The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
The Knight's Cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks, from a senior commander for skilled leadership of his troops in battle to a low-ranking soldier for a single act of military valour. Presentations were made to members of the three military branches of the : the (army), the (navy) and the (air force), as well as the , the
Reich Labour Service
The Reich Labour Service (''Reichsarbeitsdienst''; RAD) was a major organisation established in Nazi Germany as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarise the workforce and indoctrinate it with Naz ...
and the (German People storm
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
), along with personnel from other
Axis powers
The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...
.
The award was instituted on 1 September 1939, at the onset of the German
invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week aft ...
. The award was created to replace the many older merit and bravery neck awards of the German Empire. A higher grade, the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, was instituted in 1940. In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves were instituted: the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, was created. Over 7,000 awards were made during the course of the war.
Historic background
![IK 1813](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Eisernes_Kreuz_2.Klasse_1813.jpg)
The
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...
n king
Friedrich Wilhelm III
Frederick William III (german: Friedrich Wilhelm III.; 3 August 1770 – 7 June 1840) was King of Prussia from 16 November 1797 until his death in 1840. He was concurrently Elector of Brandenburg in the Holy Roman Empire until 6 August 1806, w ...
established the
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
at the beginning of the
German campaign as part of the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
. The design was a silver-framed
cast iron
Cast iron is a class of iron– carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impur ...
cross on 13. March 1813. Iron was a material which symbolised defiance and reflected the spirit of the age. The Prussian state had mounted a campaign steeped in patriotic rhetoric to rally their citizens to repulse the French occupation. To finance the army, the king implored wealthy Prussians to turn in their jewels in exchange for a men's cast-iron ring or a ladies' brooch, each bearing the legend "Gold I gave for iron" (''Gold gab ich für Eisen''). The award was reinstituted for the wars in 1870 and 1914.
With the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939,
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
in his role as commander in chief of the German armed forces decreed the renewal of the Iron Cross of 1939.
[Schaulen 2003, p. 6.] A new grade of the Iron Cross series was introduced, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, without distinction, was awarded to officers and soldiers alike, conforming with the
National Socialist
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
slogan: "One people, one nation, one leader".
Analysis of the
German Federal Archives revealed evidence for 7,161 officially bestowed recipients.
[Scherzer 2007, pp. 117–186.] The German Federal Archives substantiate 863 awards of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, along with the 147 Swords and 27 Diamonds awards. The Golden Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross was awarded only once, to on 29 December 1944.
Grades
The legal grounds for this decree had been established in 1937 with the German law of Titles, Orders and Honorary Signs () that made the
Führer
( ; , spelled or ''Fuhrer'' when the umlaut is not available) is a German word meaning "leader" or " guide". As a political title, it is strongly associated with the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
Nazi Germany cultivated the ("leader princip ...
and
President of Germany
The president of Germany, officially the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: link=no, Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland),The official title within Germany is ', with ' being added in international corres ...
the only person who was allowed to award orders or honorary signs. The re-institution of the Iron Cross was therefore a Führer decree, which had political implication since the
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles (french: Traité de Versailles; german: Versailler Vertrag, ) was the most important of the peace treaties of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June ...
had explicitly prohibited the creation of a military decoration, order or medal. However, Germany had formally renounced the Treaty by this time. The renewal for the first time had created an honorary sign of the entire German state.
As the war progressed four additional years, leaders had to distinguish those who had already won the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross or one of the higher grades and who continued to show merit in combat bravery or military success. The Knight's Cross was eventually awarded in five grades:
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.
Knight's Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross instituted on 1. September 1939. Its appearance was very similar to the Iron Cross. Its shape was that of a
cross pattée
A cross pattée, cross patty or cross paty, also known as a cross formy or cross formée (french: croix pattée, german: Tatzenkreuz), is a type of Christian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre, and often flared in a curve or straight ...
, a cross that has arms which are narrow at the center and broader at the perimeter. The most common Knight's Crosses were produced by the manufacturer Steinhauer & Lück in
Lüdenscheid
Lüdenscheid () is a city in the Märkischer Kreis district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Sauerland region.
