List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (J) explained

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks, from a senior commander for skilled leadership of his troops in battle to a low-ranking soldier for a single act of extreme gallantry. A total of 7,321 awards were made between its first presentation on 30 September 1939 and its last bestowal on 17 June 1945. This number is based on the analysis and acceptance of the order commission of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR). Presentations were made to members of the three military branches of the Wehrmacht—the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy) and Luftwaffe (Air Force)—as well as the Waffen-SS, the Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD—Reich Labour Service) and the Volkssturm (German national militia). There were also 43 recipients in the military forces of allies of the Third Reich.

These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel's book, German: Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945. Fellgiebel was the former chairman and head of the order commission of the AKCR. In 1996, the second edition of this book was published with an addendum delisting 11 of these original recipients. Author Veit Scherzer has cast doubt on a further 193 of these listings. The majority of the disputed recipients had received the award in 1945, when the deteriorating situation of Germany in the final days of World War II in Europe left a number of nominations incomplete and pending in various stages of the approval process.

Listed here are the 142 Knight's Cross recipients whose last names start with "J", ordered alphabetically. Fellgiebel himself delisted one and Scherzer has challenged the validity of four more of these listings. The rank listed is the recipient's rank at the time the Knight's Cross was awarded.

Background

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grades were based on four separate enactments. The first enactment, German: [[Reichsgesetzblatt]] I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 instituted the Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz), the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (German: 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.^[1] 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 (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment German: Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849 of 3 June 1940.^[2] In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment German: Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 of 28 September 1941 introduced the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten).^[3] At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), based on the enactment German: Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11 of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized.^[4]

Recipients

The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) kept separate Knight's Cross lists for the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air Force) and Waffen-SS. Within 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. Of the 142 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "J", 14 were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and two the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords; 15 presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received 85 of the medals, nine went to the Kriegsmarine, 42 to the Luftwaffe, and six to the Waffen-SS. The sequential numbers greater than 843 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves are unofficial and were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) and are therefore denoted in parentheses.

