List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (N) 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 145 Knight's Cross recipients whose last name starts with "N". Fellgiebel himself delisted two and Scherzer has challenged the validity of two more of these listings. The recipients are ordered alphabetically by last name. 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 145 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "N", nine were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, four the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and one the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds; eight presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received one-hundred-three of the medals, including the award given to Hitlerjunge Günther Nowak. A further three presentations were given to the Kriegsmarine, thirty-four to the Luftwaffe, and five to the Waffen-SS. The sequential numbers greater than 143 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords are unofficial and were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) and are therefore denoted in parentheses.




NameServiceRankRole and unit[5] Date of awardNotesImage
Luftwaffe14-LHauptmannStaffelkapitän of the 6./Zerstörergeschwader 76
Luftwaffe11-LStabsfeldwebelPilot in the III./Kampfgeschwader 76
Heer13-HOberleutnantChief of the 1./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 112
Luftwaffe13-LOberleutnantChief of the 3./Flak-Regiment 61 (motorized)
Heer15-HMajorCommander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 460
Heer10-HOberfeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 5./Grenadier-Regiment 232
Heer15-HMajorLeader of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 73
Heer15-HOberfeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Grenadier-Regiment-Gruppe 163
Heer17-HOberstCommander of Grenadier-Regiment 131
Heer15-HMajorCommander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 119 (motorized)
Luftwaffe13-LOberleutnantPilot and observer in the 1.(H)/Aufklärungs-Gruppe 5
Heer10-HOberfeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 6./Jäger-Regiment 49
Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 451
Heer16-HOberstleutnantCommander of Grenadier-Regiment 937
Heer17-HOberst im GeneralstabIa (operations officer) in the Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland"
Kriegsmarine14-MKapitänleutnantChief of the 10. Räumbootflottille
Heer12-HLeutnant of the ReservesLeader of the 2./Infanterie-Regiment 178
Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of Feldersatz-Bataillon 172 of the 72 Infanterie-DivisionKilled in action 13 October 1943
Luftwaffe13-LOberleutnantStaffelkapitän of the 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3
Heer06-HUnteroffizierGeschützführer (gun layer) in the 3./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 184
Luftwaffe14-LHauptmannGruppenkommandeur of the II./Jagdgeschwader 6
Heer15-HMajorCommander of the I./Schützen-Regiment 59
Heer13-HOberleutnantChief of the 3./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 177
Heer13-HOberleutnant of the ReservesChief of the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 131Killed in action 4 December 1942
Luftwaffe17-LOberstCommander of Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 "Hermann Göring"
+Heer18-HGeneralmajorCommander of the 18. Panzer-DivisionAwarded 383rd Oak Leaves 8 February 1944
124th Swords 22 January 1945
Heer17-HOberstCommander of Infanterie-Regiment 227
Heer14-HHauptmann of the ReservesLeader of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 712
Heer09-HFeldwebelDeputy Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Stabskompanie/schwere Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 519
+Heer18-HGeneralmajorCommander of the garrison at TarnopolAwarded 457th Oak Leaves 17 April 1944
Heer17-HOberst of the ReservesCommander of Armeewaffenschule of Panzer AOK 4
Kriegsmarine15-MKorvettenkapitänCommander of
+Heer14-HHauptmannLeader of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 409Awarded 576th Oak Leaves 5 September 1944
Luftwaffe06-LUnteroffizierGeschützführer (gun layer) in the 1./Flak-Regiment 23 (motorized)
Heer09-HFeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 4./Grenadier-Regiment 698
Luftwaffe13-LOberleutnantObserver in the 3.(F)/Aufklärungs-Gruppe 122
Luftwaffe10-LOberfeldwebelPilot in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52
Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 19
Heer15-HMajorCommander of the I./Artillerie-Regiment 295
Heer09-HFeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 7./Grenadier-Regiment 35 (motorized)Killed in action 30 July 1943
Heer11-HStabsfeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 176
Luftwaffe13-LOberleutnantStaffelkapitän of the 2./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
Heer15-HMajorCommander of Ski-Jäger-Bataillon 1
+Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 32Awarded 817th Oak Leaves 5 April 1945
Heer12-HLeutnant of the ReservesZugführer (platoon leader) in Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 37
