Awards of the Knight’s Cross in the Mirror of Statistics

 

Procedure

I see Seemen’s and Fellgiebel’s works as essential sources as an overall view and Veit Scherzer’s work as a critical source study. Equally useful supplementary literature is summarized in the bibliography at the end of this introduction paper. They present individual works on selected topics that provide information for comparison or supplementation to the basic three sources Seemen, Fellgiebel and Scherzer.

Every alleged or lawful holder of the Knight’s Cross from all these sources has been recorded. Taking into account the often existing changes/supplements, which the authors already knew during printing, all personal data have been corrected and compared with all available sources.

A revised later edition of “Seemen”, i.e. one that has been cleaned up by the author himself, first provides the names of the vast majority of undoubted holders of the Knight’s Cross, including a series that does not stand up to scrutiny. A comparison with the last edition of Fellgiebel’s pioneering work means that much of the compilation is already done. There the holders of not documented but by the OdR recognized holders are already marked as such. To compare this database with further secondary literature provides the number of Knight’s Cross holders to be critically examined. A comparison with Veit Scherzer’s work rounds off the main work. Theoretically, it is still questionable whether there are holders of the Knight’s Cross whose bestowal has not been recorded anywhere. But as long as research does not provide any clues, the extent of the work remains as it is today.

In case of different spelling of names, dates of bestowal, birthday etc. the sources were compared and if not otherwise proven the source “Scherzer” was prioritized.

For every holder of the Knight’s Cross whose bestowal fell within a field that required an explanation, this was explained so that every interested person could find this information directly in each data record.

The short spelling of the troop designation was corrected so that the unit can also be used as a search criterion. Traditional names were completed if this was historically correct.

For systematic troubleshooting, meaningful comparisons were made and the plausibility of e.g. the function and rank or the service and unit, the branch and unit designation, the rank and service, the date of award and date of death, the date of award and date of birth were checked. Each individual comparison provided errors and thus contributed to improving the quality of the data. Countless typing errors could be identified and corrected. Nevertheless, this database will also contain errors, which will be unavoidable given the sheer volume of more than 147.000 data/information.

 

Application

You get information about which holder of the Knight’s Cross can be found in which secondary literature. A second table lists only names mentioned individually in the literature but not confirmed by Scherzer.

From 62 columns information can be sorted, filtered and prepared according to the question.

The following fields are filled in as far as applicable and ascertainable:

Primary sources (Seemen, Fellgiebel)

Reference source (Scherzer, Scherzer part H)

Other sources (see bibliography; in brackets if included in a book, e.g. in the preface without mention in a separate article)

Name

First name

Service

Branch (depending on use or mention in secondary literature)

Unit

Rank

Rank Group

Function

Award date KC

further awards

Date further awards

Oak leaves (No.)

Unit (OL)

Rank (OL)

Rank group (OL)

Function (OL)

Date of award OL

Time from KC to OL (days)

Swords (No.)

Unit (Sw)

Rank (Sw)

Rank group (Sw)

Function (Sw)

Date of award Sw

Time from OL to Sw (days)

Diamonds (No.)

Unit (Dia.)

Rank (Dia.)

Rank group (Dia.)

Function (Dia.)

Date of award Dia.

Time from Sw to Dia. (days)

go OL

Unit (go OL)

Rank (go OL)

Rank group (go OL)

Function (go OL)

Award date go OL

Time from Dia. to go OL (days)

Grand Cross

Award date GC

Age at award KC

Air victories

Sorties

last rank (last (zuletzt) and subsequent (nachträglich) ranks differ if fallen or post mortem by the circumstances of death as far as known)

last rank group

Information

Comments on the award

Birthday

date of death in conjunction with war

Place of death in conjunction with war

KC (posthumous negative) (wearing time in days from the award until death due to war, negative for posthumous awards)

OL (posthumously negative) (wearing time in days from the award until death due to war, negative for posthumous awards)

Sw (posthumously negative) (wearing time in days from the award until death due to war, negative for posthumous awards)

Dia. (wearing time in days from the award until death due to war)

Date of death (after the war)(green means still alive)

attained age

Place of birth (including country assignment if determined)

Nation

Collectors Info

 

Possibilities of this database

Stay informed! Check statements from literature and internet.

In his book on p. 123 Veit Scherzer questions the award of the oak leaves to Captain Brandner Josef due to the short time interval between the events. But how long was actually the average duration between Knight’s Cross and further steps?

In Geissler’s “Das Eiserne Kreuz” the first award of the Knight’s Cross of the Wehrmacht is attributed to Lieutenant Josef Stolz in a caption on p. 181. Was he really the first person to be awarded the Knights Cross?

You can prepare any information with your own filters, as long as you know the Microsoft Office product Excel and, in addition, the application of the pivot table.

As examples I would like to cite:

 

1. Chronological graphical listing of all Knight’s Cross bestowals

 

 

2. Grouping by rank groups

 

 

 

3. Age structure at the award date

 

 

Many other filters are useful and conceivable, e.g. time periods up to the next higher level, comparison of the age development in the course of the war, evaluation of the awarding order of each service, grouping according to ranks, average age at award in the service/rank groups etc. All these arbitrary evaluations can be displayed graphically for a better visualization of the result, which may lead to further questions, which the sensible user of this database can then create by himself by skilful filtering and application of pivot tables.

Or you simply look for a single data set of which you only know parts and want to complete it without having all books at hand.

Have fun using this work.

