BACKGROUND: The bestowal of all awards during the Third Reich was regulated by the Statutes of Titles, Orders and Decorations which was originally revised on January 30^TH 1934, with numerous additional revisions as new awards and decorations were introduced. The regulations prescribed the criteria for bestowal and the specific form of wearing the award. Although the Statutes of Titles, Orders and Decorations held the ultimate decision in all matters of awards the Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), was given control over the bestowal regulations of all military awards as long as they conformed to the appropriate statute. When bestowed the awards were usually accompanied by a "Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis", (Preliminary Possession Certificate), followed by the official award presentation document. Depending on the specific award, bestowal authorization could be initiated by the commander of a divisional or smaller unit and the appropriate award information was entered into the recipients Soldbuch, (Pay Book), and his permanent Wehrstammbuch, (Military Service Book), which remained in the possession of the issuing recruitment authority. This example is for bestowal of an Iron Cross 2^ND class. On March 10^TH 1813, Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III established the Iron Cross as a temporary award for bestowal during times of war. Originally the Iron Cross was introduced in three grades with a Grand Cross intended for award to Senior Commanders for successfully leading troops in combat and the First and Second classes for award to all ranks for bravery or merit in action. The Iron Crosses were reinstituted by King Wilhelm I on July 19^TH 1870 for award during the Franco-Prussian War and again on August 5^TH 1914, by King Wilhelm II for award during WWI. On September 1^ST 1939 Hitler once more reinstituted the Iron Cross series of awards in the First and Second Classes and established the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. The second class medal was for award to personnel who performed a single act of bravery in combat.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 7 7/8" x 5 1/2", mid-weight, paper document with black printed Latin script and the likeness of an Iron Cross and typed in particulars. The printed and typed script indicates that a, "Gefreiten" serving with, "3./Jnf. Rgt. 426", (3^RD Company 426^TH Infantry Regiment), was awarded an Iron Cross 2^ND class on, "25. November 1941". The document was issued at, "Div. Gef. St.", (Divisional Command Post), and has the authorizing signature of, "Generalleutnant und Div.-Kdr.", Paul Laux, with the 126^TH Infantry Division Command inkstamp. The document is in overall very good condition with minor age yellowing and a light horizontal fold crease. Of Note: The 426^TH Infantry Regiment was an integral component of the 126^TH Infantry Division which was commanded by Generalleutnant Paul Laux from October 1940 until October 1942. Laux when on to be a Corps and later an Army Commander and was promoted to the rank of General der Infantry on December 1^ST 1942. Laux was awarded a Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on December 14^TH 1941 and the Oak-Leaves to the Knight’s Cross on May 17^TH 1943. Laux died in an airplane crash in late 1944.