Heer15-HMajorLeader of a Kampfgruppe in Ploiești (Romania)
Heer13-HOberleutnant of the ReservesLeader of Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon (A.A.) 121
Heer10-HOberfeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Kradschützen-Bataillon 40
Heer17-HOberstCommander of Artillerie-Regiment 86
Luftwaffe18-LGeneralmajorCommander of the 20. Flak-Division (motorized)
Heer17-HOberst zur Verwendung (for disposition)Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 195
[6] Heer13-HOberleutnantLeader of the 12./Artillerie-Regiment 12
Heer06-HUnteroffizierGroup leader of the 8./Grenadier-Regiment 3
Luftwaffe12-LLeutnantStaffelführer in the III./Jagdgeschwader 53
Luftwaffe10-LOberfeldwebelShock troops leader in the 6./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3
Heer19-HGeneralleutnantCommander of the 239. Infanterie-Division
Waffen-SS15-WSS-Sturmbannführer of the ReservesCommander of SS-Gebirgs-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 7 "Prinz Eugen"
Heer14-HHauptmannLeader of Festungs-Infanterie-Bataillon XII./999
Heer19-HGeneralleutnantCommander of the 712. Infanterie-Division
[7] Luftwaffe15-LOberstabsarztTroop doctor of the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Regiment
Luftwaffe12-LLeutnantStaffelführer of the 14./Jagdgeschwader 5
Heer15-HMajorCommander of the I./Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 103
Heer14-HHauptmann of the ReservesChief of the 8./Grenadier-Regiment 852
Heer13-HOberleutnantChief of the 1./Infanterie-Regiment 5 (motorized)
Luftwaffe09-LFeldwebelPilot in the 16./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"
Heer12-HLeutnantLeader of the 6./Artillerie-Regiment 126Killed in action 22 February 1945
Luftwaffe14-LHauptmannStaffelkapitän of the 2./Schlachtgeschwader 1
Heer17-HOberstCommander of Grenadier-Regiment 121
Heer17-HOberstCommander of the 8. Schützen-Brigade
Heer13-HOberleutnant of the ReservesChief of the 12.(MG)/Grenadier-Regiment 282
Heer03-HGefreiterMachine gunner in the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 755
Heer09-HFeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 64
Heer17-HOberstCommander of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1
Heer12-HLeutnantZugführer (platoon leader) in the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26
Heer13-HOberleutnantLeader of the 14.(Panzerjäger)/Divisions-Kampfgruppe 216
Luftwaffe12-LLeutnantPilot and adjutand in the II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77
Heer15-HMajorCommander of Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon (A.A.) 292
Heer10-HOberfähnrichZugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Pionier-Bataillon 20
+Heer16-HOberstleutnantCommander of the III./Infanterie-Regiment 26Awarded 543rd Oak Leaves 8 August 1944
Waffen-SS13-WSS-ObersturmführerChief of the 8./SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 "Wiking"
+Heer14-HHauptmannLeader of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 686Awarded 491st Oak Leaves 9 June 1944
Heer12-HLeutnant of the ReservesZugführer (platoon leader) in the 5./Gebirgsjäger-Bataillon 94Died of wounds 7 November 1943
Heer09-HFeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) of the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 23
Heer06-HUnteroffizier of the ReservesVorgeschobener Beobachter (forward observer) in the 12./Artillerie-Regiment 290
Heer15-HMajor of the ReservesCommander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 223
+Heer19-HGeneralleutnantCommander of the 371. Infanterie-DivisionAwarded 764th Oak Leaves 5 March 1945
Luftwaffe14-LHauptmannGruppenkommandeur of the I./Schlachtgeschwader 77
Heer10-HOberwachtmeisterZugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 58
+Heer14-HRittmeisterCommander of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5Awarded 30th Oak Leaves 10 August 1941
69th Swords 4 June 1944
Heer09-HFeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Pionier-Bataillon 112
Heer17-HOberst of the ReservesCommander of Artillerie-Regiment 212
Heer12-HLeutnant of the ReservesLeader of the 3./Pionier-Bataillon 196
Heer06-HUnteroffizierGeschützführer (gun layer) in the 9./Artillerie-Regiment 31
Heer09-HFeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 8./Panzer-Regiment 31
Heer09-HFeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the II./Grenadier-Regiment 431
Heer10-HHauptfeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the Stab 3.(Fla)/Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 332
Heer12-HLeutnantAide-de-camp in Grenadier-Regiment 979
Heer06-HUnteroffizierGeschützführer (gun layer) in the 14./Grenadier-Regiment 994
Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of the III./Infanterie-Regiment 105
+Heer12-HLeutnant of the ReservesLeader of the 2./Pionier-Bataillon 26Awarded 241st Oak Leaves 17 May 1943
Heer15-HMajorCommander of the III./Artillerie-Regiment 26
Luftwaffe13-LOberleutnantPilot in the 15./Schnellkampfgeschwader 10
Heer12-HLeutnant of the ReservesZugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 276Killed in action 10 December 1943
Luftwaffe10-LOberfeldwebelPilot in the 2.(F)/Aufklärungs-Gruppe 123
