The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was Nazi Germany's order and recognized extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during the Third Reich period.
Prerequisites
To qualify for the Knight's Cross, a soldier had to have held the 1939 Iron Cross First Class already, though the Iron Cross I 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.
Grades
The Knight's Cross was divided into five grades, exluding the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross:
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 (Regulation of the renewing of the Iron Cross).
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Grand Cross of the Iron Cross |
| Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes | Enactment regarding the renewing of the Iron Cross |
| Artikel 1 | Article 1 |
Das Eiserne Kreuz wird in folgender
Abstufung und Reihenfolge verliehen:
|
The Iron Cross
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, 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) 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 accordance with the State Minister and
the Chief of the Presidential Chancellery.
Berlin, 1 September 1939 |
| Der Führer Adolf Hitler |
Der Führer Adolf Hitler |
| Der Chef des Oberkommandos
der Wehrmacht Wilhelm Keitel |
Supreme Command of
the Armed Forces Wilhelm Keitel |
| Der Reichsminister
des Innern Dr. Wilhelm Frick |
Minister of the
Interior Dr. Wilhelm Frick |
| Der Staatsminister
und Chef der Präsidialkanzlei des Führers und
Reichskanzlers Otto Meissner |
State Minister of
the Rank of a Reich Minister and Chief of the
Presidential Chancellery of the Führer and Reich
Chancellor Otto Meissner |
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (mit Eichenlaub)
Based on enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849) of 3 June 1940 augmenting article 1 and 4.
With Oak Leaves |
| Artikel 1 | Article 1 |
|
|
| 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, Swords, and Diamonds (mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillianten)
Also based on enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613) of 28 September 1941
With Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds |
Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (mit Goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillianten)
Based on enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11) of 29 December 1944 augmenting articles 1, 2, and 4.
With Oak Leaves and Swords |
Recipients
In total, 7,318 awards of the Knight's Cross were made, but only 882 received Oak Leaves (plus 8 non German recipients) and 159 received Oak Leaves and Swords (plus one honorary recipient, the Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto). Only 27 men were ever awarded the Diamonds grade of the Knight's Cross (3 field marshals, 10 generals, 3 colonels, 9 ace pilots and 2 U-boat captains), and Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the only recipient of the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.
Among the officers who participated in the plot to assassinate Hitler on 20 July 1944 were 13 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. 711 recipients of the Knight's Cross later served in the Bundeswehr, with 114 of them reaching the rank of general.
Distribution by Service
| Army | Luftwaffe | Navy | Waffen-SS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,785 | 1,785 | 318 | 460 |
Non Existing Recipients
Since the end of World War II a number of people not yet listed claimed to be recipients of the Knight's Cross. The majority of these "recipients" are lacking the legal evidence to sustain their claims and are thus denied the right to consider themselves "legal recipients". Up until today two cases exists where the legal proof of the award exists however the recipients do not. These two "legally correct" recipients are Günther Nowak and Heinrich Scherhorn.
Günther Nowak
Günther Nowak, Hitlerjunge, was awarded the Knight's Cross on 14 February 1945 for the destruction of 11 tanks in Hindenburg, Oberschlesien. It was always assumed that he was the youngest recipient of the Knight's Cross. In reality Günther Nowak never existed. A deserting Commander of the Volkssturm was caught and claimed that after the retreat of the Wehrmacht he destroyed 5 tanks single handed. Because of this he was taken to the Gauleiter. Fearing that his lie was unveiled he created the story of Günther Nowak in order to lessen his "feat". This report was then sent to Reichsleiter Martin Borman. Borman then immediately awarded the German Cross 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 language: 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 Merite" 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 Merite" for enlisted personnel were included. The memorandum of the AKCR incoperates 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 three Wehrmachts-parts and the Waffen-SS.
Law about Titles, Orders and Honourary Signs
The German Law about Titles, Orders and Honourary 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. Reason for this is that German law prohibits wearing a swastika, so on July 26, 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.
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