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 82 Knight's Cross recipients of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS whose last name starts with "C". 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 82 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "C", ten were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and five presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received 51 of the medals, five went to the Kriegsmarine, 22 to the Luftwaffe, and four to the Waffen-SS.
| Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit[5] | Date of award | Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heer | Major | Commander of the III./Grenadier-Regiment 408 | |||||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 220 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Deputy Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Kampfgeschwader 66 | |||||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 424 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelkapitän of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 5 | |||||
| + | Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502 | Awarded 535th Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Leader of the 11./Artillerie-Regiment 269 | |||||
| Kriegsmarine | Admiral | Marinegruppenbefehlshaber Ost (Naval Group Commander East) | |||||
| Heer | Unteroffizier | Panzer commander in the 2./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502 | Killed in action 26 January 1945 | ||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 118 (motorized) | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 9./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 14 | |||||
| Heer | Oberwachtmeister | Vorgeschobener Beobachter (Artillery observer) in the 11./Artillerie-Regiment 1562 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Pilot and observer in the Fernaufklärungs-Gruppe 4 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberst | Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 3 | |||||
| Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 15. Infanterie-Division | |||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Hauptsturmführer | Chief of the 3./SS-Reiter-Regiment 1 | |||||
| Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of the 13. Panzer-Division | |||||
| + | Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 99. leichte Division | Awarded 357th Oak Leaves 19 December 1943 | |||
| Heer | Major | Commander of the I./Infanterie-Regiment 408 | |||||
| Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 122. Infanterie-Division | |||||
| Heer | Obergefreiter | Group leader in the 8./Grenadier-Regiment 200 (motorized) | |||||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of the III./Infanterie-Regiment 16 (LL) | |||||
| Heer | Feldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 17 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberstleutnant im Generalstab | Chief of the general staff of the VIII. Fliegerkorps | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Company chief in Bau-Bataillon 132 | Killed in action 3 March 1942 | ||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Sturmmann | Richtschütze (gunner) in the 2./SS-Panzer-Jagd-Abteilung 3 "Totenkopf" | |||||
| Heer | Major | Commander of the II./Panzer-Regiment 31 | |||||
| + | Kriegsmarine | Oberleutnant zur See | Commander of Schnellboot S-101 in the 1. Schnellbootflottille | Awarded 326th Oak Leaves | |||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Observer in the 6./Kampfgeschwader 53 "Legion Condor" | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 530 | |||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Unterscharführer | Group leader in the 7./SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 24 "Danmark" | |||||
| Heer | Major | Commander of I./Infanterie-Regiment 54 | |||||
| Heer | Oberwachtmeister | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 277 | |||||
| Heer | Major | Commander of Heeres-Artillerie-Abteilung 774 | |||||
| Kriegsmarine | Vizeadmiral | Befehlshaber der Schlachtschiffe | |||||
| Heer | Unteroffizier | Group leader in the 1./Infanterie-Regiment 305 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 3./Pionier-Bataillon 33 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Major | Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Kampfgeschwader 100 | Killed in action 20 June 1943 | ||||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 517 | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 14.(Panzerjäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 899 | |||||
| + | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelkapitän of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 77 | Awarded 106th Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Chief of the 2./Artillerie-Regiment 30 | |||||
| Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant | Commander of | |||||
| Heer | Obergefreiter | PAK (anti tank) gunner in the 16./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Gruppenkommandeur of the II.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1 | Killed in action 29 June 1944 | ||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Chief of the 3./Flak-Regiment 4 (motorized) | |||||
| Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 25. Infanterie-Division | |||||
| Heer | Major of the Reserves | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 266 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Generalmajor | Commander of the 9. Flieger-Division | |||||
| Heer | Major | Commander of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 67 | |||||
| Waffen-SS | SS-Obersturmbannführer | Commander of the SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 49 "De Ruyter" (niederländische Nr. 2) | Killed in action 29 July 1944 | ||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 547 | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 6 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberst | Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader z.b.V. 2 | |||||
| Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Shock troop leader in the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 330 | |||||
| + | Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of the I./Infanterie-Regiment 118 (motorized) | Awarded 279th Oak Leaves | |||
| + | Luftwaffe | Oberst | Commander of Flak-Regiment (motorized) "General Göring" | Awarded 276th Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of Sturmgeschütz-Begleitkompanie 254 in the I./Grenadier-Regiment 431 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Pilot in the 9.(Eis)/Kampfgeschwader 3 "Lützow" | |||||
| [6] | Heer | Hauptmann | Department leader of Panzer-Regiment 39 | ||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Flak-Regiment 64 (motorized) | |||||
| + | Heer | Oberleutnant | Leader of the 1./Panzer-Regiment 35 | Awarded 285th Oak Leaves | |||
| Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Leader of the 10./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 | |||||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Panzer-Regiment 8 im DAK | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Major | Gruppenkommandeur of the II.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1 | |||||
| Heer | Major | Commander of Divisions-Füsilier-Abteilung 58 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of the 10./Grenadier-Regiment 416 | |||||
| Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 18. Infanterie-Division (motorized) | |||||
| + | Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Artillerie-Regiment 33 (motorized) | Awarded 683rd Oak Leaves | |||
| Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant | Commander of | |||||
| + | Luftwaffe | Feldwebel | Pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 53 | Awarded 127th Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Schützen-Regiment 8 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 5./Kampfgeschwader 30 | |||||
| + | Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of the 11. Panzer-Division | Awarded 34th Oak Leaves | |||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 4./Infanterie-Regiment 453 | |||||
| Heer | Oberfähnrich | Deputy leader of the 2./Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 260 | Killed in action 29 March 1944 | ||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Panzer-Regiment 39 | |||||
| Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Pionier-Bataillon 102 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" and adjutant of the I./Schlachtgeschwader 2 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelkapitän of the 6./Kampfgeschwader 2 | |||||
| Heer | Gefreiter | Machine gun leader in the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Großdeutschland" |
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.