Geography
Lüdenscheid is located on the saddle of the watershed between the Lenne and Volme rivers which ...
. The Steinhauer & Lück crosses are stamped with the digits "800", indicating 800 grade silver, on the reverse side.
[Schaulen 2004, p. 10.]
Image:DE Band mit RK (1).jpg, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub'') was instituted on 3. June 1940.
Before the introduction of the Oak Leaves only 124 members of the Wehrmacht had received the Knight's Cross. Prior to Case Yellow (), the attack on the Netherlands, Belgium and France, just 52 Knight's Crosses had been awarded. In May 1940 the number of presentations peaked. The timing for the introduction of the Oak Leaves is closely linked to Case Red (), the second and decisive phase of the
Battle of France.
Like the Knight's Cross to which it was added, the Oak Leaves clasp could be awarded for leadership, distinguished service or personal gallantry. The Oak Leaves, just like the 1813 Iron Cross and Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, was not a
National Socialist
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
invention. They originally appeared in conjunction with the Golden Oak Leaves of the
Order of the Red Eagle
The Order of the Red Eagle (german: Roter Adlerorden) was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful se ...
, which was the second highest Prussian order after the
Order of the Black Eagle
The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King ...
. The king also awarded the Oak Leaves together with the
Pour le Mérite
The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Order of the Red Eag ...
since 9. October 1813 for gallantry.
Image:BmRKEL.jpg, With Oak Leaves
Image:Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes Detailaufnahme.jpg, Detail
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern'') was instituted on 15 July 1941.
The Oak Leaves with Swords clasp was similar in appearance to the Oak Leaves clasp with the exception that a pair of crossed swords were
soldered
Solder (; NA: ) is a fusible metal alloy used to create a permanent bond between metal workpieces. Solder is melted in order to wet the parts of the joint, where it adheres to and connects the pieces after cooling. Metals or alloys suitable ...
to the base of the Oak Leaves.
Image:BmRKELS.jpg, With Oak Leaves and Swords
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds
The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten'') was instituted on 15 July 1941.
The first recipients were
Werner Mölders
Werner Mölders (18 March 1913 – 22 November 1941) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot, wing commander, and the leading German fighter ace in the Spanish Civil War. He became the first pilot in aviation history to shoot down 10 ...
and
Adolf Galland. Presentation of the Diamonds came as a set and included the more elaborate A-piece and a second clasp with
rhinestones for everyday wear, the B-piece. The Diamonds were awarded 27 times during World War II. However three individuals never received a set of Diamonds.
Hans-Joachim Marseille, the fourth recipient, was killed in an aircraft crash prior to its presentation. The deteriorating situation and the end of the war prevented its presentation to
Karl Mauss
Karl Mauss (17 May 1898 – 9 February 1959) was a German general during World War II. He commanded the 7th Panzer Division and was one of only 27 German military men to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and ...
, the 26th recipient and
Dietrich von Saucken
Dietrich Friedrich Eduard Kasimir von Saucken (16 May 1892 – 27 September 1980) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 2nd Army and the Army East Prussia. Turning down an offer to escape by air, he surrendered to the Re ...
, the 27th and final recipient.
Image:BmRKELSB.jpg, With Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
Image:Helmut Lent Diamonds.jpg, Helmut Lent's Diamonds, Bundeswehr Military History Museum
The Bundeswehr Military History Museum (german: Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr (MHMBw)) is the military museum of the German Armed Forces, the ''Bundeswehr'', and one of the major military history museums in Germany. It is located in ...
.
Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds
The Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten'') was instituted on 29 December 1944.
This medal was the highest level, originally intended for 12 of the most distinguished servicemen in the entire German armed forces after the war ended. Six sets of Golden Oak Leaves were manufactured, each consisting of an A-piece, made of 18
Carat gold with 58 real diamonds and a B-piece, made of 14 Carat with 68 real sapphires. One of these sets was presented to
Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel (2 July 1916 – 18 December 1982) was a German ground-attack pilot during World War II and a post-war neo-Nazi activist.
The most decorated German pilot of the war and the only recipient of the Knight's Cross with G ...
on 1 January 1945; the remaining five sets were taken to
Schloss Klessheim, where they were taken by the US forces.
