The soldiers -- Staff Sgt. Markus Geist, 28, and Master Sgts. Jan Berges, 29, Alexander Dietzen, 33, and Henry Lukacz 28 -- were half a kilometer (mile) from a German ambulance struck by a suicide ...

The Iron Cross, which had fallen out of favor in 1918, was revived by the Nazis in 1939, albeit with a Nazi swastika embossed in the center of the medal's original simple black-and-silver design.

The Iron Cross was established originally as a Prussian military honour by King Frederick Wilhelm III in 1813. The medal was later awarded as a top honour to German servicemen during both world wars.

A German conservative MP said Thursday the Iron Cross should be reintroduced as a military honour, but the Defence Ministry swiftly slapped down the call.