The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross () was a decoration intended for victorious generals of the Prussian Army and its allies. It was the second highest class of the Iron Cross, following the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded only twice. Along with the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, the Grand Cross was founded on 10 March 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: Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, commander of Prussian forces at the Battle of Waterloo, later also awarded the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow Crown Prince Charles John of Sweden (Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte) - earlier a Marshal under Napoleon, after becoming regent and crown prince of Sweden, he joined the Sixth Coalition against Napoleon. Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von Tauentzien Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg 1870 Grand Cross The Iron Cross was renewed on 19 July 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 22 March 1871, to: Crown Prince Albert of Saxony August Karl von Goeben Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel Helmuth Graf von Moltke the Elder Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (later Kaiser Friedrich III) August Graf von Werder Kaiser Wilhelm I received the Grand Cross on 16 June 1871, and Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, received it on 4 December 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,