File:BmRKELSBGold.jpg, With Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds
File:K1024 DSC00994.JPG, Rear side of the Oak Leaves of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Nomination and approval procedure
To qualify for the Knight's Cross, a soldier had to already hold the 1939
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
First Class, though the Iron Cross First Class was awarded concurrently with the Knight's Cross in some cases. Unit commanders could also be awarded the medal for the exemplary conduct of the unit as a whole. Also, U-boat commanders could qualify for sinking 100,000 tons of shipping and ''Luftwaffe'' pilots could qualify for accumulating 20 "points" (with one point being awarded for shooting down a single-engine plane, two points for a twin-engine plane and three for a four-engine plane, with all points being doubled at night). It was issued from 1939 to 1945, with the requirements being gradually raised as the war went on.
Nominations for the Knight's Cross could be made at company level or higher. Commanders could not nominate themselves. In this instance the division adjutant made the recommendation. In the Luftwaffe the lowest level was the ''
Geschwader'' and in the ''
Kriegsmarine'' the respective flotilla was authorized to make the nomination. It was also possible to nominate subordinated foreign units. The nomination by the troop had to be submitted in writing and in double copy. The format and the content were predefined. Every nomination contained the personal data, the rank and unit at the time of the act, since when the soldier held this position, the military service entry date, previous military decorations awarded and date of presentation, etc. For
enlisted soldiers and
noncommissioned officers the
résumé had to be submitted as well.
[Scherzer 2007, p. 31.]
The nomination had to be forwarded in writing by a courier up the official command chain. Every intermittent administrative office or commander between the nominating unit and the commander-in-chief of the respective Wehrmacht branch (commander-in-chief of the ''Heer'', commander-in-chief of the ''Luftwaffe'' and commander-in-chief of the ''Kriegsmarine'' with their respective staff offices) had to give their approval along with a short comment. In exceptional cases, such as the nominated individual had sustained severe injuries or that the command chain had been interrupted, a nomination could be submitted via
teleprinter
A teleprinter (teletypewriter, teletype or TTY) is an electromechanical device that can be used to send and receive typed messages through various communications channels, in both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint configurations. Init ...
communication.
At first, the recipient of the Knight's Cross, or one of its higher grades, received a brief telegram informing him of the award of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Thereafter he received a ''Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis'' (Preliminary Testimonial of Ownership). The award was also noted in the recipients ''Soldbuch'' (Soldiers Pay Book), his ''Wehrpass'' (Military Identification) and personnel records.
Approval authority
1 September 1939 to 20 April 1945
Administration/Berlin (preliminary decision) → Chief of the
Heerespersonalamt __NOTOC__The Army Personnel Office (''Heeres Personal Amt'', ''Heerespersonalamt'' or ''Heeres Personalamt'') was a German military agency formed in 1920 and charged with the personnel matters of all officers and cadets of the army of the Reichswehr ...
/Berlin (preliminary decision) →
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht-Department/Berlin (presenting) → Hitler (decision)
[Scherzer 2007, p. 50.]
The Army Personnel Branch Office was split due to the deteriorating war situation and was moved to
Marktschellenberg
Marktschellenberg is a municipality in the district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe ...
in the time frame 21 to 24 April 1945.
25 April 1945 to 30 April 1945 (Hitler's death)
Administration/Marktschellenberg (preliminary decision) → deputy Chief of the Heerespersonalamt/Marktschellenberg (preliminary decision) → Chief of the HPA/Berlin (preliminary decision) → OKW-Department/Berlin (presenting) → Hitler (decision)
30 April 1945 to 3 May 1945
The approval authority of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross became confusing after Hitler's death on 30 April 1945. General
Ernst Maisel
__NOTOC__
Generalleutnant Ernst Maisel (16 September 1896 – 16 December 1978) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II.
As a Generalmajor he was Chief of the Office Group for Officers' Education and Welfare of the Army ...