Name	Rank	Role and unit^[5]	Date of award	Notes
+	13-LOberleutnant			Awarded 430th Oak Leaves 24 March 1944
	14-LHauptmann
	13-LOberleutnant	Chief of the 1./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7
	13-HOberleutnant	Chief of the 2./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 143
	13-HOberleutnant	Deputy leader of the I./Jäger-Regiment 204
	03-HGefreiter	Group leader in the 6./Füsilier-Regiment 22
	13-LOberleutnant
	04-HObergefreiter	Group leader in the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 431
	13-H	Chief of the 7./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 11		Killed in action 19 March 1943
	12-LLeutnant	Pilot in the 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
		10-MObersteuermann	Coxswain on
	14-HHauptmann	Commander of the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 14
	13-LOberleutnant	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the I./Flak-Regiment 23 (motorized)
?	15-HMajor	Commander of the II./Infanterie-Regiment 8
	09-HFeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 418
+	12-H	Leader of the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 167		Awarded 786th Oak Leaves 16 March 1945
	13-LOberarzt (rank equivalent to Oberleutnant)	Troop doctor in the assault group "Beton" of the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch" (Battle of Fort Eben-Emael)
	15-HMajor
	12-LLeutnant
	17-LOberst	Geschwaderkommodore of Transportgeschwader 1
	19-HGeneralleutnant
	13-LOberleutnant
	06-HUnteroffizier	Panzer commander in the Panzer-Jäger-Kompanie 1349
	14-MKapitänleutnant	Commander of
	10-HOberfeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 53
	12-H	Leader of the 5./Grenadier-Regiment 572
	19-HGeneralleutnant	Commander of the 387. Infanterie-Division
	17-HOberst	Commander of Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 141
+	14-HHauptmann	Leader of the II./Infanterie-Regiment 105		Awarded 681st Oak Leaves 18 December 1944
+	13-LOberleutnant			Awarded 615th Oak Leaves 30 September 1944
	06-HUnteroffizier	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 391		Killed in action 27 January 1942
+	10-HOberfeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Divisions-Panzer-Jäger-Kompanie 361		Awarded 752nd Oak Leaves 24 February 1945
	13-LOberleutnant	Chief of the 6./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3
	15-HMajor
	16-HOberstleutnant	Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 159
	14-LHauptmann	Staffelkapitän of the 7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
	04-HObergefreiter	In the 9./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 28
+	16-LOberstleutnant	Commander of Flak(Sturm)Regiment 12 (motorized)		Awarded 726th Oak Leaves 1 February 1945
	13-HOberleutnant	Aide-de-camp in Panzergrenadier-Regiment 128
	06-HUnteroffizier	Company troop leader of the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 480
	13-H	Chief of the 7./Jäger-Regiment 49
	15-LMajor	Geschwaderkommodore of Schlachtgeschwader 4
	04-LObergefreiter	Group leader of the 1./Jäger-Regiment 42 (L)
?	12-HLeutnant	Adjutant of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 62
	12-HLeutnant	Leader of the 8./Jäger-Regiment 38
	10-LOberfeldwebel	Pilot in the I./Transportgeschwader 3
+	17-HOberst	Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 90 (motorized)		Awarded 295th Oak Leaves 7 September 1943
	14-HHauptmann	Commander of Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 249
	06-HUnteroffizier	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 5./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 5
	15-HMajor	Commander of Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 30
+	19-HGeneralleutnant			Awarded 733rd Oak Leaves 10 February 1945
	11-LStabsfeldwebel
+	20-WSS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Polizei and Waffen-SS			Awarded 802nd Oak Leaves 8 March 1945
	09-LFeldwebel
	10-HOberfeldwebel	Troop leader in the 6./Sturm-Regiment 14		Killed in action 8 March 1944
	14-HHauptmann	Commander of the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 146
	12-HLeutnant	Leader of the 1./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 14
	13-MOberleutnant zur See	Commander of
	17-H	Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 756
	14-LHauptmann
	12-LLeutnant	Pilot in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"		Missing in action 26 July 1943
	13-HOberleutnant	Chief of the 2./Festungs-Infanterie-Bataillon VI./999
	09-HFeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Stab I./Grenadier-Regiment 502
	10-LOberfeldwebel	Pilot in the 6./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
	13-LOberleutnant
	01-WSS-Kanonier	Radio troop leader in the 5./SS-Freiwilligen-Artillerie-Regiment 54 "Nederland"
	09-HFeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 4./Grenadier-Regiment 446		Missing in action 24 April 1943
	14-LHauptmann	Commander of the I./Flak-Regiment 291 (motorized)
	05-HStabsgefreiter	Messenger in the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 12
	14-H	Leader of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 118
	18-L	Chief of the general staff of the Luftwaffe
	14-HHauptmann	Commander of the II./Sturm-Regiment 215
	13-M	Commander of a Minensuchboot (minesweeper) in the 8. Minensuchflottille
	17-HOberst	Commander of Panzer-Regiment 36
	10-HOberfeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 29 (motorized)
	15-HMajor	Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 432
	10-LOberfeldwebel	Pilot in the Stab/Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
	14-HHauptmann	Chief of the 7./Grenadier-Regiment 90 (motorized)
	06-H	Group leader in the 1./Pionier-Bataillon 290
+	21-HGeneraloberst			Awarded (865th) Oak Leaves 7 May 1945?
	20-HGeneral der Gebirgstruppe	Commanding general of the XIX. Gebirgskorps
	14-H	Commander of leichte Artillerie-Abteilung 426 (motorized)
	15-LMajor	Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Kampfgeschwader 3 "Lützow"
	16-WSS-Obersturmbannführer	Commander of niederländ. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 48 "General Seyffardt"
	06-M	Flakleiter auf einem Transporter im Mittelmeer (anti aircraft controller on a transporter in the Mediterranean)
