The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (de|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 been nominated for the award in 1945, when the deteriorating situation of Germany during the final days of World War II left a number of nominations incomplete and pending in various stages of the approval process.
Listed here are the 118 Knight's Cross recipients of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS whose last name starts with "A". Fellgiebel himself delisted one and Scherzer has challenged the validity of three more of these listings. The recipients are initially ordered alphabetically by last name. The rank listed is the recipient's rank at the time the Knight's Cross was awarded.
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]
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 118 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "A", nine were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and 11 presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received 79 of the medals, two went to the Kriegsmarine, 26 to the Luftwaffe, and 11 to the Waffen-SS.
| Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit[5] | Date of award | Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | |||||||
| Oberfeldwebel | |||||||
| Hauptmann | |||||||
| + | Oberst | Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 230 | Awarded 516th Oak Leaves | ||||
| Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 13 | Killed in action 8 December 1943 | ||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Leader of the II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 | |||||
| Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant | Commander of | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Staffelkapitän and technical officer in the 5./Kampfgeschwader 53 "Legion Condor" | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 3./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 192 | |||||
| Heer | Major of the Reserves | Leader of Grenadier-Regiment 158 | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Adjutant of Armeeoberkommando 6 (Supreme Command of the 6th Army) | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Chief of the 3./Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 904 | |||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Untersturmführer | Chief of the 6./Waffen Grenadier-Regiment 44 (lettische Nr. 6) der SS | |||||
| + | Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54 | Awarded 414th Oak Leaves | |||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Leader of Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 1 | Killed in action 17 July 1943 | ||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of the Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 272 | |||||
| Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Leader of the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 24 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Pilot and observer in the 1./Nahaufklärungs-Gruppe 5 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Leader of the II./Jäger-Regiment 2 "Brandenburg" | |||||
| + | Heer | Oberleutnant (W) of the Reserves | Leader of a bomb disposal commando in the Luftgaukommando III Berlin | Awarded 778th Oak Leaves | |||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Killed in action 23 August 1942 | |||||
| Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 31 | |||||
| Heer | Unteroffizier | Gun commander in the 13./Grenadier-Regiment 1141 | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Commander of the III.(Jäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 17 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Board mechanic in the 7./Kampfgeschwader 4 | Killed in action 19 September 1943 | ||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Sturmmann | Company messenger in the 9./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 20 "Hohenstaufen" | Killed in action 2 August 1944 | ||||
| Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | ||||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Commander of the I./Artillerie-Regiment 1 "Afrika" | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Company chief in the Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 35 | |||||
| Heer | Oberst of the Reserves | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 501 | Died of wounds 10 December 1943 | ||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelführer of the 9./Zerstörergeschwader 76 | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Leader of a Kampfgruppe in the defensive sector of Magdeburg | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Artillerie-Regiment 172 | |||||
| Heer | Oberst of the Reserves | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 948 | |||||
| Heer | Unteroffizier | ||||||
| ? | Heer | ||||||
| Heer | Obergefreiter | Richtschütze (gunner) in the 2./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 129 | |||||
| Heer | Oberwachtmeister | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 243 | |||||
| Heer | Major of the Reserves | Leader of the Feldersatz-Bataillon 181 | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Commander of the III./Grenadier-Regiment 366 | |||||
| + | Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of the 5. Infanterie-Division | Awarded 153rd Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 353 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Major | Commander of Fernaufklärungs-Gruppe 4 | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of the II./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 143 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 1./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Leader of Sturmgruppe "Stahl" in the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm Abteilung "Koch" | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 380 | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Chief of the 10./Infanterie-Regiment 47 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 1./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 905 | Died of wounds 12 January 1944 | ||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Observer in the 3./Kampfgeschwader 4 "General Wever" | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | ||||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Sturmbannführer of the Reserves | Leader of SS Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Regiment 52 "Ungarn" | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 5./Schnelle Abteilung 123 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 5./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 | |||||
