Very nice Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in the 1957 edition. The cross is unmarked, but can be attributed to the company Steinhauer & Lück and is the so-called C frame that was manufactured in the early 60s.

At the beginning of the Second World War, Adolf Hitler founded the Order of the Iron Cross, with the “Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross” serving as the third degree. This highly sought-after award for courage and prowess on the battlefield soon became popularly known as “das Ritterkreuz”. The 8168 soldiers honored in this way, ranging from regular soldiers and sailors to non-commissioned officers, were known as “Ritterkreuzträger.” This cross, worn on a ribbon around the neck, replaced the Order Pour le Mérite and the Cross 1st Class of the House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords.

After 1957 it was forbidden to wear the swastika in public, after which the so-called 1957 editions of awards were introduced in which the swastika was replaced and the award could still be worn in public.