Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Encyclopedia
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German language
: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross
(Eisernes Kreuz). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany
to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II
. It was second only to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
(Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in the military order
of the Third Reich.
The Knight's Cross grade of the Iron Cross was worn at the neck and was slightly larger but similar in appearance to the 1813 Iron Cross. It was legally based on the 1 September 1939 renewal of the Iron Cross. The order could be presented to German soldiers of all ranks and to the allies of the Third Reich. As the war progressed, some of the recipients distinguished themselves further, and a higher grade, the Oak Leaves
to Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), was instituted in 1940. In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves were instituted. These were the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten). At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), was created.
The Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm III established the Iron Cross
(Eisernes Kreuz) at the beginning of the Befreiungskrieg (War of Liberation) as part of the Napoleonic Wars
. Karl Friedrich Schinkel
received the contract to design a silver-framed cast iron
cross on 13 March 1813. The decree was then backdated to 10 March 1813, the birthday of the King's wife, Louise of Prussia
, who had died in 1810. Iron was a material which reflected the spirit of that age and symbolised defiance. The Prussian state had mounted a campaign steeped in patriotic rhetoric, and rallied their citizens to repulse the French occupation. To finance the military opposition against Napoleon I
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 "I gave gold for iron."(Gold gab ich für Eisen) or alternatively, "Gold for defence, Iron for honour" (Gold zur Wehr, Eisen zur Ehr).
Initially, the Iron Cross award was of temporary nature and could only be made when the country was in a state of war. A formal renewal procedure was required every time the award was to be presented. The renewal date, relating to the year of re-institution, therefore appears on the lower obverse arm of the Iron Cross. The Iron Cross was renewed twice after the Napoleonic Wars and prior to World War II. Its first renewal on 19 July 1870 was related to the Franco-Prussian War
, and its second renewal came on 5 August 1914, with the outbreak of World War I
. The 1914 Iron Cross remained a Prussian decoration but could be awarded in the name of the Kaiser (as the King of Prussia) to members of all the German states' armies, and of the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy). The regulation was extended, and from 16 March 1915 the award could also be presented to individuals in the military forces of allies of the German state. During this period the Iron Cross was always awarded in three grades, the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse), Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
(Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) leaving a large gap in the grades of the Iron Cross. There was no nation-wide decoration situated between the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class, which could be awarded to soldiers of all ranks, and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded only to senior commanders for winning a major battle or campaign. This gap was partly filled by awards given from the Empire's member states. Among the best known of these awards are the Prussian Order Pour le Mérite
and House Order of Hohenzollern
, which could only be awarded to officers. For non-commissioned officers and soldiers the Prussian Golden Military Merit Cross
(Goldenes Militär-Verdienstkreuz) was the highest achievable decoration. With the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II at the end of World War I the awards granted by the various royal households became obsolete.
With the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, Adolf Hitler
in his role as commander in chief of the German armed forces (Oberstenbefehlshaber der deutschen Wehrmacht) decreed the renewal of the Iron Cross of 1939. The decree was also signed by the Chief of the Armed Forces High Command, Wilhelm Keitel
, the Minister of the Interior, Dr. Wilhelm Frick
, and by the State-Minister and Chief of the Presidential Chancellery of the Führer and Reich Chancellor, Otto Meißner
. The renewal of 1939 also filled the gap between the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross. Rather than using an unrelated award to bridge this gap, a new grade of the Iron Cross series was introduced, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes).
The legal grounds for this decree had been established in 1937. Paragraph §3 of the German law of Titles, Orders and Honorary Signs (Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen) from 1 July 1937 (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 725) made the Führer
and Reichskanzler the only person who was allowed to award orders or honorary signs. The re-institution of the Iron Cross was therefore a Führer decree based on the enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573) of 1 September 1939 Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes (Ordinance re-establishing the Iron Cross). This had certain political implication since the Treaty of Versailles
had explicitly denied Germany the creation of a military decoration, order or medal. The re-institution was more than just a symbolic act. While the renewals of the Iron Cross of 1870 and 1914 had renewed a Prussian honorary sign, the renewal of 1 September 1939 in contrast for the first time had created an honorary sign of the entire German state.
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grades was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks, including to a senior commander for skilled leadership of his troops in battle, or to a low ranking soldier for a single act of extreme gallantry. As the war progressed four additional grades were introduced to further 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 and 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. The first award of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was to Luftwaffe Field Marshal Hermann Göring in September 1939. The Oak Leaves addition was first authorized in June 1940 and first awarded on 19 July 1940 to Army Lieutenant General Eduard Dietl (at which time Göring received the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross and promotion to Reich Marshal). The Swords and Diamonds versions were both first formally authorized in September 1941. However, Swords were actually first awarded in June 1941 (to Luftwaffe Lieutenant Colonel Adolf Galland) and Diamonds in July 1941 (to Luftwaffe Colonel Werner Mölders). The golden clasp version was created to award heroes and commanders after the victory that never was and was to be limited to twelve awards. Subsequent events led to only a single award of the highest grade on 29 December 1944. In total, 7313 awards of the Knight's Cross were made. Of these, 883 received Oak Leaves, 160 received Oak Leaves and Swords, 27 received Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds:
, 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
. The Steinhauer & Lück crosses are stamped with the digits "800", indicating 800 grade silver, on the reverse side. These digits can also be found on the band clip. The Steinhauer & Lück Knight's Cross are 48.19 millimetres (1.9 in) wide and 54.12 millimetres (2.1 in) high. Its weight, without band clip, is 28.79 grams (1 oz).
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) was based on enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849) of 3 June 1940 which augmented article 1 and 4 of the 1939 Ordinance re-establishing the Iron Cross. Like the Knight's Cross of the Iron 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 invention. The Oak Leaves originally appeared for the first time in conjunction with the Golden Oak Leaves of the Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), which was the second highest Prussian order after the Black Eagle Order (Schwarzer Adlerorden). The 1705 established Red Eagle Order had received the Oak Leaves with a cabinet of the king decree on 18 January 1811. Friedrich Wilhelm III had also ordered the Oak Leaves to be part of the Iron Cross design in commemoration of his 1810 deceased wife, Queen Louise of Prussia
. The king also awarded the Oak Leaves together with the Pour le Mérite since 9 October 1813 to honour the soldierly merit before the enemy.