| Heer | Obergefreiter | Machine gunner and deputy group leader in the Sturmkompanie/Grenadier-Regiment 459 | |||||
| Heer | Wachtmeister | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 202 | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Leader of 5./Grenadier-Regiment 256 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 62 | |||||
| ? | Heer | Oberst | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 502 | ||||
| Waffen-SS | Waffen-Untersturmführer | Leader of Waffen Feld Ersatz-Bataillon der SS Nr. 19 | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 484 | |||||
| Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 2 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Pilot in the 11.(H)/Nahaufklärungs-Gruppe 12 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberst | Commander of Flak-Regiment 153 | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant | Adjudant of Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung "Großdeutschland" | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelführer of the 2./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Werfer-Regiment 71 | |||||
| Heer | Major | Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 504 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Pilot in the Stabsstaffel/Kampfgeschwader 2 | |||||
| Heer | Obergefreiter | 1st machine gunner in the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 128 | Died of wounds 25 March 1944 | ||||
| Heer | Unteroffizier of the Reserves | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 6 | |||||
| + | Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 76. Infanterie-Division | Awarded 323rd Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Leader of the Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 279 | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of the 11. Schützen-Brigade | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberst | Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 1 "Hindenburg" | |||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Standartenführer and Oberst of the Schupo | Commander of SS-Polizei-Regiment 2 | |||||
| Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant | Chief of the 4. Räumbootflottille | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 1./Füsilier-Bataillon 83 | |||||
| Waffen-SS | Waffen-Hauptscharführer | ||||||
| Luftwaffe | Generalmajor | Commander of the 6. Flak-Division (motorized) | |||||
| + | Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 5./Kampfgeschwader 55 | Awarded 655th Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of the 9. Schützen-Brigade | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 102 | |||||
| Waffen-SS | Waffen-Obersturmbannführer | Commander of Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment 32 (lettische Nr. 1) der SS | |||||
| Heer | Obergefreiter | Radio/wireless operator in the 10./Artillerie-Regiment 81 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Vorgeschobener Beobachter (artillery observer) in the 4./Artillerie-Regiment 3 (motorized) | Died in a Soviet POW camp in 1943 | ||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Commander of Panzer-Abteilung 5 | Killed in action 9 January 1945 | ||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of the I./Panzer-Regiment 36 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Pioneer Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Stabskompanie/Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5 | Killed in action 3 December 1942 | ||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Chief of the 2./Panzer-Abteilung 67 | |||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Obersturmführer | Chief of the 8./SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" | Killed in action 20 August 1944 | ||||
| + | Heer | Obergefreiter | Machine gunner in the Stabskompanie/Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 32 | Awarded 678th Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 391 | |||||
| + | Heer | Oberst | Awarded 719th Oak Leaves | ||||
| Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 17. Panzer-Division | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 24 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 237 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Feldwebel | Member of Sturmgruppe "Stahl" in the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm Abteilung "Koch" | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 259 | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 926 | |||||
| Heer | Obergefreiter | Richtschütze (gunner) in the 1./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 61 | |||||
| Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of the 101. Jäger-Division | |||||
| Heer | Stabsgefreiter | Driver in the 3./Artillerie-Regiment 114 | |||||
| Heer | Stabsgefreiter | Group leader in the 3./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99 | |||||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 754 | |||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Hauptsturmführer | Leader of the I./SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8 | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 2./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 116 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelführer of the 7./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 | |||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS | Commander of the 20. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (estnische Nr. 1) | |||||
| + | Heer | Oberst | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 226 | Awarded 551st Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 487 | |||||
| Heer | Major | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 1146 | |||||
| ? | Waffen-SS | SS-Oberführer | Leader of the 15. Waffen Grenadier-Division der SS (lettische Nr. 1) | ||||
| Luftwaffe | Feldwebel | Pilot in the Stab/Schlachtgeschwader 10 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Generalmajor | Commanding general of the I. Flak-Korps | |||||
| Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Company troop leader in the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 20 (motorized) |
de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel
. 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 . de . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.