Grand Cross of the Iron Cross The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was a decoration intended for victorious generals of the Prussia n Army and its allies . It was the highest class of the Iron Cross . Along with the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class , the Grand Cross was founded on March 10 , 1813 , during the Napoleonic Wars . It was renewed in 1870 for the Franco - Prussian War and again in 1914 for World War I . In 1939 , when Adolf Hitler renewed the Iron Cross as a German ( rather than strictly Prussian ) decoration , he also renewed the Grand Cross . The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was twice the size of the Iron Cross and was worn from a ribbon around the neck . The later Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross , instituted in 1939 , was also worn from the neck ; it was smaller than the Grand Cross but larger than the Iron Cross . 1813 Grand Cross . Five men received the 1813 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross for actions during the Napoleonic Wars : 1870 Grand Cross . The Iron Cross was renewed on July 19 , 1870 , for the Franco - Prussian War . Nine men received the 1870 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross for service during that war . Seven Grand Crosses were awarded on March 22 , 1871 , to : Kaiser Wilhelm I received the Grand Cross on June 16 , 1871 , and Friedrich Franz II , Grand Duke of Mecklenburg - Schwerin , received it on December 4 , 1871 . The Kaiser was supreme commander of the Prussian Army , and Moltke was Chief of the General Staff . The others were senior combat commanders of the Prussian Army ( Crown Prince Albert initially commanded the Saxon Army as a corps under a Prussian field army , but later took command of a combined Prussian / Saxon field army ) . 1914 Grand Cross . The Iron Cross was renewed again on August 5 , 1914 . There were five recipients of the 1914 Grand Cross in the First World War : 1939 Grand Cross . Adolf Hitler reinstituted the Iron Cross as a German decoration in September 1939 , with the Grand Cross again as the highest grade ( above the various classes of the Knight ' s Cross ) . Hermann Göring became the only recipient of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II when it was awarded to him on July 19 , 1940 . The Grand Cross - when Hitler originally re - instituted it - was supposed to have been outlined in gold , but this was changed to silver before Göring was awarded his . Göring - who loved amassing medals - felt that the Grand Cross he received from Hitler was not really grand enough , so he had copies made - one with platinum edges - which he wore . The original awarded Grand Cross was destroyed in an air raid in 1943 . Göring was wearing his platinum - edged one at the time of his surrender in 1945 . Shortly before his suicide , Hitler deprived Göring of the Grand Cross because he felt betrayed by him . Also , Göring had the curious habit of not wearing the Grand Cross at times ( generally whenever the Luftwaffe was not performing well ) . The award case for the 1939 Grand Cross had a red leather exterior , which was embossed with a gold Reich Eagle . The bottom interior of the case was lined in black velvet . The even higher decoration , the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross , was also re - instituted by Hitler , but never bestowed under Nazi authority and has not been awarded since .