The decoration consisted of a cluster of three oak-leaves with the centre leaf superimposed on the two lower leaves. The middle of the Oak Leaves were decorated by a stylized letter "L" in memoriam of Louise of Prussia. The original clasp was die-struck
from 800 grade silver and 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in) in diameter. The clasp had a pebbled matt finish, with the edges and central ribs of the leaves burnished. The official manufacturer of the Oak Leaves was exclusively the firm Gebrüder Godet & Co. (brothers Godet & Co.) in Berlin
.The company Gebrüder Godet & Co (brothers Godet & Co.) was founded 1761 by the goldsmith
Jean Godet. The company Godet was one of the first German manufactures of orders and honorary signs in Germany. Godet became the prime royal warrant
for orders under the leadership of Jean Fredric Godet. The company was known as J. Godet & Söhne between 1864 and 1924. The company name then changed to Eugen Godet & Co. The name changed again in the late 1920s and early 1930s to Gebrüder Godet & Co. Godet & Co manufactured two variants of the Oak Leaves which mainly distinguished itself in the appearance of the Oak Leaves on the front right side. Additionally the second variant had a more massive appearance. The first variant was produced until mid 1943.
Hitler quite frequently made the presentations of the Oak Leaves to the bestowed himself in order to express his gratitude personally. The first presentations in 1940 and 1941 were made in the Reich Chancellery
in Berlin or on the Berghof in Obersalzberg
near Berchtesgaden
. Beginning with Operation Barbarossa
, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, in the summer of 1941 the presentations were made at the Führerhauptquartier "Wolf's Lair" (Wolfschanze) near Rastenburg in East Prussia
, from the summer 1942 until October 1942 in the Führerhauptquartier "Wehrwolf
" near Vinnytsia
in Ukraine and then again in the "Wolfschanze". From early 1944 until mid July 1944 the ceremony was again held on the Obersalzberg. This was continued until about August 1944, shortly after the July 20 plot
, the failed assassination attempt of Oberst Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
. Later onwards the presentation were only made sporadically by Hitler himself. The last presentations by Hitler were made early in 1945 in the Führerbunker
in Berlin. After the July 20 plot senior commanders like the commander in chief of the Kriegsmarine (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine) or the commander in chief of the Luftwaffe (Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe
) and from the fall of 1944 also by the Reichsführer-SS
Heinrich Himmler
, made the presentations.
to the base of the Oak Leaves. The reverse side mounted band clip was slightly larger than the one attached to the Oak Leaves without swords. For added stability the swords were soldered to both the Oak Leaves and the clip. The swords are 24 millimetre (0.94488188976378 in) long. The entire Oak Leaves with Swords clasp was 24.83 millimetre (0.97755905511811 in) wide, 27.58 millimetres (1.1 in) high and had a weight of 9.03 gram (0.318523877809161 oz).
s. This first version was awarded to the first recipients before production was transferred to the firm of Klein in Hanau
. Presentation of the Diamonds included the (quiet) gift of a second clasp with rhinestones for everyday wear.
" and pre-printed format. The award was also noted in the recipients Soldbuch (Soldiers Pay Book), his Wehrpass (Military Identification) and personnel records.
The preliminary testimonial of ownership was followed by a more elaborate and formal award document, the Ritterkreuzurkunde (Knight's Cross Certificate). The official award document that came with the Knight's Cross was hand-lettered on vellum and placed inside a large red leather binder embossed with a gold Reichsadler
. Sometimes, Hitler's signature was a facsimile, but when time allowed, he did sign them. These documents for the Knight's Cross were used between 1939 and 1942, when the number of recipients made it possible only for documents of this type to be made for the higher grades of the order.
The document folder itself was designed by Frieda Thiersch.
First Class, though the Iron Cross First Class was awarded concurrently with the Knight's Cross in rare cases.
Unit commanders could also be awarded the medal for exemplary conduct by 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 1939–45, with the requirements being gradually raised as the war went on.
Werner Wrangel
, a gunner with Panzerjager Battalion 183, was uniquely presented with the Iron Cross 2nd class, Iron Cross 1st Class, and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross simultaneously on 8 February 1943 for outstanding valor in repulsing a Russian attack virtually single-handedly, thereby saving the lives of hundreds of his comrades.
, consisting of the Heer
(Army
), Kriegsmarine
(Navy
) and Luftwaffe
(Air force
), the Waffen-SS
, the Reichsarbeitsdienst
(RAD) and the Volkssturm
. The AKCR also lists 43 individuals in the military of allies of the Third Reich for a total of 7,365 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Of these 890 individuals received Oak Leaves (882 members of the Wehrmacht and 8 non-Germans); 160 received Oak Leaves and Swords (159 members of the Wehrmacht and one honorary recipient, the Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
). Only 27 men were awarded the Diamonds grade of the Knight's Cross (3 field marshals, 10 generals, 3 colonels, 9 ace pilots and 2 U-boat captains); Hans-Ulrich Rudel
was the only recipient of the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.
Among those generally accepted 159 German recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords are 13 recipients, whose Swords to the Knight's Cross do not meet the formal awarding criteria of the Knight's Cross. Twenty-four recipients of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves are also lacking sustainable evidence that their listing is justifiable. Otto Weidinger
, Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny
, Sylvester Stadler
and Wilhelm Bittrich
received the Swords from SS Obergruppenführer Josef Dietrich, who was not legally authorized to present the award.
Further, Hermann Fegelein
was executed in the last days of the war for desertion, a charge which upon conviction
would have legally deprived him of all rank and awards, including his Knight's Cross. However, his might have been an extralegal execution
. According to the recollections of Wilhelm Mohnke
, he and the three other general officers tasked with holding a court martial for Fegelein found him to be of such unsound mind
that he was not competent to stand trial
under military law. Fegelein subsequently disappeared in the hands of Gruppenführer Johann Rattenhuber
, who had been one of the empaneled court-martial judges, and the Führerbunker
's Reichssicherheitsdienst
security squad. Fegelein was never seen or heard from again.
Among the officers who participated in the plot to assassinate Hitler on 20 July 1944 were thirteen recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. In addition, 711 recipients of the Knight's Cross later served in the Bundeswehr
, with 114 of them reaching the rank of general.
, numerous people have claimed to be unrecognised recipients of the Knight's Cross. The majority of these "recipients" are lacking any evidence to sustain their claims and are thus denied the right to consider themselves "legal recipients". There are two cases where the legal proof of the award exists even though the recipients do not. These two "legally correct" recipients are Günther Nowak and Heinrich Scherhorn
.
, Oberschlesien. It was always assumed that he was the youngest recipient of the Knight's Cross; however, Günther Nowak never really existed — a deserting Commander of the Volkssturm
was caught and claimed that, after the retreat of the Wehrmacht
, he had destroyed five tanks single-handedly. Because of this, he was taken to a Gauleiter
. Fearing that his lie would be unveiled, he created the story of Günther Nowak in order to lessen his own "feat". This report was then sent to Reichsleiter
Martin Bormann
. Bormann immediately awarded the German Cross
in Gold to the Volkssturm-Commander Sachs and the Knight's Cross to Nowak.
: Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger des Eisernen Kreuzes e.V. (OdR)) is an association of highly decorated front-line soldiers of both world wars. The association was founded in 1955 in Köln-Wahn
. Generaloberst Alfred Keller
, Knight of the Order Pour le Mérite
and Recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, called upon the recipients of the highest combat decorations for bravery to organize an association for tradition. Later, the Recipients of the Prussian Golden Military Merit Cross
, of the Pour le Mérite for enlisted personnel were included. The memorandum of the AKCR incorporates the awarding of 7318 Knight's Crosses, as well as 882 Oakleaves, 159 Swords, 27 Diamonds, 1 Golden Oak Leaves and 1 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
for all ranks in the three branches of the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS
.
In 1999, German Minister of Defense Rudolf Scharping
banned all kinds of official contacts between the Bundeswehr and the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients, stating that the Association and many of its members shared neo-Nazi and revanchistic ideas which were not conform with the German constitution and Germany's postwar policies.
, Hitler's successor as Head of State
(Staatsoberhaupt) and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, had 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 army and Heeres group leadership." This "Dönitz-decree" (German: 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)
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.
The German Law about Titles, Orders and Honorary Signs (German language
: Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen) (BGBl. I S. 334) regulates the wearing of the Knight's Cross in post World War II Germany. The reason for this is that 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 Crosses of 1813, 1870, and 1914, which could be worn by World War II Iron Cross recipients.
of the German soldiers the Knight's Cross is often referred to as the Blechkrawatte (tin
-necktie
). Glory-hungry soldiers seeking this medal (which was worn conspicuously around the neck or throat) were seen as suffering from Halsschmerzen: a cynical slang-term play on the word meaning "afflicted with throat trouble", having a "neck rash", "itching neck" or "sore throat". (Navy slang: Draufgänger: a U-boat commander who was viewed as a "daredevil" seeking to earn the Knight's Cross by being too aggressive in endangering his own submarine and crew in pursuit of enemy ships. Different degrees of the Iron Cross were awarded based upon the number and/or tonnage of enemy ships sunk.)
In today's German army the term Ritterkreuz-Auftrag ("Knight's Cross Mission") refers to a duty that is extremely aggravating, or a no-win situation
.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(Eisernes Kreuz). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was second only to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was a decoration intended for victorious generals of the Prussian Army and its allies. It was the highest class of the Iron Cross. Along with the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, the Grand Cross was founded on March 10, 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars. It was...
(Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in the military order
Order (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...
of the Third Reich.
The Knight's Cross grade of the Iron Cross was worn at the neck and was slightly larger but similar in appearance to the 1813 Iron Cross. It was legally based on the 1 September 1939 renewal of the Iron Cross. The order could be presented to German soldiers of all ranks and to the allies of the Third Reich. As the war progressed, some of the recipients distinguished themselves further, and a higher grade, the Oak Leaves
Oak leaf cluster
An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
to Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), was instituted in 1940. In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves were instituted. These were the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten). At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), was created.
Historic background
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(Eisernes Kreuz) at the beginning of the Befreiungskrieg (War of Liberation) as part of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. Karl Friedrich Schinkel
Karl Friedrich Schinkel
Karl Friedrich Schinkel was a Prussian architect, city planner, and painter who also designed furniture and stage sets. Schinkel was one of the most prominent architects of Germany and designed both neoclassical and neogothic buildings.-Biography:Schinkel was born in Neuruppin, Margraviate of...
received the contract to design a silver-framed cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
cross on 13 March 1813. The decree was then backdated to 10 March 1813, the birthday of the King's wife, Louise of Prussia
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Queen consort of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III...
, who had died in 1810. Iron was a material which reflected the spirit of that age and symbolised defiance. The Prussian state had mounted a campaign steeped in patriotic rhetoric, and rallied their citizens to repulse the French occupation. To finance the military opposition against Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
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 "I gave gold for iron."(Gold gab ich für Eisen) or alternatively, "Gold for defence, Iron for honour" (Gold zur Wehr, Eisen zur Ehr).
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, and its second renewal came on 5 August 1914, with the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The 1914 Iron Cross remained a Prussian decoration but could be awarded in the name of the Kaiser (as the King of Prussia) to members of all the German states' armies, and of the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy). The regulation was extended, and from 16 March 1915 the award could also be presented to individuals in the military forces of allies of the German state. During this period the Iron Cross was always awarded in three grades, the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse), Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was a decoration intended for victorious generals of the Prussian Army and its allies. It was the highest class of the Iron Cross. Along with the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, the Grand Cross was founded on March 10, 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars. It was...
(Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) leaving a large gap in the grades of the Iron Cross. There was no nation-wide decoration situated between the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class, which could be awarded to soldiers of all ranks, and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded only to senior commanders for winning a major battle or campaign. This gap was partly filled by awards given from the Empire's member states. Among the best known of these awards are the Prussian Order Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
and House Order of Hohenzollern
House Order of Hohenzollern
The House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
, which could only be awarded to officers. For non-commissioned officers and soldiers the Prussian Golden Military Merit Cross
Military Merit Cross (Prussia)
The Military Merit Cross was the highest bravery award of the Kingdom of Prussia for non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers. It was also known as the Golden Military Merit Cross to distinguish it from the Military Decoration 1st Class The Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz)...
(Goldenes Militär-Verdienstkreuz) was the highest achievable decoration. With the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II at the end of World War I the awards granted by the various royal households became obsolete.
With the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in his role as commander in chief of the German armed forces (Oberstenbefehlshaber der deutschen Wehrmacht) decreed the renewal of the Iron Cross of 1939. The decree was also signed by the Chief of the Armed Forces High Command, Wilhelm Keitel
Wilhelm Keitel
Wilhelm Bodewin Gustav Keitel was a German field marshal . As head of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and de facto war minister, he was one of Germany's most senior military leaders during World War II...
, the Minister of the Interior, Dr. Wilhelm Frick
Wilhelm Frick
Wilhelm Frick was a prominent German Nazi official serving as Minister of the Interior of the Third Reich. After the end of World War II, he was tried for war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials and executed...
, and by the State-Minister and Chief of the Presidential Chancellery of the Führer and Reich Chancellor, Otto Meißner
Otto Meißner
Otto Meißner was head of the Office of the President of Germany during the entire period of the Weimar Republic under Friedrich Ebert and Paul von Hindenburg and, finally, at the beginning of the Nazi era under Adolf Hitler.-Life:The son of a postal official, Meißner studied law in Strasbourg from...
. The renewal of 1939 also filled the gap between the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross. Rather than using an unrelated award to bridge this gap, a new grade of the Iron Cross series was introduced, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes).
The Knight's Cross grades of the Iron Cross
Adolf Hitler decreed on the first day of hostilities of World War II the renewal of the Iron Cross.
Nachdem ich mich entschlossen habe, das Deutsche Volk zur Abwehr gegen die ihm drohenden Angriffe zu den Waffen zu rufen, erneuere ich eingedenk der heldenmütigen Kämpfe, die Deutschlands Söhne in den früheren großen Kriegen zum Schutze der Heimat bestanden haben, den Orden des Eisernen Kreuzes.