, deputy chief of Army Personnel Office, was authorized by the Presidential Chancellery to approve presentations of the Knights Cross effective as of 28 April 1945. Maisel, on 30 April, legally approved and conferred 33 Knight's Crosses, rejected 29 nominations, and deferred four. Hitler's death ended Maisel's authority to approve nominations. The authority to approve and make presentations was passed on to Hitler's successor as ''Staatsoberhaupt'' (
Head of State
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
)
Karl Dönitz, who held the title of ''
Reichspräsident'' (President) and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
[Scherzer 2007, p. 63.]
3 May 1945 to 8 May 1945 (Nazi Germany surrenders)
A
teleprinter
A teleprinter (teletypewriter, teletype or TTY) is an electromechanical device that can be used to send and receive typed messages through various communications channels, in both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint configurations. Init ...
message dated 3 May 1945 was sent to the Commanders-in-Chief of those units still engaged in combat, empowering them to make autonomous presentations of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross themselves. The following decision making chains of command were possible at this time:
*Northern sector
**Administration (preliminary decision) → Chief of the Heerespersonalamt/Flensburg (preliminary decision) → Chief of the OKW/Flensburg (presenting) → Dönitz/Flensburg (decision)
**Commander-in-Chief North:
Ernst Busch
**Commander-in-Chief
Army Group Courland
Army Group Courland (german: Heeresgruppe Kurland) was a German Army Group on the Eastern Front which was created from remnants of the Army Group North, isolated in the Courland Peninsula by the advancing Soviet Army forces during the 1944 Balt ...
:
Carl Hilpert
__NOTOC__
Carl Hilpert (12 September 1888 – 1 February 1947) was a German general during World War II.
Biography
When World War II broke out in September 1939, Hilpert became chief of the staff of ''Armeeabteilung A'' on 9 September 1939 unde ...
**Commander-in-Chief
East Prussia:
Dietrich von Saucken
Dietrich Friedrich Eduard Kasimir von Saucken (16 May 1892 – 27 September 1980) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 2nd Army and the Army East Prussia. Turning down an offer to escape by air, he surrendered to the Re ...
**Commander-in-Chief Norway:
Franz Böhme
Franz Friedrich Böhme (15 April 1885 – 29 May 1947) was an Army officer who served in succession with the Austro-Hungarian Arny, the Austrian Army and the German Wehrmacht. He rose to the rank of general during World War II, serving as Comm ...
**Commander-in-Chief Denmark:
Georg Lindemann
Georg Lindemann (8 March 1884 – 25 September 1963) was a German general during World War II. He commanded the 18th Army during the Soviet Kingisepp–Gdov Offensive.
World War II
In 1936, Lindemann was promoted to Generalmajor and given comm ...
**Commander-in-Chief
Army Group Vistula:
Kurt von Tippelskirch
__NOTOC__
Kurt Oskar Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm von Tippelskirch (9 October 1891 – 10 May 1957) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded several armies and Army Group Vistula. He surrendered to the United S ...
(the army group was destroyed on 3 May 1945 and removed from the distribution list)
*Southern sector
**Commander-in-Chief
Army Group G
Army Group G (''Heeresgruppe G'') fought on the Western Front of World War II and was a component of OB West.
History
When the Allied invasion of Southern France took place, Army Group G had eleven divisions with which to hold France south of ...
:
Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' of the Luftwaffe during World War II who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. In a military career that spanned both world wars, Kesselring beca ...
**Commander-in-Chief
Army Group E
Army Group E (''Heeresgruppe E'') was a German Army Group active during World War II.
Army Group E was created on 1 January 1943 from the 12th Army. Units from this Army Group were distributed throughout the Eastern Mediterranean area, includin ...
:
Alexander Löhr
Alexander Löhr (20 May 1885 – 26 February 1947) was an Austrian Air Force commander during the 1930s and, after the annexation of Austria, he was a Luftwaffe commander. Löhr served in the Luftwaffe during World War II, rising to commander o ...
**Commander-in-Chief
Army Group Ostmark:
Lothar Rendulic
Lothar Rendulic ( hr, Rendulić; 23 October 1887 – 17 January 1971)Rudolf Neck, Adam Wandruszka, Isabella Ackerl (ed.) (1980): ''Protokolle des Ministerrates der Ersten Republik, 1918–1938, Abteilung VIII, 20. Mai 1932 bis 25. Juli 1934''. ...
