Original WWI Imperial German Iron Cross 2nd Class & Soldier’s Belt Buckle Group Battlefield Bring-Back from the Somme – Veteran , A Rare Opportunity to Own Two Iconic Relics of the Great War

Original WWI Imperial German Iron Cross 2nd Class & Soldier’s Belt Buckle Group
Battlefield Bring-Back from the Somme – Veteran ,
A Rare Opportunity to Own Two Iconic Relics of the Great War

Offered here is an outstanding First World War Imperial German grouping, comprising an original 1914 Iron Cross Second Class, complete with its ribbon, together with an Imperial German Army enlisted man’s belt buckle. Preserved together for over a century, these two iconic pieces of German military history share an exceptional provenance, having been brought home as battlefield souvenirs by a British soldier who fought on the Somme from 1916 until the Armistice in November 1918.

Discovered during a house clearance in Kent in the 1990s, the medal and buckle had remained with the veteran throughout his lifetime, providing a remarkable and personal connection to one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history.

The Iron Cross – Germany’s Most Recognisable Military Decoration

Few military awards are as instantly recognisable as the Imperial German Iron Cross.

Reinstituted by Kaiser Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, the Iron Cross Second Class (Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse) was awarded to officers and enlisted men alike for acts of bravery, distinguished leadership, and meritorious service in combat, regardless of rank. The decoration was worn suspended from its distinctive black-and-white Prussian ribbon, usually through the second buttonhole of the tunic. Recipients had to be awarded the Second Class before becoming eligible for the First Class.

Manufactured using a blackened iron core within a silver or silver-plated frame, the Iron Cross remains one of the defining military decorations of the First World War and a centrepiece of many serious medal collections.

The Imperial German Belt Buckle

Accompanying the medal is an original Imperial German Army enlisted man’s belt buckle, bearing the Imperial Crown and the famous motto:

“GOTT MIT UNS”
“God With Us”

This pattern buckle was worn by soldiers of the Imperial German Army throughout the Great War and formed an essential part of every infantryman’s field equipment. Constructed from stamped steel or brass (depending on period and branch of service), these buckles became enduring symbols of the German soldier on the Western Front.

Displayed together, the medal and buckle create a striking reminder of the equipment carried and the honours earned by German soldiers during the conflict.

Battlefield

What makes this collection particularly special is its history.

According to the family, both the Iron Cross and the belt buckle were recovered as wartime souvenirs by a British soldier who served continuously on the Western Front, fighting from the Battle of the Somme in 1916 through to the Armistice in 1918.

Rather than being separated over the decades, they remained together within the veteran’s family before emerging from a house clearance in Kent during the 1990s.

Collections retaining such personal provenance are increasingly difficult to find and offer a far stronger historical narrative than individually acquired items.

Condition
Original 1914 Iron Cross Second Class, magnetic.
Original suspension ring and ribbon
Original Imperial German Army belt buckle
Honest age-related wear throughout
Untouched collector’s patina
Excellent display appeal

This is a good original example, 1914 pattern, die struck, iron and alloy construction cross with a single piece iron core and two piece silver alloy frame.

Please study the photographs carefully as they form part of the description.

Collector’s Note

Few combinations capture the story of the First World War more effectively than an Imperial German Iron Cross displayed alongside the belt buckle worn by a German soldier, particularly when both have remained together since being brought home by a British veteran of the Somme.

This grouping represents not only two iconic artefacts of Imperial Germany but also a poignant reminder of the experiences of soldiers on both sides of the trenches. More than a century later, they survive as tangible witnesses to one of history’s defining conflicts.

A Genuine Great War Battlefield Grouping

Whether destined for a private collection, military museum or historical display, this original 1914 Iron Cross Second Class and Imperial German Army belt buckle form an exceptional and increasingly scarce pairing .

An evocative and highly collectible survivor of the First World War, preserving the history of both the men who wore these items and the British soldier who carried them home from the battlefields of France.