Question About Wear Of Iron Cross 1st Class

[cavguy]

I was wondering how common it was AND if German Military regulations allowed Soldiers to wear the Iron Cross 1st class, WITHOUT simultaneously wearing the Iron Cross 2nd class ribbon sewn in the button hole of the combat tunic.

Also, did regulations specify specific placement of the EK1 on the combat tunic? IE: left breast pocket, etc..

[Brian R]

You will see a lot of pictures of young officers - often staff men - wearing their EK1 but with no EK 2 ribbon. It was allowed.

Also, regulations specified the wear location for the EK1.

[cavguy]

Thanks for your help!

Concerning the lower enlisted side (Non-NCO); was it common or rare to see a lower enlisted soldier that was awarded both classes of EK, or was the EK more commonly awarded to NCO's and officers.

[Brian R]

In the beginning of the war it was rare. But, after the first year of Barbarossa it was far more common to see the enlisted with an EK1. That said, as guys served, distinguished themselves, and survived, they were promoted.

[jurggie]

Before august 1941, you will find almost no awards what so ever. Not even the most basic ones. 1942 onwards awards become more common and in 44-45 the lion's share of the soldiers had multiple awards.

It's not really rare to see an enlisted soldier with en EKI, but if they had one they were almost always Obergefreiter. A soldier with the rank of Soldat/Gefreiter and an EKI is really rare. But proportionally, -when you distinguish between EM, NCO and officers- the NCO's had the most EKI's. Interestingly, the rank with the highest proportion of EKI's is Oberfeldwebel. You have more than twice as much (and again, we're talking proportionally) Oberfeldwebel who got awarded the Iron Cross 1st class than Leutnant or even Oberleutnant.

About your first question: It is indeed not really rare to see soldiers wearing the EK 1st class but not the ribbon. A shame really cause the ribbons on the tunic are one of the nicest things about a german uniform.

[cavguy]

Thanks for the info!