**Commander-in-Chief
Army Group Centre:
Ferdinand Schörner
Ferdinand Schörner (12 June 1892 – 2 July 1973) was a German military commander who held the rank of ''Generalfeldmarschall'' in the ''Wehrmacht'' of Nazi Germany during World War II. He commanded several army groups and was the last Command ...
**Commander-in-Chief
Army Group C
Army Group C (in German, ''Heeresgruppe C'' or ''HGr C'') was an army group of the German Wehrmacht, that was formed twice during the Second World War.
History
Army Group C was formed from Army Group 2 in Frankfurt on 26 August 1939. It init ...
:
Heinrich von Vietinghoff
Heinrich Gottfried Otto Richard von Vietinghoff genannt Scheel (6 December 1887 – 23 February 1952) was a German general (''Generaloberst'') of the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oa ...
(the army group was destroyed on 2 May 1945 and removed from the distribution list)
Dönitz-decree
Grand Admiral
Karl Dönitz, as
President of Germany
The president of Germany, officially the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: link=no, Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland),The official title within Germany is ', with ' being added in international corres ...
and Hitler's successor as
Head of State
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, soon declared that "All nominations for the bestowal of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and their higher grades which have been received by the ''
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht'' — staff of the Wehrmacht high command — until the capitulation becomes effective are approved, under the premise that all nominations are formally and correctly approved by the nominating authorities of the Wehrmacht, Heer including the Waffen-SS, Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe all the way to the level of the
field army and
army group leadership."
This "Dönitz-decree" (''Dönitz-Erlaß'') is most likely dated from 7 May 1945. Manfred Dörr, author of various publications related to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, requested legal counsel on this decree in 1988. The
Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt)
The was a German government agency based in Berlin which maintained records of members of the former German who were killed in action, as well as official military records of all military personnel during World War II (ca. 18 million) as well as ...
came to the conclusion that this decree is unlawful and bears no legal justification. This blanket decree is not in line with the law governing the bestowal of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross which requires a case-by-case decision. Thus, six of the seven Knight's Crosses awarded on May 8 and 9 (all were the addition of Swords to previous recipients) are not considered legal.
Recipients
![Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1993-136-11A, Wolfsschanze, Ordensverleihung durch Hitler](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1993-136-11A%2C_Wolfsschanze%2C_Ordensverleihung_durch_Hitler.jpg)
Analysis of the
German Federal Archives revealed evidence for 7,161 officially bestowed recipients.
The German Federal Archives substantiate 863 awards of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, along with the 147 Swords and 27 Diamonds awards. Author Veit Scherzer concluded that every presentation of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, or one of its higher grades, made until 20 April 1945 is verifiable in the German Federal Archives. The first echelon of the ''Heerespersonalamt Abteilung P 5/Registratur'' (Army Personnel Office Department P 5/Registry) was relocated from
Zossen
Zossen (; hsb, Sosny) is a German town in the district of Teltow-Fläming in Brandenburg, about south of Berlin, and next to the Bundesstraße 96, B96 highway. Zossen consists of several smaller municipalities, which were grouped together in 200 ...
in
Brandenburg
Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...
to
Traunstein
Traunstein (Central Bavarian: ''Traunstoa'') is a town in the south-eastern part of Bavaria, Germany, and is the administrative center of a much larger district of the same name. The town serves as a local government, retail, health services, ...
in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
on this day and the confusion regarding who can be considered a legitimate Knight's Cross recipient began.
Hitler frequently made the presentations of the Oak Leaves and higher grades himself. The first presentations in 1940 and 1941 were made in the
Reich Chancellery
The Reich Chancellery (german: Reichskanzlei) was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany (then called ''Reichskanzler'') in the period of the German Reich from 1878 to 1945. The Chancellery's seat, selected and prepared ...
in Berlin or at the
Berghof near
Berchtesgaden. Beginning with
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...
, the invasion of the Soviet Union, the presentations were made at the
Führer Headquarters
The ''Führer'' Headquarters (german: Führerhauptquartiere), abbreviated FHQ, were a number of official headquarters used by the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and various other German commanders and officials throughout Europe during the Second World ...
