo-type awards are also known, with the Spange fastened to the top arm of the 1914 cross. The Second Class Spange had two or four prongs on the reverse and was affixed to a length of 1914 pattern Iron Cross ribbon. Most of the Spange awards were made of a brass alloy (Buntmetall) with a silver finish, while late war examples were produced from zinc. As with most German combat awards, there were many variations of the Spange produced, including miniature awards for the ribbon bar.

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