After I decided to call the German people to arms in defense of the threat of being attacked, I renew in memory of the heroic battles, which Germany's sons have endured protecting the homeland in previous great wars, the order of the Iron Cross.
The legal grounds for this decree had been established in 1937. Paragraph §3 of the German law of Titles, Orders and Honorary Signs (Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen) from 1 July 1937 (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 725) made the Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
and Reichskanzler the only person who was allowed to award orders or honorary signs. The re-institution of the Iron Cross was therefore a Führer decree based on the enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573) of 1 September 1939 Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes (Ordinance re-establishing the Iron Cross). This had certain political implication since the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
had explicitly denied Germany the creation of a military decoration, order or medal. The re-institution was more than just a symbolic act. While the renewals of the Iron Cross of 1870 and 1914 had renewed a Prussian honorary sign, the renewal of 1 September 1939 in contrast for the first time had created an honorary sign of the entire German state.
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grades was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks, including to a senior commander for skilled leadership of his troops in battle, or to a low ranking soldier for a single act of extreme gallantry. As the war progressed four additional grades were introduced to further 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 and 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. The first award of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was to Luftwaffe Field Marshal Hermann Göring in September 1939. The Oak Leaves addition was first authorized in June 1940 and first awarded on 19 July 1940 to Army Lieutenant General Eduard Dietl (at which time Göring received the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross and promotion to Reich Marshal). The Swords and Diamonds versions were both first formally authorized in September 1941. However, Swords were actually first awarded in June 1941 (to Luftwaffe Lieutenant Colonel Adolf Galland) and Diamonds in July 1941 (to Luftwaffe Colonel Werner Mölders). The golden clasp version was created to award heroes and commanders after the victory that never was and was to be limited to twelve awards. Subsequent events led to only a single award of the highest grade on 29 December 1944. In total, 7313 awards of the Knight's Cross were made. Of these, 883 received Oak Leaves, 160 received Oak Leaves and Swords, 27 received Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds:
Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes)
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross is based on the enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573) of 1 September 1939 Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes (Ordinance re-establishing the Iron Cross). Its appearance was very similar to the Iron Cross. Its shape was that of a cross pattéeCross pattée
A cross pattée is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the centre, and broader at the perimeter. An early English example from the start of the age of heraldry proper A cross pattée (or "cross patty", known also as "cross formée/formy") is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the...
, 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
Lüdenscheid is a town in the Märkischer Kreis district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Sauerland region. Lüdenscheid is seat of the administration of the Märkischer Kreis district...
. The Steinhauer & Lück crosses are stamped with the digits "800", indicating 800 grade silver, on the reverse side. These digits can also be found on the band clip. The Steinhauer & Lück Knight's Cross are 48.19 millimetres (1.9 in) wide and 54.12 millimetres (2.1 in) high. Its weight, without band clip, is 28.79 grams (1 oz).
| Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes | Enactment regarding the renewing of the Iron Cross Iron Cross The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem.... |
| Nachdem ich mich entschlossen habe, das Deutsche Volk zur Abwehr gegen die ihm drohenden Angriffe zu den Waffen zu rufen, erneuere ich eingedenk der heldenmütigen Kämpfe, die Deutschlands Söhne in den früheren großen Kriegen zum Schutze der Heimat bestanden haben, den Orden des Eisernen Kreuzes. | After I decided to call the German people to arms in defense of the threat of being attacked, I renew in memory of the heroic battles, which Germany's sons have endured protecting the homeland in previous great wars, the order of the Iron Cross. |
| Artikel 1 | Article 1 |
Das Eiserne Kreuz wird in folgender Abstufung und Reihenfolge verliehen:
|
The Iron Cross Iron Cross The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem.... will be awarded in the following grades and order: |
| Artikel 2 | Article 2 |
| Das Eiserne Kreuz wird ausschließlich für besondere Tapferkeit vor dem Feind und für hervorragende Verdienste in der Truppenführung verliehen. Die Verleihung einer höheren Klasse setzt den Besitz der vorangehenden Klasse voraus. | The Iron Cross is exclusively awarded for bravery before the enemy and for excellent merits in commanding troops. The award of a higher class must be preceded by the award of all preceding classes. |
| Artikel 3 | Article 3 |
| Die Verleihung des Großkreuzes behalte ich mir vor für überragende Taten, die den Verlauf des Krieges entscheidend beeinflussen. | I reserve for myself the power to award the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross Grand Cross of the Iron Cross The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was a decoration intended for victorious generals of the Prussian Army and its allies. It was the highest class of the Iron Cross. Along with the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, the Grand Cross was founded on March 10, 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars. It was... , for superior actions that decisively influence the course of the war. |
| Artikel 4 | Article 4 |
| Das Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse und das Eiserne Kreuz 1. Klasse gleichen in Größe und Ausführung den bisherigen mit der Abweichung, daß auf der Vorderseite das Hakenkreuz und die Jahreszahl 1939 angebracht sind.
