Germany scraps new Iron Cross

The German government was yesterday forced to scrap plans to re-introduce the Iron Cross, after opponents said the military medal still carried the "burden" of association with Nazi atrocities.

	Iron Cross: the Nazis added a swastika to the design

The medal, the equivalent of the Victoria Cross in Britain, was established during the Napoleonic Wars to reward bravery and valour of officers and enlisted men alike.

But its reputation was tarnished by the Nazis, who added a swastika to the design, linking it to atrocities in the Second World War. It was abolished in post-Nazi Germany. On Tuesday the Defence Minister, Franz Josef Jung, backed a campaign to re-introduce the cross for valour in combat in flashpoints such as Afghanistan. Currently, there are only medals for service.

But within 24 hours the ministry reversed its support after the move led to a public outcry, with critics claiming the Iron Cross was too reminiscent of the Nazi era. "We are not thinking of bringing it back, though we do want to introduce a medal to honour soldiers who show courage," a spokesman said.

A source from the ministry suggested a compromise solution could create a new medal, which would, however, resemble the Iron Cross.advertisement

Col Ernst-Reinhard Beck, head of the Reserve Soldiers Association which began the campaign, said "a lot of fear and horror was spread" under the symbol, but added that a modified version was still being used as an emblem of the army.

Mr Beck, also an MP in Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat party, said: "The Iron Cross has become a sign of hope, aid and solidarity in regions of crisis around the world, and we have no reason to be ashamed of it."

Provided By: Telegraph -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/07/wironcross10.xml

Its all here too:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7281434.stm

The Iron Cross originally is a traditional German logo dating back centuries ago, But the logo was only tarnished becouse of the nazi era.

The same thing could happen with the Victoria Cross/OBE/Purple Heart/MoH/Order of Lenin if Britain/USA/Russia had a nazi regime.

No doubt Frederick William spun in his grave when the Swastika was added, but for goodness sake, the past is behind us, we have newer enemies to fight together now, and after all,Soldiers NEED their Medals for Valour, so I say it is a pity not to reintroduce the Iron Cross, notwithstanding the tarnish it received in the late war, after all, many brave and honourable German Soldiers Sailors and Airmen won it fairly and squarely in combat.

It was Honourably introduced and it has been Honourably won by decent men, forget the scum that tarnished it, they wre unworthy anyway.