An original WWII German Iron Cross 1st Class Screwback (1939) manufactured by Rudolf Souval, Vienna (L/58). Complete with its original L/58-marked screw fastening disc, this scarce three-piece construction example retains an attractive untouched patina and represents a desirable addition to any serious collection of Second World War German militaria.
€ 345
An original Second World War German Iron Cross 1st Class Screwback (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) complete with its original matching screw fastening disc. The award features the classic three-piece construction with a black magnetic iron core and silvered frame, displaying the swastika to the centre and the date 1939 to the lower arm.
The reverse is fitted with its original screwback post and retains the matching screw disc, clearly marked L/58, identifying manufacture by Rudolf Souval of Vienna (Wien). Souval became one of Austria’s principal manufacturers of German military decorations following the Anschluss of 1938 and produced a range of high-quality awards for both military issue and the LDO retail system. The cross displays an attractive untouched patina with honest age-related wear and good overall preservation.
Unlike the standard pin-back Iron Cross 1st Class, the screwback version was designed to provide a particularly secure attachment to the tunic. Produced in significantly smaller numbers than pin-back examples, original screwback awards remain highly sought after by collectors, particularly when retaining their original maker-marked screw disc.
Instituted by Adolf Hitler on 1 September 1939, the Iron Cross 1st Class was awarded only after the recipient had first received the Iron Cross 2nd Class and subsequently distinguished themselves through further acts of bravery or exceptional military leadership. Worn on the left breast pocket of the field tunic, it became one of the most recognised German military decorations of the Second World War.
An excellent original screwback Iron Cross by Rudolf Souval (L/58), complete with its original matching screw disc, representing a desirable and increasingly difficult-to-find addition to any advanced collection of German militaria.
The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) was first established by King Frederick William III of Prussia in 1813 during the Napoleonic Wars. It was later reissued in 1870, 1914, and finally in 1939, when Adolf Hitler reinstated the decoration at the outbreak of the Second World War.
The Iron Cross 1st Class recognised repeated acts of bravery, distinguished leadership or exceptional service in combat. Recipients were required to have first been awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class before becoming eligible for the higher grade.
Although most Iron Cross 1st Class awards utilised a pin-back fastening, a relatively small number were manufactured with a screwback fitting, providing a particularly secure method of attachment to the uniform. These early-production screwback examples are significantly scarcer than their pin-back counterparts and are especially prized when complete with their original matching screw disc.
Rudolf Souval, based in Vienna (Wien), became one of the leading Austrian manufacturers of German military decorations after Austria’s incorporation into the Third Reich in 1938. Their LDO code L/58 identifies production for the authorised retail market. Original wartime screwback Iron Crosses by Souval, particularly complete examples retaining the correctly marked screw disc, remain highly desirable among collectors today.
Very good original condition throughout with attractive untouched patina. The magnetic iron core retains much of its original black finish with light age-related wear, while the silvered frame displays pleasing natural toning. The reverse retains its original screwback post together with the correctly matching L/58 marked screw fastening disc. Honest age-related wear is consistent with wartime manufacture and careful storage over many decades. Please study the photographs carefully as they form part of the description.
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