Die 2. Klasse wird an einem schwarz-weiß-roten Bande im Knopfloch oder an der Schnalle, die 1. Klasse ohne Band auf der linken Brustseite getragen. Das Ritterkreuz ist größer als das Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse. Es wird an einem schwarz-weiß-roten Bande am Halse getragen. Das Großkreuz ist etwa doppelt so groß wie das Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse. Es wird an einem breiteren schwarz-weiß-roten Bande am Halse getragen. |
The 2nd Class and 1st Class are of the same size and format as previous versions with the exception that the front sides bears the swastika and the date 1939. The 2nd Class is worn on a black-white-red band in the buttonhole or clasp, the 1st Class without band on the left breast side. The Knight's Cross is larger in size than the Iron Cross 1st Class and is worn around the neck (neck order Neck order A neck order is a type of decoration which is designed to be worn and displayed around a person's neck, rather than hung from the chest as is the standard practice for displaying most decorations.... ) with a black-white-red band. The Grand Cross is approximately twice the size of the Iron Cross 1st Class, a golden trim instead of the silver trim and is worn around the neck with a broader black-white-red band. |
| Artikel 5 | Article 5 |
| Ist der Beliehene schon im Besitz einer oder beider Klassen des Eisernen Kreuzes des Weltkrieges, so erhält er an Stelle eines zweiten Kreuzes eine silberne Spange mit dem Hoheitszeichen und der Jahreszahl 1939 zu dem Eisernen Kreuz des Weltkrieges verliehen; die Spange wird beim Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse auf dem Bande getragen, beim Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse über dem Kreuz angesteckt. | In case the recipient already owns one or two of the classes of the Iron Cross from the World War, then instead of a second Cross a silver clasp to Iron Cross of the World War bearing the national emblem and the date 1939 is awarded; in case of the 2nd Class the clasp is worn on the band, in case of the 1st Class above the Cross. |
| Artikel 6 | Article 6 |
| Der Beliehene erhält eine Besitzurkunde. | The recipient receives a certificate of ownership. |
| Artikel 7 | Article 7 |
| Das Eiserne Kreuz verbleibt nach dem Ableben des Beliehenen als Erinnerungsstück den Hinterbliebenen. | The Iron Cross shall be retained as an heirloom by the heirs of the recipient after his demise. |
| Artikel 8 | Article 8 |
| Die Durchführungsbestimmungen erläßt der Chef des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht im Einverständnis mit dem Staatsminister und Chef der Präsidialkanzlei. Berlin, den 1. September 1939. |
The processing provisions are released by the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces in cooperation with the State Minister and Chief of the Presidential Chancellery. Berlin, 1 September 1939 |
| Der Führer Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945... |
Der Führer Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945... |
| Der Chef des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht Oberkommando der Wehrmacht The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :... Wilhelm Keitel Wilhelm Keitel Wilhelm Bodewin Gustav Keitel was a German field marshal . As head of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and de facto war minister, he was one of Germany's most senior military leaders during World War II... |
Chief of the Armed Forces High Command Wilhelm Keitel Wilhelm Keitel Wilhelm Bodewin Gustav Keitel was a German field marshal . As head of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and de facto war minister, he was one of Germany's most senior military leaders during World War II... |
| Der Reichsminister des Innern Dr. Wilhelm Frick Wilhelm Frick Wilhelm Frick was a prominent German Nazi official serving as Minister of the Interior of the Third Reich. After the end of World War II, he was tried for war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials and executed... |
Minister of the Interior Dr. Wilhelm Frick Wilhelm Frick Wilhelm Frick was a prominent German Nazi official serving as Minister of the Interior of the Third Reich. After the end of World War II, he was tried for war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials and executed... |
| Der Staatsminister und Chef der Präsidialkanzlei des Führers und Reichskanzlers Otto Meißner Otto Meißner Otto Meißner was head of the Office of the President of Germany during the entire period of the Weimar Republic under Friedrich Ebert and Paul von Hindenburg and, finally, at the beginning of the Nazi era under Adolf Hitler.-Life:The son of a postal official, Meißner studied law in Strasbourg from... |
State-Minister and Chief of the Presidential Chancellery of the Führer and Reich Chancellor Otto Meißner Otto Meißner Otto Meißner was head of the Office of the President of Germany during the entire period of the Weimar Republic under Friedrich Ebert and Paul von Hindenburg and, finally, at the beginning of the Nazi era under Adolf Hitler.-Life:The son of a postal official, Meißner studied law in Strasbourg from... |
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (mit Eichenlaub)
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Queen consort of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III...
. The king also awarded the Oak Leaves together with the Pour le Mérite since 9 October 1813 to honour the soldierly merit before the enemy.
The decoration consisted of a cluster of three oak-leaves with the centre leaf superimposed on the two lower leaves. The middle of the Oak Leaves were decorated by a stylized letter "L" in memoriam of Louise of Prussia. The original clasp was die-struck
Die (manufacturing)
A die is a specialized tool used in manufacturing industries to cut or shape material using a press. Like molds, dies are generally customized to the item they are used to create...
from 800 grade silver and 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in) in diameter. The clasp had a pebbled matt finish, with the edges and central ribs of the leaves burnished. The official manufacturer of the Oak Leaves was exclusively the firm Gebrüder Godet & Co. (brothers Godet & Co.) in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.The company Gebrüder Godet & Co (brothers Godet & Co.) was founded 1761 by the goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
Jean Godet. The company Godet was one of the first German manufactures of orders and honorary signs in Germany. Godet became the prime royal warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
for orders under the leadership of Jean Fredric Godet. The company was known as J. Godet & Söhne between 1864 and 1924. The company name then changed to Eugen Godet & Co. The name changed again in the late 1920s and early 1930s to Gebrüder Godet & Co. Godet & Co manufactured two variants of the Oak Leaves which mainly distinguished itself in the appearance of the Oak Leaves on the front right side. Additionally the second variant had a more massive appearance. The first variant was produced until mid 1943.
Hitler quite frequently made the presentations of the Oak Leaves to the bestowed himself in order to express his gratitude personally. The first presentations in 1940 and 1941 were made in the Reich Chancellery
Reich Chancellery
The Reich Chancellery was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany in the period of the German Reich from 1871 to 1945...
in Berlin or on the Berghof in Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg is a mountainside retreat situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany, located about southeast of Munich, close to the border with Austria...
near Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich...
. Beginning with Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, in the summer of 1941 the presentations were made at the Führerhauptquartier "Wolf's Lair" (Wolfschanze) near Rastenburg in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, from the summer 1942 until October 1942 in the Führerhauptquartier "Wehrwolf
Wehrwolf
Führerhauptquartier Werwolf was the codename used for one of Adolf Hitler's World War II Eastern Front military headquarters located in a pine forest about north of Vinnytsia in Ukraine that was used between 1942 and 1943...
" near Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia is a city located on the banks of the Southern Bug, in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast.-Names:...
in Ukraine and then again in the "Wolfschanze". From early 1944 until mid July 1944 the ceremony was again held on the Obersalzberg. This was continued until about August 1944, shortly after the July 20 plot
July 20 Plot
On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government...
, the failed assassination attempt of Oberst Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
Claus Philipp Maria Justinian Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg commonly referred to as Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was a German army officer and Catholic aristocrat who was one of the leading members of the failed 20 July plot of 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler and remove the Nazi Party from...
. Later onwards the presentation were only made sporadically by Hitler himself. The last presentations by Hitler were made early in 1945 in the Führerbunker
Führerbunker
The Führerbunker was located beneath Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex which was constructed in two major phases, one part in 1936 and the other in 1943...
in Berlin. After the July 20 plot senior commanders like the commander in chief of the Kriegsmarine (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine) or the commander in chief of the Luftwaffe (Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
The Oberkommando der Luftwaffe was the air force High Command of the Third Reich.Air Force Commanders-in-Chief* Reich Marshal Hermann Göring * Field Marshal Robert Ritter von Greim -History:...
) and from the fall of 1944 also by the Reichsführer-SS
Reichsführer-SS
was a special SS rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945. Reichsführer-SS was a title from 1925 to 1933 and, after 1934, the highest rank of the German Schutzstaffel .-Definition:...
