*German, WW1 & Interwar, Iron Cross 1st Class, with Citations to Police Hauptwachtmeister Karl Glauerdt, Feldartillerie-Regiment 39*
A fine grouping awarded to Karl Glauerdt, comprising a First World War Iron Cross 1st Class (1914 issue), the original 1918 award citation for the Iron Cross 2nd Class, and a later 1934 Hindenburg Cross for Frontkämpfer citation issued in Bremen. The Iron Cross 1st Class is of three-piece construction with a magnetic iron core, silver frame, and vertical pinback fitting. The obverse shows the Imperial crown, central “W” for Kaiser Wilhelm II, and the date “1914” at the foot. The cross is accompanied by Glauerdt’s Iron Cross 2nd Class award document, issued by 228. Infanterie-Division on 12 August 1918 while he served with Feldartillerie-Regiment 39, and signed by the divisional commander. The grouping is completed by his 1934 Hindenburg Cross citation, confirming his later role as a Polizei-Hauptwachtmeister in Bremen.
Historical Note: The Iron Cross 1st Class (EK I) was awarded for repeated acts of bravery or leadership in battle, and could only be granted once the Iron Cross 2nd Class had already been received. Glauerdt’s EK I Medal, included here, represents the higher grade of Germany’s most iconic decoration of the First World War. Its presence is entirely consistent with his service record, as his entitlement to the 2nd Class is confirmed by the surviving award citation.
The Iron Cross 2nd Class citation, issued on 12 August 1918 by 228. Infanterie-Division, records the award to Karl Glauerdt of Feldartillerie-Regiment 39 during the final months of the war, when his unit was engaged in desperate defensive fighting on the Western Front during the Allied “Hundred Days Offensive.” This document, signed by Generalmajor von Sleyde, directly links the grouping to his wartime service.
A second citation, issued in Bremen on 10 October 1934, confirms Glauerdt’s later career as a Polizei-Hauptwachtmeister and his award of the Hindenburg Cross for Frontkämpfer, instituted by President Hindenburg to honour front-line veterans. This not only recognised his service as a front-line soldier in the Great War but also reflects his continued career in the Bremen police. Together with the Iron Cross awards, the documents chart his progression from Imperial artilleryman in 1918 to interwar police official under the Weimar Republic and early Nazi state.
*Condition* The Iron Cross 1st Class is in very good condition, with a magnetic core retaining its original black finish, the silver frame showing attractive age patina, and the pinback system complete and functioning. The EK II citation displays field wear, with creasing, filing holes, and toning, but remains fully legible with a clear signature. The Hindenburg Cross citation survives in excellent condition, with sharp text, crisp seal, and only light edge wear. Overall, the grouping presents strongly, with medal and documentation complementing each other. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
