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This is a ultra rare find from the battlefield a German iron cross 1st class still in its issue box both in fantastic condition and semi-relic at worst.The medal has lost only a very small amount of its colour its still has its swastika and markings totally clear to see it has all its black paintwork with only some very light pitting in a couple of places it still has all of its silver colour rim on the front.On the back the pin is still attached this does still move and work but is stiff the medal has very light surface rust on the back and a bit of discolour overall as stated fantastic condition for a battlefield find.The black cardboard issue box which still has its iron cross it retains its shape also the inside holder for the medal is there as is fur lining still fairly smooth to the touch the cardboard is dry and very solid not braking up at all but the hinge is broken it is unbelievable rare to find battlefield recovered. The box and medal were found in an old German dugout that is how come they have survived so well they were recovered from the Demyansk Pocket in Russia 1941-1942 battlefield the battle was from 8 February to 21 April 1942. A lovely piece of very rare history from the this famous battle on the Eastern Front in the Russian motherland.This item comes with 3xA5 laminated information sheets with photos.
The Demyansk Pocket in Russia was the name given to the pocket of German troops encircled by the Red Army around Demyansk (Demjansk), south of Leningrad, during the war on the Eastern Front. The pocket existed mainly from 8 February to 21 April 1942. A much smaller force was surrounded in the Kholm Pocket at the town of Kholm, about 100 km (62 mi) to the southwest. Both resulted from the German retreat following their defeat during the Battle of Moscow.
German Forces trapped in the pocket were the 12th, 30th, 32nd, 123rd and 290th infantry divisions, and the SS Division Totenkopf, as well as RAD, Police, Organisation Todt and other auxiliary units, for a total of about 90,000 German troops and around 10,000 auxiliaries. Their commander was General der Infanterie Walter Graf von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt, commander of the II Army Corps.