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The Iron Cross, which grateful German soldiers bestow on Topthorn and Joey, represents their courage, the soldiers’ humanity, and the inherent dignity of the horses. The Iron Cross was a German medal awarded to soldiers. As the Germans ironically award it to their English horses, they acknowledge the debt they owe to the animals whose brave services hauling the ambulance wagons have saved many lives. The book also emphasizes the horrors of war, in part by focusing on the essential humanity that soldiers on both sides of the conflict share. In this way, the awarding of the cross points to the humanity of the German soldiers, who are grateful for escaping the front lines with their lives. Finally, by offering a human medal to a pair of animals, the soldiers acknowledge that the horses have just as much dignity and value to the war effort as the human soldiers themselves.
Iron Cross Quotes in War Horse
The War Horse quotes below all refer to the symbol of Iron Cross. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 10
Quotes
Once, after we had plodded on, too tired to be fearful, through a devastating barrage […] one of the soldiers with his tunic covered in blood and mud, came and stood by my head and threw his good arm around my neck and kissed me.
“Thank you, my friend,” he said. “I never thought they would get us out of that hellhole. I found this yesterday, and thought about keeping it for myself, but I know where it belongs.” And he reached up and hung a muddied ribbon around my neck. There was an Iron Cross dangling on the end of it. “You’ll have to share it with your friend,” he said. […] The waiting wounded outside the hospital tent clapped and cheered us to the echo, bringing doctors, nurses, and patients running out of the tent to see what there could be to clap about in the midst of all this misery.
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Get the entire War Horse LitChart as a printable PDF.
Iron Cross Symbol Timeline in War Horse
The timeline below shows where the symbol Iron Cross appears in War Horse. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 10
...used to the constant shelling and danger. One day, a grateful German soldier bestows an Iron Cross on them—the first and last English to win one in the war—which the orderlies nail...
(full context)
