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.
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Iron Cross: the Nazis added a swastika to the design
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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."
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