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
, made the presentations.
| Artikel 1 | Article 1 |
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| Artikel 4 | Article 4 |
| Das Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes besteht aus drei silbernen Eichenblättern, die auf der Bandspange aufliegen. | The Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross are made of three silver oak leaves attached to the band clasp. |
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern)
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) was based on enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613) of 28 September 1941 which again augmented articles 1 and 4. 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 solderedSoldering
Soldering is a process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint, the filler metal having a lower melting point than the workpiece...
to the base of the Oak Leaves. The reverse side mounted band clip was slightly larger than the one attached to the Oak Leaves without swords. For added stability the swords were soldered to both the Oak Leaves and the clip. The swords are 24 millimetre (0.94488188976378 in) long. The entire Oak Leaves with Swords clasp was 24.83 millimetre (0.97755905511811 in) wide, 27.58 millimetres (1.1 in) high and had a weight of 9.03 gram (0.318523877809161 oz).
| Artikel 1 | Article 1 |
|
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| Artikel 4 | Article 4 |
| Das Eichenlaub mit Schwertern zeigt unter den drei silbernen Blättern zwei gekreuzte Schwerter. Bei dem Eichenlaub mit Schwertern und Brillanten sind die drei silbernen Blätter und die Schwertgriffe mit Brillanten besetzt. |
The Oak Leaves and Swords depict two crossed swords beneath the three silver leaves. In case of the Oak Leaves with Swords and Diamonds the three silver leaves and the hilts of the swords are jewelled with Diamonds. |
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten)
The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillianten) is like the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords based on enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613) of 28 September 1941. The first version was based on the design of the Oak Leaves with Swords clasp manufactured by the firm Gebrüder Godet & Co. in Berlin and had the same size. The clasp was drilled out to accept the DiamondDiamond (gemstone)
A diamond is one of the best-known and most sought-after gemstones...
s. This first version was awarded to the first recipients before production was transferred to the firm of Klein in Hanau
Hanau
Hanau is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt am Main. Its station is a major railway junction.- Geography :...
. Presentation of the Diamonds included the (quiet) gift of a second clasp with rhinestones for everyday wear.
Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (mit Goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten)
Based on enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11) of 29 December 1944 augmenting articles 1, 2, and 4.| Artikel 1 | Article 1 |
|
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| Artikel 2 | Article 2 |
| Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit dem Goldenen Eichenlaub mit Schwertern und Brillanten wird nur zwölf mal verliehen, um höchstbewährte Einzelkämpfer, die mit allen Stufen des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes ausgezeichnet sind, vor dem Deutschen Volke besonders zu ehren. | The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds is to be awarded twelve times only, to honor before the German people the most successful combatants, that have received all grades of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. |
| Artikel 4 | Article 4 |
| Bei dem Goldenen Eichenlaub mit Schwertern und Brillanten sind die drei Blätter und die Schwerter in Gold ausgeführt und wie bei dem silbernen Eichenlaub mit Brillanten besetzt. | In case of the Golden Oak Leaves with Swords and Diamonds the three leaves and the swords are made of gold and likewise jewelled with Diamonds. |
Award documentation
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 wording was standardized reading "The Führer and commander in chief of the Armed Forces has awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe preliminary testimonial of ownership was followed by a more elaborate and formal award document, the Ritterkreuzurkunde (Knight's Cross Certificate). The official award document that came with the Knight's Cross was hand-lettered on vellum and placed inside a large red leather binder embossed with a gold Reichsadler
Reichsadler
The Reichsadler was the heraldic eagle, derived from the Roman eagle standard, used by the Holy Roman Emperors and in modern coats of arms of Germany, including those of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany...
. Sometimes, Hitler's signature was a facsimile, but when time allowed, he did sign them. These documents for the Knight's Cross were used between 1939 and 1942, when the number of recipients made it possible only for documents of this type to be made for the higher grades of the order.
The document folder itself was designed by Frieda Thiersch.
Prerequisites
To qualify for the Knight's Cross, a soldier had to already hold the 1939 Iron CrossIron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
First Class, though the Iron Cross First Class was awarded concurrently with the Knight's Cross in rare cases.
Unit commanders could also be awarded the medal for exemplary conduct by 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 1939–45, with the requirements being gradually raised as the war went on.
Werner Wrangel
GefreiterGefreiter
Gefreiter is the German, Swiss and Austrian equivalent for the military rank Private . Gefreiter was the lowest rank to which an ordinary soldier could be promoted. As a military rank it has existed since at least the 16th century...
Werner Wrangel
Werner Wrangel
Werner Wrangel was a Gefreiter in the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War, who received three of Germany's highest military decorations during a single combat action. He was the only person ever to do so...
, a gunner with Panzerjager Battalion 183, was uniquely presented with the Iron Cross 2nd class, Iron Cross 1st Class, and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross simultaneously on 8 February 1943 for outstanding valor in repulsing a Russian attack virtually single-handedly, thereby saving the lives of hundreds of his comrades.
Recipients
The Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) names 7,322 recipients of the Knight's Cross in the three military branches of the WehrmachtWehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, consisting of the Heer
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
(Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
), Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
(Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
) and Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
(Air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
), the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
, the Reichsarbeitsdienst
Reichsarbeitsdienst
The Reichsarbeitsdienst was an institution established by Nazi Germany as an agency to reduce unemployment, similar to the relief programs in other countries. During the Second World War it was an auxiliary formation which provided support for the Wehrmacht.The RAD was formed during July 1934 as...
(RAD) and the Volkssturm
Volkssturm
The Volkssturm was a German national militia of the last months of World War II. It was founded on Adolf Hitler's orders on October 18, 1944 and conscripted males between the ages of 16 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard.-Origins and...
. The AKCR also lists 43 individuals in the military of allies of the Third Reich for a total of 7,365 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Of these 890 individuals received Oak Leaves (882 members of the Wehrmacht and 8 non-Germans); 160 received Oak Leaves and Swords (159 members of the Wehrmacht and one honorary recipient, the Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Isoroku Yamamoto
was a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
). Only 27 men were awarded the Diamonds grade of the Knight's Cross (3 field marshals, 10 generals, 3 colonels, 9 ace pilots and 2 U-boat captains); Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II and a member of the Nazi party. The most highly decorated German serviceman of the war, Rudel was one of only 27 military men to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the only...
was the only recipient of the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.
Among those generally accepted 159 German recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords are 13 recipients, whose Swords to the Knight's Cross do not meet the formal awarding criteria of the Knight's Cross. Twenty-four recipients of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves are also lacking sustainable evidence that their listing is justifiable. Otto Weidinger
Otto Weidinger
Otto Weidinger was a member of the German Waffen-SS and a commander of SS-PzGrenRgt 4 "Der Führer" during World War II and was involved in the massacre of Oradour-sur-Glane in France in June 1944. He held the rank of SS-Obersturmbannführer...
, Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny
Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny
Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny was a German Waffen-SS officer. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, Sylvester Stadler
Sylvester Stadler
Sylvester Stadler was a SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS, a commander of the 2nd SS Division Das Reich, 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen and a winner of the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords...
and Wilhelm Bittrich
Wilhelm Bittrich
Wilhelm Bittrich was an SS-Obergruppenführer and Waffen-SS General during World War II.-Overview:...
received the Swords from SS Obergruppenführer Josef Dietrich, who was not legally authorized to present the award.
