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 26 Knight's Cross recipients whose last names start with "I", ordered alphabetically. 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 26 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "I", one was later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and one presentation was made posthumously. Heer members received 16 of the medals, one went to the Kriegsmarine, and nine to the Luftwaffe.
| Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit[5] | Date of award | Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luftwaffe | Oberst | Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 27 | |||||
| Heer | Oberwachtmeister | Leader of an assault gun in the fortress Schneidemühl | |||||
| Heer | Oberst | Commander of Füssilier-Regiment 22 | |||||
| Heer | Major | Commander of the I./Sturm-Regiment 195 | |||||
| + | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 77 | Awarded 16th Oak Leaves 9th Swords | |||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelführer of the 3./Kampfgeschwader 3 "Lützow" | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Pilot in the 1.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Pilot and board mechanic in the 9./Kampfgeschwader 76 | At the same time promoted to Leutnant of the Reserves | ||||
| Heer | Stabsfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Stabskompanie/Grenadier-Regiment 671 | |||||
| Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 67 | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 1050 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Deputy Gruppenkommandeur in Kampfgeschwader z.b.V. 103 | |||||
| Heer | Unteroffizier | Company troop leader in the 4.(MG)/Infanterie-Regiment 309 | |||||
| Heer | Feldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 12.(MG)/Grenadier-Regiment 123 | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Pilot in the 3.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1 | |||||
| Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon (A.A.) 102 | |||||
| Heer | Unteroffizier | Group leader in the Stabskompanie/Jäger-Regiment 24 (L) | |||||
| Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Pilot in the 13./Jagdgeschwader 53 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 3./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 7 | |||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 7./Grenadier-Regiment 258 | |||||
| Heer | Hauptmann | Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 102 | |||||
| [6] | Kriegsmarine | Oberleutnant zur See | Commander of | ||||
| Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Reconnaissance officer in the 3./Flak-Regiment "General Göring" (motorized) | Died of wounds 13 July 1941 | ||||
| Heer | Oberleutnant | Leader of the III./Infanterie-Regiment 46 | |||||
| Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of I./Schützen-Regiment 10 | |||||
| Heer | Obergefreiter | Messenger in the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 45 |
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.