{"product_id":"wwi-german-iron-cross-memory-box-with-photo-amp-aviation-plaquette","title":"WWI German Iron Cross Memory Box with Photo \u0026amp; Aviation Plaquette","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"64\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"66\" data-end=\"984\"\u003eThis compact Imperial German remembrance grouping is centered on a fitted presentation-style memory box embossed in silver with the title Kriegserinnerungen 1914-1916, literally “War Memories 1914-1916,” together with a small Iron Cross device and a diagonal strip in the Imperial colors of black, white, and red at the upper left corner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"66\" data-end=\"984\"\u003eThe box measures approximately 4.5 by 6 by 1.5 inches and is covered in a finely grained blue-gray leatherette or pressed paper material over a rigid case body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"66\" data-end=\"984\"\u003eInside, it is divided into two compartments. The left side is velvet-lined and fitted to hold an Iron Cross 2nd Class of the 1914 pattern with its original suspension ribbon, while the right side conceals a second compartment beneath a removable insert. Also present is a small period photograph with handwritten inscription, and beneath the right-hand insert is a rectangular aviation-themed plaquette or table medal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"986\" data-end=\"2225\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"986\" data-end=\"2225\"\u003eThe Iron Cross itself is the standard 1914 issue type, with the crowned “W” to the obverse center, the date 1914 on the lower arm, and a black-white-black combatant ribbon. The medal shows the expected darkened iron core and bright frame outline associated with wartime examples, and it remains visually strong in the fitted recess.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"986\" data-end=\"2225\"\u003eThe case interior is neatly arranged and gives the impression of a privately assembled keepsake box rather than a simple medal case. The right interior wall is blind-stamped ges. gesch., the common abbreviation for gesetzlich geschützt, meaning “legally protected” or “registered design protected,” which is consistent with period German proprietary case manufacture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"986\" data-end=\"2225\"\u003eThe concealed plaquette is especially interesting: it bears the raised title Jungflieger Staffel, best translated as “Young Aviators’ Squadron” or “Junior Aviators’ Squadron,” and shows several aircraft in flight above a small group of onlookers or personnel below. Whether this was intended as a patriotic aviation plaque, youth aviation commemorative, or a small related table medal is not fully certain from the photographs alone, but it is unquestionably period in style and adds a distinctly aviation-related element to the ensemble.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2227\" data-end=\"3386\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2227\" data-end=\"3386\"\u003eThe handwritten photograph adds another layer of historical interest. The inscription reads, in translation, “In memory of the campaign 1914\/?” with the final portion of the year notation somewhat unclear in the hand shown. Below that appears “Russia, Courland (Kliwenhof, 15\/XI\/17),” which translates to “Russia, Courland (Kliwenhof, 15 November 1917).” Courland, or Kurland in German, refers to the Baltic region long tied to the Eastern Front during the later stages of the Great War. The image itself shows a uniformed German soldier posed before a rough timber position or field structure, giving the grouping an immediate personal quality. That date of November 1917 is later than the 1914-1916 title on the box lid, which suggests either that the case began as a war-memory box for the earlier years and was later supplemented, or that the title served as a broader memorial label while additional wartime material was added by the owner over time. Either way, the discrepancy is not a flaw but part of the history of the grouping, and it reinforces the impression that this was a personal remembrance set rather than a factory-issued matched ensemble.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3388\" data-end=\"4244\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3388\" data-end=\"4244\"\u003eHistorically, this is the sort of small but evocative survivor that speaks directly to how German veterans and soldiers preserved the memory of the First World War. The Iron Cross 2nd Class was the great standard combat decoration of Imperial Germany, widely recognized and heavily prized by recipients, yet boxes like this show that many soldiers’ war memories were not confined to one medal alone. A cross, a field photograph, a patriotic or specialty aviation plaquette, and a titled keepsake case together form a more intimate record of wartime experience. The aviation element is especially appealing, since flight and air service themes carried a particular fascination during and immediately after the war, and even when not directly linked to a pilot, aviation-related commemoratives had a strong place in German wartime and postwar memory culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4246\" data-end=\"5221\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4246\" data-end=\"5221\"\u003eCondition is quite respectable overall and fully in line with a genuine period remembrance grouping. The exterior case remains structurally sound, with only light edge rubbing, minor age wear, and small handling marks to the blue-gray covering. The silver title remains clear and readable. The interior lining shows some compression and wear in the velvet recess where the Iron Cross has rested, while the removable right insert shows modest age wear around the edges. The Iron Cross itself presents well, with honest age darkening and light wear to the ribbon. The photograph shows typical age toning, scattered spotting, edge wear, and small losses or nicks at the margins, but the inscription remains largely legible and the image is still clearly identifiable. The aviation plaquette shows light surface rubbing and age patina, but its relief remains distinct. Taken together, the set has the untouched, collector-grade character one wants in a personal wartime grouping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5223\" data-end=\"5872\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5223\" data-end=\"5872\"\u003eFor collectors, the strength of this piece lies in its combination of elements. A loose Iron Cross is common enough; a titled war-memory box with the cross, a named or located Eastern Front photograph, and a hidden aviation-related plaque is not. It crosses several collecting areas at once: Imperial German awards, Eastern Front material, private remembrance objects, and early aviation-themed militaria. Just as importantly, it has strong shelf appeal. The embossed lid, the fitted interior, and the concealed secondary compartment give it more depth than a straightforward medal case and make it the sort of object that rewards close examination.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47966973362415,"sku":"09-1055","price":695.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/09-1055_3.jpg?v=1773263361","url":"https:\/\/derrittmeister.com\/products\/wwi-german-iron-cross-memory-box-with-photo-amp-aviation-plaquette","provider":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","version":"1.0","type":"link"}