Heer12-HLeutnantZugführer (platoon leader) in the Panzer-Abteilung 118
Heer04-HObergefreiterVorgeschobener Beobachter (forward observer) and radio/wireless operator in the 6./Artillerie-Regiment 11
Heer13-HOberleutnantLeader of the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 417Killed in action 19 September 1944
Heer12-HLeutnantLeader of the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 212
Heer13-HOberleutnantChief of the 1.(Reiter)/Divisions-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 168
+Heer12-HLeutnantZugführer (platoon leader) of the 2./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 46Awarded 63rd Oak Leaves 16 January 1942
+Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of the II./Infanterie-Regiment 204Awarded 151st Oak Leaves 5 December 1942
Luftwaffe15-LMajorGruppenkommandeur of the III./Kampfgeschwader 26
Heer04-HObergefreiterGroup leader in the 1.(Reiter)/Aufklärungs-Abteilung 7
Heer14-HHauptmann of the ReservesLeader of the II./Panzer-Regiment 31
Heer18-HGeneralmajorCommander of the 96. Infanterie-Division
Luftwaffe13-LOberleutnantPilot in the 4.(F)/Aufklärungs-Gruppe des OB der Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe14-LHauptmannStaffelkapitän of the 2./Kampfgeschwader 3 "Lützow"
Luftwaffe14-LHauptmannStaffelkapitän of the 1./Kampfgeschwader 4 "General Wever"
?Heer06-HUnteroffizierGroup leader in the Stabskompanie/Grenadier-Regiment 453
Luftwaffe09-LFahnenjunker-FeldwebelPilot in the 2./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
Heer12-HLeutnant of the ReservesLeader of the 4./Grenadier-Regiment 507
Heer14-HHauptmann of the ReservesCommander of the II./Infanterie-Regiment 213
Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment "Jütland"
+Luftwaffe13-LOberleutnantStaffelkapitän of the 12./Jagdgeschwader 51Awarded 35th Oak Leaves 16 September 1941
+Luftwaffe12-LLeutnantPilot in the 8./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1Awarded 214th Oak Leaves 17 March 1943
98th Swords 17 September 1944
Kriegsmarine14-MKapitänleutnantChief of the 14. Räumbootflottille
Heer13-HOberleutnant of the ReservesLeader of the 1./Jäger-Regiment 83
Luftwaffe10-LOberfeldwebelPilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 5
Luftwaffe09-LFahnenjunker-FeldwebelPilot in the 10.(Panzer)/Schlachtgeschwader 3
Heer17-HOberstCommander of Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 89
Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 94
Heer16-HOberstleutnantCommander of Grenadier-Regiment 1233
Waffen-SS09-WSS-Oberscharführer of the ReservesZugführer (platoon leader) of the 3./SS-Reiter-Regiment 1 "Florian Geyer"Killed in action 13 September 1943
Hitlerjugend00-HHitlerjungeHitlerjunge in Hindenburg (Upper Silesia)
Heer12-HLeutnant of the ReservesLeader of the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 273
Waffen-SS12-WSS-Untersturmführer of the ReservesLeader of the 14.(MG)/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"
Heer09-HSanitätsfeldwebelIn the Stab/Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon (A.A.) 212
+Luftwaffe12-LLeutnantPilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 54Awarded 293rd Oak Leaves 4 September 1943
37th Swords 22 September 1943
8th Diamonds 19 October 1943
Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 695
Heer15-HMajorCommander in the Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 218
Heer09-HFeldwebelZugführer (platoon leader) in the 12./Infanterie-Regiment 410
Luftwaffe10-LFahnenjunker-OberfeldwebelRadio operator in the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2
Waffen-SS06-WWaffen-UnterscharführerZugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment 46 (estn. Nr. 2)
?Heer14-HHauptmannCommander of Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon in the Führer-Grenadier-Division
?Luftwaffe10-LOberfeldwebelPilot in Schnellkampfgeschwader 210

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 1573; 1 September 1939 . de. Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). 21 February 2008 . PDF . ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.
  2. Web site: Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 849; 3 June 1940. de. Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). 21 February 2008 . PDF . ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek .
  3. Web site: Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 613; 28 September 1941. de. Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). 21 February 2008 . PDF . ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek .
  4. Web site: Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11; 29 December 1944. de. Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). 21 February 2008 . PDF . ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek .
  5. 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.
  6. The brackets around the doctor title [Dr.] denotes that the academic title was attained after the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded.
  7. In German a Doctor of Medicine is abbreviated as Dr. med. (Doctor medicinae).

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