	06-HUnteroffizier	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 12./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 104
	09-LFeldwebel			Killed in action 11 July 1944
	17-MKapitän zur See
+	13-HOberleutnant	Leader of the II./Infanterie-Regiment 503		Awarded 329th Oak Leaves 18 November 1943
	15-HMajor	Commander of Pionier-Bataillon 292
	13-MOberleutnant (Ing.)	Chief engineer on
	14-MKapitänleutnant	Chief of the 5. Schnellbootflottille
	12-LLeutnant
	18-HGeneralmajor
	09-HFeldwebel	Company troop leader in the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 445
	13-H	Chief of the 2./Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 209
	13-H	Chief of the 9./Grenadier-Regiment 667
	13-LOberleutnant
	09-H	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 110		Died of wounds 14 July 1943
	13-LOberleutnant			Killed in action 12 February 1944
	17-HOberst	Commander of Schützen-Regiment 52
	15-H	Commander of I./Grenadier-Regiment 21
+	13-LOberleutnant			Awarded 431st Oak Leaves 24 March 1944
+	13-LOberleutnant			Awarded 11th Oak Leaves 23 April 1941
	15-HMajor	Commander of the I./Infanterie-Regiment 203
	17-H	Commander of Jäger-Regiment 25 (L)
+	17-HOberst	Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 49		Awarded 59th Oak Leaves 16 January 1942 64th Swords 20 April 1944
	16-HOberstleutnant im Generalstab (in the General Staff)
	14-HHauptmann	Chief of the 4./Artillerie-Regiment 32
	14-HHauptmann	Leader of the III./Grenadier-Regiment 9		Killed in action 2 August 1943
	06-HSanitäts-Unteroffizier	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 4./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 66
	12-H	Leader of the 4./Feldersatz-Bataillon 107
	09-HFeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 256		Killed in action 23 February 1944
	17-HOberst	Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 75
+	10-LOberfeldwebel	Pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"		Awarded 810th Oak Leaves 28 March 1945
	10-LOberfeldwebel	Pilot in the 9./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
	14-WSS-Hauptsturmführer	Commander of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Germania"		Killed in action 13 August 1943
	12-LLeutnant	Pilot in the Stab I./Kampfgeschwader 53 "Legion Condor"
	09-HFeldwebel	Company troop leader in the 4./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 104		Killed in action 14 August 1944
	15-HMajor	Commander of the II./Schützen-Regiment 2
?	14-WSS-Hauptsturmführer	Commander of SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4
	09-HFeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Infanterie-Regiment 73
	15-LMajor	Commander of the II./Flak-Regiment 23 (motorized)
	15-WSS-Sturmbannführer	Commander of the I./SS-Panzer-Regiment 12 "Hitlerjugend"
	01-HBau-Pionier			Killed in action 5 February 1945
	14-HHauptmann	Leader of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 46
+	14-HHauptmann	Commander of the III./Infanterie-Regiment 38		Awarded 622nd Oak Leaves 18 October 1944 141st Swords 5 April 1945
	18-LGeneralmajor
	14-LHauptmann			Killed in action 30 July 1943
	14-HHauptmann	Commander of Feldersatz-Bataillon 92 and Divisions-Kampfschule
	13-H	Leader of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 79
	13-LOberleutnant	Staffelkapitän of the 6./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
	06-HUnteroffizier
	13-H	Chief of the 5./Artillerie-Regiment 1542
	14-LHauptmann	Gruppenkommandeur of the III.(Eis)/Kampfgeschwader 3 "Lützow"		Killed in action 22 April 1943
	09-HFeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 11./Infanterie-Regiment 41 (motorized)
	13-MOberleutnant zur See	Commander of U-Jäger 1430
?	15-LMajor	Commander of Fallschirm-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 12
	12-HLeutnant	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 1026
	11-HStabsfeldwebel	Leader of the 14./Jäger-Regiment 49
	06-HUnteroffizier	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 482
	09-HFeldwebel	Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Stabskompanie/Grenadier-Regiment 43

References

Bibliography

Book: Fellgiebel , Walther-Peer .
de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel
. 2000 . 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 . de . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.
Book: 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 . de . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
Book: Williamson . Gordon . Gordon Williamson (writer) . Bujeiro . Ramiro . 2004 . Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves Recipients 1939–40 . Oxford, UK . . 978-1-84176-641-6.

External links

Web site: Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes. Lexikon der Wehrmacht. de. 2 January 2011.
Web site: Das Bundesarchiv. Military Archive - Freiburg im Breisgau. 2 January 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101229195453/http://www.bundesarchiv.de/bundesarchiv/dienstorte/freiburg/index.html.en. 29 December 2010. dmy-all.

Notes and References

Web site: Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 1573; 1 September 1939 . German. Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). 21 February 2008 . PDF . ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.
Web site: Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 849; 3 June 1940. German. Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). 21 February 2008 . PDF . ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek .
Web site: Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 613; 28 September 1941. German. Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). 21 February 2008 . PDF . ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek .
Web site: Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11; 29 December 1944. German. Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). 21 February 2008 . PDF . ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek .
For an explanation of the various naming schemes used by the Luftwaffe, Heer, Kriegsmarine and Waffen-SS refer to nomenclature used by the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS.