The repeat clasp for the Iron Cross 1914
The repeat clasp was awarded in two classes, analogous to the Iron Cross . Both classes of the repeat clasp, together with the renewal of the Iron Cross, were instituted by Adolf Hitler on September 1, 1939, and awarded until the end of the war in 1945. Since the Knight's Cross was instituted for the first time in 1939, a repeat clasp was not necessary for it.
Design of the repeat clasp 1939
The 2nd Class consists of a national eagle with short wings. It holds an oak leaf wreath with a swastika in its claws. Below this, a date field with the year "1939." Because the 2nd Class Repetition Clasp was attached to the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class of 1914, it has pins on the back for attachment. Typically, there are four, but two are also possible. In rare cases, clips for sliding onto the ribbon are also available.
The 1st Class consists of a national eagle with wide, spread wings. It holds an oak leaf wreath with a swastika in its claws. Below it is a date field with the year "1939." On the reverse, it has a pin, and in rare cases, a screw disc for direct attachment to the uniform.
Both classes were made of silver-plated non-ferrous metal or zinc, with the edges polished to a high gloss.
Both classes exist in two forms: the early 1st form and the later 2nd form. The two forms can be distinguished by the short sides of the date field. The 1st form has rounded sides, while the 2nd form has simply straight edges. Manufacturer markings sometimes appear on the reverse, but these are the exception rather than the rule. Examples include "L/11" for the company Wilhelm Deumer, Lüdenscheid, "L/12" for the company CE Juncker, Berlin, or the "L/56" for the company Funcke & Brünighaus, Lüdenscheid.
Requirements for the award of the 1939 Repeat Clasp
The prerequisite for the award of the repeat clasp in the respective class was the award of the respective class of the Iron Cross 1914 in World War I. If a recipient of the respective class from 1914 fulfilled the award conditions for the award of an Iron Cross again in World War II, they were not awarded another cross in addition to the cross already awarded in World War I, but instead they were awarded a repeat clasp in the corresponding class. As a brief example, if a soldier was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class 1914 in 1915 and then awarded himself again in World War II in 1939, they were not awarded another Iron Cross, but rather they were awarded the Repeat clasp 2nd Class 1939 in addition to the Iron Cross 2nd Class they had already awarded in 1914.
Award figures for repeat clasps from 1939
Unfortunately, the exact figures are unknown. However, it can be assumed that well over 100.000 awards were given for the second class and several tens of thousands more for the first class.
Wearing the repeat clasps from 1939
The 2nd Class Repetition Clasp, as already described, was worn on the ribbon of the 1914 Iron Cross, 2nd Class. If only the ribbon was worn in the buttonhole of the uniform, the 2nd Class Repetition Clasp was also worn there. The same applied to the medal bar or the field clasp.
The 1st Class Repetition Clasp was worn as a separate award above the Iron Cross 1st Class in 1914 on the left breast of the uniform. Another variant was the direct attachment, by soldering, of the 1st Class Repetition Clasp to the Iron Cross. In this case, it is referred to as a combination. These combinations are very rare.
The certificate for the repeat clasp from 1939
A certificate confirming the award was issued, bearing the signature of the unit commander and the unit's stamp. The award was entered in the recipient's paybook or military record. Often, the same or very similar form was used for the award of the Repetition Clasp as for the Iron Cross.
Value and purchase
Due to the sheer number of different variations, a value can only be determined individually. For a second-class barrette, a rough estimate of €100 can be estimated, but rare versions from special manufacturers can reach €500. For a second-class barrette, a rough estimate of €200 can be estimated, but for special pieces, well over €1.000 is possible. Extensive estates, including certificates, photos, cases, etc., fetch significantly higher prices.