Further, Hermann Fegelein
Hermann Fegelein
SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Georg Otto Hermann Fegelein was a General of the Waffen-SS in Nazi Germany, a member of Adolf Hitler's entourage, brother-in-law to Eva Braun through his marriage to her sister, Gretl, and husband of the sister-in-law to Adolf Hitler through Hitler's marriage to Eva...
was executed in the last days of the war for desertion, a charge which upon conviction
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
would have legally deprived him of all rank and awards, including his Knight's Cross. However, his might have been an extralegal execution
Summary execution
A summary execution is a variety of execution in which a person is killed on the spot without trial or after a show trial. Summary executions have been practiced by the police, military, and paramilitary organizations and are associated with guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency, terrorism, and...
. According to the recollections of Wilhelm Mohnke
Wilhelm Mohnke
SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke was one of the original 120 members of the SS-Staff Guard "Berlin" formed in March 1933. From those ranks, Mohnke rose to become one of Adolf Hitler's last remaining generals.Mohnke saw action with the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler in France, Poland...
, he and the three other general officers tasked with holding a court martial for Fegelein found him to be of such unsound mind
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
that he was not competent to stand trial
Adjudicative competence
Adjudicative competence, also referred to as competence to stand trial, is a legal construct describing the criminal defendant's ability to understand and participate in legal proceedings. This includes the defendant's current ability to participate in various pleas and waivers of rights. It is...
under military law. Fegelein subsequently disappeared in the hands of Gruppenführer Johann Rattenhuber
Johann Rattenhuber
Johann Rattenhuber , also known as Hans Rattenhuber, was a German police and SS general . Rattenhuber was the head of German dictator Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard from 1933 to 1945.-Biography:Rattenhuber was born in Munich, where he made a career as a police officer...
, who had been one of the empaneled court-martial judges, and the Führerbunker
Führerbunker
The Führerbunker was located beneath Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex which was constructed in two major phases, one part in 1936 and the other in 1943...
's Reichssicherheitsdienst
Reichssicherheitsdienst
The Reichssicherheitsdienst was an SS security force of Nazi Germany. Originally the personal bodyguards of Adolf Hitler, it later provided men for the protection of other high-ranking leaders of the Nazi regime...
security squad. Fegelein was never seen or heard from again.
Among the officers who participated in the plot to assassinate Hitler on 20 July 1944 were thirteen recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. In addition, 711 recipients of the Knight's Cross later served in the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, with 114 of them reaching the rank of general.
Distribution by Service
| Heer | Luftwaffe | Kriegsmarine !! Waffen-SS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,785 | 1,785 | 318 (316) | 457 |
| Beginning letter | Recipients According to AKCR |
Delisted According to AKCR |
Disputed According to Veit Scherzer |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 118 | 1 | 3 |
| Ba–Bm, Bn–Bz | 368 + 357 = 725 | 1 | 13 + 8 = 21 |
| C | 82 | ||
| D | 238 | 6 | |
| E | 188 | 3 | |
| F | 280 | 1 | 12 |
| G | 380 | 1 | 11 |
| H | 661 | 1 | 28 |
| I | 26 | ||
| J | 142 | 1 | 4 |
| Ka–Km, Kn–Kz | 289 + 428 = 717 | 1 | 4 + 8 = 12 |
| L | 386 | 16 | |
| M | 456 | 7 | |
| N | 145 | 2 | 2 |
| O | 82 | 2 | |
| P | 324 | 1 | 5 |
| Q | 7 | ||
| R | 448 | 11 | |
| Sa–Scg,Sci–Sz, Sch | 524 + 537 = 1,061 | 11 + 14 = 25 | |
| T | 182 | 5 | |
| U | 32 | 1 | |
| V | 92 | 5 | |
| W | 446 | 11 | |
| X | 1 | ||
| Z | 103 | 2 | |
| Totals | 7,322 | 10 | 192 |
Oak Leaves
| Rank on day of award | Heer | Waffen-SS | Kriegsmarine | Luftwaffe | Foreigners | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generalfeldmarschall Generalfeldmarschall Field Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used... / Großadmiral |
6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | |
| Generaloberst / Generaladmiral | 11 | 3 | 1 | 15 | ||
| General der Infanterie etc. / Admiral Admiral Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"... |
50 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 64 | |
| Generalleutnant / Vizeadmiral | 77 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 91 |
| Generalmajor / Konteradmiral | 43 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 59 |
| Oberst Oberst Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti... / Kapitän zur See |
78 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 103 | |
| Oberstleutnant Oberstleutnant Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant... / Fregattenkapitän |
47 | 19 | 3 | 19 | 88 | |
| Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... / Korvettenkapitän |
73 | 9 | 11 | 53 | 1 | 147 |
| Hauptmann Hauptmann Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e... / Kapitänleutnant |
68 | 6 | 24 | 76 | 174 | |
| Oberleutnant Oberleutnant Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty... / Oberleutnant zur See |
19 | 4 | 5 | 40 | 68 | |
| Leutnant / Leutnant zur See | 11 | 1 | 21 | 33 | ||
| Stabsfeldwebel / Stabswachtmeister | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Oberfeldwebel / Oberwachtmeister | 17 | 7 | 24 | |||
| Feldwebel Feldwebel Feldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel is usually translated as sergeant being rated OR-6 in the NATO rank comparison scale, equivalent to the British Army Sergeant and the US Army... / Wachtmeister |
5 | 4 | 9 | |||
| Unteroffizier Unteroffizier Unteroffizier is both a specific military rank as well as a collective term for non-commissioned officers of the German military that has existed since the 19th century. The rank existed as a title as early as the 17th century with the first widespread usage occurring in the Bavarian Army of the... / Oberjäger |
3 | 3 | ||||
| Totals | 509 | 74 | 53 | 246 | 8 | 890 |
Swords
| Rank on day of award | Heer | Waffen-SS | Kriegsmarine | Luftwaffe | Foreigners | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generalfeldmarschall / Großadmiral | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| Generaloberst / Generaladmiral | 8 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| General der Infanterie etc. / Admiral | 21 | 4 | 1 | 26 | ||
| Generalleutnant / Vizeadmiral | 13 | 3 | 2 | 18 | ||
| Generalmajor / Konteradmiral | 12 | 4 | 16 | |||
| Oberst / Kapitän zur See | 7 | 6 | 7 | 20 | ||
| Oberstleutnant / Fregattenkapitän | 8 | 4 | 6 | 18 | ||
| Major / Korvettenkapitän | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 18 | |
| Hauptmann / Kapitänleutnant | 1 | 4 | 15 | 20 | ||
| Oberleutnant / Oberleutnant zur See | 1 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Leutnant / Leutnant zur See | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Oberfeldwebel / Oberwachtmeister | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Totals | 77 | 24 | 5 | 53 | 1 | 160 |
Diamonds
| Rank on day of award | Heer | Waffen-SS | Kriegsmarine | Luftwaffe | Foreigners | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generalfeldmarschall / Großadmiral | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Generaloberst / Generaladmiral | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| General der Infanterie etc. / Admiral | 4 | 4 | ||||
| Generalleutnant / Vizeadmiral | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Generalmajor / Konteradmiral | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Oberst / Kapitän zur See | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Oberstleutnant / Fregattenkapitän | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Major / Korvettenkapitän | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Hauptmann / Kapitänleutnant | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Oberleutnant / Oberleutnant zur See | 3 | 3 | ||||
| Totals | 11 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 27 |
Non-existent recipients
Since the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, numerous people have claimed to be unrecognised recipients of the Knight's Cross. The majority of these "recipients" are lacking any evidence to sustain their claims and are thus denied the right to consider themselves "legal recipients". There are two cases where the legal proof of the award exists even though the recipients do not. These two "legally correct" recipients are Günther Nowak and Heinrich Scherhorn
Operation Scherhorn
Operation Scherhorn or Operation Berezino , Operation Beresino was a secret deception operation performed by the NKVD against the Nazi secret services in August 1944 – May 1945...
