List_of_Knight's_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross_recipients_of_the_Kriegsmarine

List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of the Kriegsmarine

List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of the Kriegsmarine

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The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) and its variants were the highest awards in the military of the Third Reich. Recipients are grouped by grades of the Knight's Cross. During or shortly after World War II, 318 German sailors and servicemen of the Kriegsmarine received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Of these, 316 presentations were formally made. Two recipients received the award after 11 May 1945, when Großadmiral Karl Dönitz ordered a cease of promotions and illegalized subsequent awards. The final two recipients are therefore considered to have received the medal without legal authority.[1]

Background

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grades were based on four separate enactments. The first enactment, Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 instituted the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz), the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). Article 2 of the enactment mandated that the award of a higher class be preceded by the award of all preceding classes.[2] As the war progressed, some of the recipients of the Knight's Cross distinguished themselves further and a higher grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849 of 3 June 1940.[3] In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 of 28 September 1941 introduced 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).[4] At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11 of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized.[5]

Recipients

The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht kept separate Knight's Cross lists, one for each of the three military branches, Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air force) and for the Waffen-SS. In each of these lists a unique sequential number was assigned to each recipient. The same numbering paradigm was applied to the higher grades of the Knight's Cross, one list per grade.[6]

  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the Knight's Cross was awarded posthumously.
  This along with the ? (question mark) indicates that historian Veit Scherzer has expressed doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.

Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds

The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds is based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 of 28 September 1941 to reward those servicemen who had already been awarded the Oak Leaves with Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. It was awarded to twenty-seven German soldiers, sailors and airmen, ranging from young fighter pilots to field marshals. Two recipients were members of the Kriegsmarine.[7] The list is initially sorted by the chronological number assigned to the recipient.

More information Number, Name ...

Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords is also based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 of 28 September 1941 to reward those servicemen who had already been awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The list is initially sorted by the chronological number assigned to the recipient.

More information Number, Name ...

Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves

The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves was based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849 of 3 June 1940. The last officially announced number for the Oak Leaves was 843. Higher numbers are unofficial and therefore denoted in brackets.[9] The list is initially sorted by the chronological number assigned to the recipient.

More information Number, Name ...

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

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). The list is initially sorted by the chronological number assigned to the recipient.

More information Number, Name ...

Legally disputed Knight's Cross recipients

Großadmiral Karl Dönitz ordered a cease of all promotions and awards as of 11 May 1945. Nevertheless, a number of Knight's Crosses were awarded after this without legal authority. At least two members of the Kriegsmarine are often listed as recipients of the Knight's Cross but fall outside of the Dönitz decree. The Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine General-Admiral Walter Warzecha, successor of General-Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, without authorization presented Georg-Wolfgang Feller the Knight's Cross on 17 June 1945. Karl Jäckel received his Knight's Cross confirmation after 11 May 1945 and is a de facto but not de jure recipient. Both recipients were delisted by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR).[1]

More information Number, Name ...

Footnotes

  1. [N 1]
    According to Scherzer as commander of Schnellboot S-56.[17]
  2. [N 2]
    According to Scherzer as Korvettenkapitän zur Verwendung (for disposition).[20]
  3. [N 3]
    There is no reference that the Oak Leaves were awarded to Adalbert von Blanc in the German Federal Archives. His personal file contains a letter from Admiral August Thiele indicating that von Blanc had been recommended for the Oak Leaves by Thiele. In a file of the German Minenräumdienst dated just after the capitulation is an entry "Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves" without indicating a date of the award. The sequential number "866" and date were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR). Von Blanc was member of the AKCR.[22]
  4. [N 4]
    According to Scherzer as Chef des Stabes der Seekriegsleitung und Chef des Marinekommando Amt im OKM.[23]
  5. [N 5]
    According to Scherzer as commander of Marinegruppenkommando West.[24]
  6. [N 6]
    According to Scherzer as stellvertretender Befehlshaber der Aufklärungs-Streitkräfte und Führer der Kriegschiffgruppe 3 (Zielhafen Bergen)—deputy commander of the reconnaissance forces and leader of the warship group 3 (destination Bergen).[28]
  7. [N 7]
    According to Scherzer as commander of Schnellboot S-60.[17]
  8. [N 8]
    Sources are inconclusive with respect to date of death. Some sources indicate that von Forstner succumbed to his injuries on 22 October 1943 nine days after the sinking of U-402 on 13 October 1943.[53][54][55]
  9. [N 9]
    According to Scherzer as commander of Schnellboot S-27 respectively S-51 in the 1. Schnellbootflottille.[59]
  10. [N 10]
    According to Scherzer as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of Schnellboot S-55.[61]
  11. [N 11]
    According to Scherzer commander of Schnellboot S-52.[62]
  12. [N 12]
    According to Scherzer as commander of Schnellboot S-54.[69]
  13. [N 13]
    According to Scherzer as commander in the 18. Vorpostenflottille.[72]
  14. [N 14]
    According to Scherzer as commander of the sea defence of the Crimea.[74]
  15. [N 15]
    According to Scherzer as chief of the Kleinkampfflottille 211.[80]
  16. [N 16]
    According to Scherzer name is spelled Helmuth Werther who received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as group leader of the Minenschiffe (minelayers) in the 21. UJ-Flottille.[84]
  17. [N 17]
    According to Scherzer as commander Atlantic coast and commander of fortress La Rochelle.[85]
  18. [N 18]
    According to Scherzer as commander of Artillerie-Leichter AF-65 in the 6. Artillerieträger-Flottille.[86]
  19. [N 19]
    According to Scherzer as chief 4 (Battery "Sagorsch")/Marine-Flak-Abteilung 259 in Gotenhafen.[87]
  20. [N 20]
    There is no reference of the Knight's Cross awarded to Werner Weidling in the German Federal Archives. His personal file contains a letter from 1955 by the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt), indicating that no proof of the award exists. The date was assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR).[88]
  21. [N 21]
    There is no reference of the Knight's Cross awarded to Carl Hoff in the archives of the Kriegsmarine. His personal file contains a copy of a letter from 1955 by the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt), indicating that no proof of the award exists. Author Manfred Dörr states that Hoff received the Knight's Cross on 28 May 1945, thus after the capitulation. The date was assigned by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel.[89]
  22. [N 22]
    There is no reference of the Knight's Cross awarded to Hans-Joachim Merks in the German Federal Archives. His personal file contains a letter from 1955 by the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt), indicating that no proof of the award exists. The date was assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR).[90]
  23. [N 23]
    Author Clemens Range dates Hans Lehmann's Knight's Cross on 8 June 1945, thus after the effectiveness of the Dönitz-decree. Walther-Peer Fellgiebel, author of Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945, indicates that Lehmann received the Knight's Cross on 11 May 1945 and Veit Scherzer states that 7 May 1945 as the correct date, thus before the Dönitz-decree prohibited the awarding of the Knight's Cross. The sequential number 317 associated to Lehmann's Knight's Cross is based on author Clemens Range's work Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine.[91][92][93]