"
Wolf's Lair
The ''Wolf's Lair'' (german: Wolfsschanze; pl, Wilczy Szaniec) served as Adolf Hitler's first Eastern Front military headquarters in World War II.
The headquarters was located in the Masurian woods, near the small village of Görlitz in Ost ...
" in
East Prussia, in the "
Werwolf
''Werwolf'' (, German for "werewolf") was a Nazi plan which began development in 1944, to create a resistance force which would operate behind enemy lines as the Allies advanced through Germany, in parallel with the ''Wehrmacht'' fighting in ...
" near
Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia ( ; uk, Вінниця, ; yi, װיניצע) is a city in west-central Ukraine, located on the banks of the Southern Bug.
It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast and the largest city in the historic region of Podillia. ...
in Ukraine, and at the Berghof. After the
20 July plot, the presentations were only made sporadically by Hitler himself. The last presentations by Hitler were made early in 1945 in the ''
Führerbunker'' in Berlin. Senior commanders, like the commanders in chief of the ''Kriegsmarine'' and the Luftwaffe, and from the autumn of 1944 also by the ''
Reichsführer-SS
(, ) was a special title and rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945 for the commander of the (SS). ''Reichsführer-SS'' was a title from 1925 to 1933, and from 1934 to 1945 it was the highest rank of the SS. The longest-servi ...
''
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...
, made the presentations instead.
Association of Knight's Cross Recipients
The Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) (
German language
German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is als ...
: ''Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger des Eisernen Kreuzes e.V.'' (''OdR'')) is an association of highly decorated soldiers of both world wars. The association was founded in 1955 in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
by
Alfred Keller
Alfred Keller (19 September 1882 – 11 February 1974) was a general in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during the Second World War who commanded the ''Luftflotte 1''. His career in the Imperial German Armed Forces began in 1897; he served a ...
, Knight of the Order ''
Pour le Mérite
The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Order of the Red Eag ...
'' and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Later, the recipients of the
Prussian Golden Military Merit Cross, or the ''Pour le Mérite'' for enlisted personnel, were included. The AKCR lists the awarding of 7318 Knight's Crosses, as well as 882 Oak Leaves, 159 Swords, 27 Diamonds, 1 Golden Oak Leaves and 1
Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) 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 Gran ...
for all ranks in the three branches of the Wehrmacht and the
Waffen-SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...
. However, 200 of the OdR-listed cases are lacking an official proof of award.
In 1999, German
SPD
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, ; SPD, ) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany.
Saskia Esken has been t ...
Minister of Defence
Rudolf Scharping
Rudolf Albert Scharping (born 2 December 1947) is a German lawyer and politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). He was from 1991 to 1994 the 6th Minister President of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate and from 1998 to 2002 Federal Minis ...
banned any contacts between the Bundeswehr and the association, stating that it and many of its members shared neo-Nazi and revanchist ideas which were not in conformity with the German constitution and Germany's postwar policies.
Post-war
![RK 1957](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/RK_1957.JPG)
The German Law about Titles, Orders and Honorary Signs (
German language
German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is als ...
: ''Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen'') regulates the wearing of the Knight's Cross in post World War II Germany. German law
prohibits wearing a swastika, so on 26 July 1957 the West German government authorized replacement Knight's Crosses with an Oak Leaf Cluster in place of the swastika, similar to the Iron Cross of 1914, and the denazified Iron Cross of 1957, which could be worn by World War II recipients.
BGBl. I S. 334 @ Bundesministerium der Justiz
/ref>
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
* Maerz, Dietrich (2007). ''Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes und seine Höheren Stufen'' (in German). Richmond, MI: B&D Publishing LLC. .
* Maerz, Dietrich (2007) "The Knights Cross of the Iron Cross and its Higher Grades" (in English), Richmind, MI, B&D Publishing LLC, .
* Potempa, Harald (2003). ''Das Eiserne Kreuz—Zur Geschichte einer Auszeichnung'' (in German). Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr Berlin-Gatow.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Knight's Cross Of The Iron Cross
Cross symbols
Awards established in 1939
Military awards and decorations of Nazi Germany
Courage awards
1939 establishments in Germany