.
Günther Nowak
Günther Nowak, Hitlerjunge, was awarded the Knight's Cross on 14 February 1945 for the destruction of eleven tanks in HindenburgZabrze
Zabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million...
, Oberschlesien. It was always assumed that he was the youngest recipient of the Knight's Cross; however, Günther Nowak never really existed — a deserting Commander of the Volkssturm
Volkssturm
The Volkssturm was a German national militia of the last months of World War II. It was founded on Adolf Hitler's orders on October 18, 1944 and conscripted males between the ages of 16 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard.-Origins and...
was caught and claimed that, after the retreat of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, he had destroyed five tanks single-handedly. Because of this, he was taken to a Gauleiter
Gauleiter
A Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Creation and Early Usage:...
. Fearing that his lie would be unveiled, he created the story of Günther Nowak in order to lessen his own "feat". This report was then sent to Reichsleiter
Reichsleiter
Reichsleiter , was the second highest political rank of the NSDAP next only to the office of Führer. Reichsleiter also served as a paramilitary rank, for the Nazi Party and was the highest position attainable in any Nazi-Organisation.The Reichsleiter reported directly to Adolf Hitler, in whose...
Martin Bormann
Martin Bormann
Martin Ludwig Bormann was a prominent Nazi official. He became head of the Party Chancellery and private secretary to Adolf Hitler...
. Bormann immediately awarded the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold to the Volkssturm-Commander Sachs and the Knight's Cross to Nowak.
Association of Knight's Cross Recipients
The Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) (German languageGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger des Eisernen Kreuzes e.V. (OdR)) is an association of highly decorated front-line soldiers of both world wars. The association was founded in 1955 in Köln-Wahn
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. Generaloberst Alfred Keller
Alfred Keller
Alfred Keller was a general in the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Born in Bochum, Province of Westphalia, his career in the Imperial German Armed Forces begun in 1897, when he became a cadet in a military school, he retired after the Second World War as one of the most decorated...
, Knight of the Order Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
and Recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, called upon the recipients of the highest combat decorations for bravery to organize an association for tradition. Later, the Recipients of the Prussian Golden Military Merit Cross
Military Merit Cross (Prussia)
The Military Merit Cross was the highest bravery award of the Kingdom of Prussia for non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers. It was also known as the Golden Military Merit Cross to distinguish it from the Military Decoration 1st Class The Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz)...
, of the Pour le Mérite for enlisted personnel were included. The memorandum of the AKCR incorporates the awarding of 7318 Knight's Crosses, as well as 882 Oakleaves, 159 Swords, 27 Diamonds, 1 Golden Oak Leaves and 1 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was a decoration intended for victorious generals of the Prussian Army and its allies. It was the highest class of the Iron Cross. Along with the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, the Grand Cross was founded on March 10, 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars. It was...
for all ranks in the three branches of the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
.
In 1999, German Minister of Defense Rudolf Scharping
Rudolf Scharping
Rudolf Scharping is a German politician .Scharping studied politics, sociology and law at the University of Bonn. He joined the Social Democratic Party in 1966. He was Member of the Rhineland-Palatine Parliament from 1975 to 1994. From 21 May 1991 to 15 October 1994 he was prime minister of the...
banned all kinds of official contacts between the Bundeswehr and the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients, stating that the Association and many of its members shared neo-Nazi and revanchistic ideas which were not conform with the German constitution and Germany's postwar policies.
Dönitz-decree
Großadmiral and President of Germany Karl DönitzKarl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz was a German naval commander during World War II. He started his career in the German Navy during World War I. In 1918, while he was in command of , the submarine was sunk by British forces and Dönitz was taken prisoner...
, Hitler's successor as Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
(Staatsoberhaupt) and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, had 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
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
— 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 army and Heeres group leadership." This "Dönitz-decree" (German: 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)
Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt)
The Deutsche Dienststelle is a German Agency based in Berlin which maintains records of members of the former German Wehrmacht who were killed in action. Formerly called the Wehrmachtsauskunftstelle this agency also provides information about the fate of foreign and German soldiers 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.
Law about Titles, Orders and Honorary Signs
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen) (BGBl. I S. 334) regulates the wearing of the Knight's Cross in post World War II Germany. The reason for this is that 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 Crosses of 1813, 1870, and 1914, which could be worn by World War II Iron Cross recipients.
Military slang
In the military slangMilitary slang
Military slang is an array of colloquial terminology used commonly by military personnel, including slang which is unique to or originates with the armed forces. It often takes the form of abbreviations/acronyms or derivations of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, or otherwise incorporates aspects of...
of the German soldiers the Knight's Cross is often referred to as the Blechkrawatte (tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
-necktie
Necktie
A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck...
). Glory-hungry soldiers seeking this medal (which was worn conspicuously around the neck or throat) were seen as suffering from Halsschmerzen: a cynical slang-term play on the word meaning "afflicted with throat trouble", having a "neck rash", "itching neck" or "sore throat". (Navy slang: Draufgänger: a U-boat commander who was viewed as a "daredevil" seeking to earn the Knight's Cross by being too aggressive in endangering his own submarine and crew in pursuit of enemy ships. Different degrees of the Iron Cross were awarded based upon the number and/or tonnage of enemy ships sunk.)
In today's German army the term Ritterkreuz-Auftrag ("Knight's Cross Mission") refers to a duty that is extremely aggravating, or a no-win situation
No-win situation
A no-win situation, also called a "lose-lose" situation, is one where a person has choices, but no choice leads to a net gain. For example, if an executioner offers the condemned the choice of dying by being hanged, shot, or poisoned, since all choices lead to death, the condemned is in a no-win...
.