References

Specific
  1. [1]
    Fellgiebel 2000, p. 4.
  2. [2]
    "Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 1573; 1 September 1939" (PDF). ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (in German). Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  3. [3]
    "Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 849; 3 June 1940" (PDF). ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (in German). Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  4. [4]
    "Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 613; 28 September 1941" (PDF). ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (in German). Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  5. [5]
    "Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11; 29 December 1944" (PDF). ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (in German). Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  6. [6]
    Fellgiebel, p. 112.
  7. [7]
    Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 36–38.
  8. [8]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 518.
  9. [9]
    Fellgiebel 2000, p. 102.
  10. [10]
    Range 1974, p. 43.
  11. [11]
    Range 1974, p. 45.
  12. [12]
    Fellgiebel 2000, p. 54.
  13. [13]
    Range 1974, p. 30.
  14. [14]
    Range 1974, p. 37.
  15. [15]
    Range 1974, p. 41.
  16. [16]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 173.
  17. [17]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 800.
  18. [18]
    Range 1974, p. 33.
  19. [19]
    Range 1974, p. 27.
  20. [20]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 582.
  21. [21]
    Range 1974, p. 34.
  22. [22]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 121.
  23. [23]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 678.
  24. [24]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 647.
  25. [25]
    Range 1974, p. 57.
  26. [26]
    Kurowski 2007, p. 155.
  27. [27]
    Range 1974, p. 118.
  28. [28]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 674
  29. [29]
    Range 1974, p. 146.
  30. [30]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 143.
  31. [31]
    Range 1974, p. 60.
  32. [32]
    Range 1974, p. 61.
  33. [33]
    Range 1974, p. 71.
  34. [34]
    Range 1974, p. 100.
  35. [35]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 129.
  36. [36]
    Range 1974, p. 153.
  37. [37]
    Range 1974, p. 173.
  38. [38]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 17.
  39. [39]
    Range 1974, p. 116.
  40. [40]
    Fellgiebel 2000, p. 198.
  41. [41]
    Range 1974, p. 53.
  42. [42]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 27.
  43. [43]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 247.
  44. [44]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 237.
  45. [45]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 273.
  46. [46]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 73.
  47. [47]
    Range 1974, p. 165.
  48. [48]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 177.
  49. [49]
    Range 1974, p. 85.
  50. [50]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 221.
  51. [51]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 9.
  52. [52]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 231.
  53. [53]
    Fellgiebel 2000, p. 184.
  54. [54]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 57.
  55. [55]
    Range 1974, p. 78.
  56. [56]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 297.
  57. [57]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 253.
  58. [58]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 55.
  59. [59]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 250.
  60. [60]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 61.
  61. [61]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 770
  62. [62]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 557.
  63. [63]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 257.
  64. [64]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 137.
  65. [65]
    Range 1974, p. 109.
  66. [66]
    Range 1974, p. 156.
  67. [67]
    Range 1974, p. 106.
  68. [68]
    Range 1974, p. 167.
  69. [69]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 671.
  70. [70]
    Range 1974, p. 152.
  71. [71]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 81.
  72. [72]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 799.
  73. [73]
    Range 1974, p. 92.
  74. [74]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 691.
  75. [75]
    Range 1974, p. 134.
  76. [76]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 255.
  77. [77]
    Range 1974, p. 131.
  78. [78]
    Kurowski 1995, p. 53.
  79. [79]
    Range 1974, p. 182.
  80. [80]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 204.
  81. [81]
    Range 1974, p. 169.
  82. [82]
    Range 1974, p. 84.
  83. [83]
    Range 1974, p. 171.
  84. [84]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 781.
  85. [85]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 662.
  86. [86]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 532.
  87. [87]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 791.
  88. [88]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 184.
  89. [89]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 142.
  90. [90]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 159.
  91. [91]
    Range 1974, p. 113.
  92. [92]
    Fellgiebel 2000, p. 287.
  93. [93]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 498.
General
  • Dörr, Manfred (1995). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 1: A–K [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2453-2.
  • Dörr, Manfred (1996). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 2: L–Z [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2497-6.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-88740-748-X.
  • Kurowski, Franz (2007). Korvettenkapitän Werner Töniges Der erste Eichenlaubträger der Schnellbootwaffe (in German). Flechsig Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88189-737-2.
  • Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Navy]. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
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