Recipients of the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class

These are some examples of recipients, it of course not all inclusive. The list will be updated in the future.

A total of twenty seven females, mainly front line nurses, were awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class. These women were all volunteers who endured great hardships, suffering all of the dangers and daily detrimental side effects of front line living while attempting to alleviate the pain of injured men they could often do little to save. There were also two female Iron Cross 1st Class recipients; Test pilot Hanna Reitsh and Red Cross Sister Else Grossmann, both for personal bravery. Hanna Reitsh, is pictured left wearing the Iron Cross 2nd Class in the traditional fashion.

In the last desperate days of the Third Reich, there were many decorations and promotions. The youngest recipient of the Iron Cross, Alfred was just twelve when he assisted wounded soldiers in his home town of Goldenau in March, 1945. The soldiers, who were pinned down by enemy fire, received first aid which Alfred had learned to administer in the Hitler Youth. For his actions Hitler personally decorated him later the same month.