World War I 100 Years Ago: Jan. 30-Feb. 6

From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, February 3, 1915: Iron rings bearing the Iron Cross insignia and inscribed in German, “To the Old Fatherland, in order to show my loyalty in troublous times, I give gold for iron,” have been received by Joseph Keller, president of the Indiana branch of the National Association of German Societies. The rings will be sold for $1 (2013: $22.70) as part of the “Gold for Iron” campaign to benefit the German and Austrian Red Cross societies for the relief of the widows and orphans of German and Austrian soldiers. The “Gold for Iron” campaign is a revival of a custom started by German women during the Napoleonic Wars when in exchange for gold and jewelry they received iron rings similar to those being sold in the current campaign.