 

 

Searchable Table in Excel Format:

Knight’s Cross Awards

 

 

Bibliography

Alman, Karl

Ritterkreuzträger des Afrikakorps

Verlag: Erich Pabel-Verlag, Rastatt, 3. Auflage, 1975

ISBN: ohne

 

Axel, Urbanke; Jochen, Kaiser

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger – Band 1: A – K

ISBN: 978-3941437074

 

Axel, Urbanke; Jochen, Kaiser

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger – Band 2: L – Z

ISBN: 978-3941437098

 

Berger, Florian (Berger1)

Ritterkreuzträger aus Österreich und den k.u.k. Kronländern

Verlag: Berger Wien, 2006

ISBN: 3-9501307-4-8

 

Berger, Florian (Berger2)

Ritterkreuzträger im österreichischen  Bundesheer 1955-85

Verlag: Berger Wien, 2003

ISBN: 3-9501307-2-1

 

Berger, Florian (Berger3)

Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold

Verlag: Berger, Florian, 2004

ISBN-13: 978-3950130737

 

Dörr, Manfred

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil IV: U-Bootwaffe Band 1: A – J

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1988

ISBN: 3-7648-1759-3

 

Dörr, Manfred

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil IV: U-Bootwaffe Band 2: K – Z

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1989

ISBN: 3-7648-1759-3

 

Dörr, Manfred

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil VII: Die Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine Band 1: A – K

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1995

ISBN: 3-7648-2453-0

 

Dörr, Manfred

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil VII: Die Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine Überwasserwaffen Band 2: L – Z

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1996

ISBN: 3-7648-2453-0

 

Dörr, Manfred

Die Träger der Nahkampfspange in Gold

Verlag: Biblio-Verlag Osnabrück, 2. Auflage, 1988

ISBN: 3-7648-1748-8

 

Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer

Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945, Komplettausgabe: Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile

Verlag: Podzun-Pallas-Verlag GmbH, 2000

ISBN: 3-7909-0284-5

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Band 1: A – K

Verlag: Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1997

ISBN: 3-7648-2299-6

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Band 2: L – Z

Verlag: Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1998

ISBN: 3-7648-2300-3

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil I: Sturmartillerie

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1985

ISBN: 3-7648-1447-0

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil II: Fallschirmjäger

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1986

ISBN: 3-7648-1461-6

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A – Be

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1987

ISBN: 3-7648-1734-8

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil III: Infanterie Band 2: Bi – Bo

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1992

ISBN: 3-7648-1734-8

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil III: Infanterie Band 3: Br – Bu

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1993

ISBN: 3-7648-1734-8

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil III: Infanterie Band 4: C – Dow

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1998

ISBN: 3-7648-2534-0

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil III: Infanterie Band 5: Dr – Em

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 2000

ISBN: 3-7648-2575-8

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil III: Infanterie Band 6: En – Fi

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Bissendorf, 2003

ISBN: 3-7648-2308-9

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil III: Infanterie Band 7: Fl – Fu

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Bissendorf, 2010

ISBN: 3-7648-2380-1

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil V: Flugabwehrtruppe Band 1: A – K

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1991

ISBN: 3-7648-1797-6

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil V: Flugabwehrtruppe Band 2: L – Z

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1991

ISBN: 3-7648-1797-6

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil VI: Gebirgstruppe Band 1: A – K

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1993

ISBN: 3-7648-2430-1

 

Franz, Thomas; G., Wegmann

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil VI: Gebirgstruppe Band 2: L – Z

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 1994

ISBN: 3-7648-2430-1

 

Geißler, Harald

Das Eiserne Kreuz von 1813 bis heute

Patzwall Verlag, Norderstedt 1995

 

Huß, Jürgen; Sondermann, Heinz-Werner

Ritterkreuzträger im Mannschaftsstand 1941 – 1945

Verlag: VDM Nickel Zweibrücken, 2009

ISBN: 978-3-86619-042-9

 

Huß, Jürgen; Viohl, Armin

Die Ritterkreuzträger des Eisernen Kreuzes der preußischen Provinz Schleswig-Holstein und der Freien und Hansestadt Lübeck 1939-1945

Verlag: VDM  Zweibrücken, 2003

ISBN: 3-925480-79-X

 

Kovacs, Attila Otott

Die ungarischen Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes
Verlag: Scherzer, Militaire-Verl. Ranis, 2006

ISBN: 3-938845-02-3,978-3-938845-02-8

 

Krätschmer, E.G.

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS

Verlag: K. W. Schütz K.G, Preussisch Oldendorf, 3. Auflage, 1982

ISBN: 3-87725-077/7

 

Kurowski, Franz

Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes der U-Bootwaffe 1939-1945

Verlag: PODZU-PALLAS-VERLAG, Friedberg, 1987

ISBN: 3-7909-0321-3

 

Lehnfeld, Erwin; Thomas, Franz

Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945

Verlag: Weilburg Verlag, Wiener Neustadt, 1982

ISBN: 3-900-100-07-1

 

Maerz, Dietrich

Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes und seine höheren Stufen

B&D; Auflage: 1. Ausgabe (2007)

ISBN-13: 978-0979796913

 

Möbius, Ingo; Huß, Jürgen

Stille Adler, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Transportflieger 1940-1945

Eigenverlag Ingo Möbius

ISBN: 978-3-9821020-0-9

 

Nietrug, Gerd

Die Ritterkreuzträger des Saarlandes 1939 – 1945
Verlag: VDM  Zweibrücken, 2004

ISBN: 3-925480-93-5

 

Obermaier, Ernst

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe, Band 1: Jagdflieger 1939-1945

Verlag: Dieter Hoffmann, Mainz-41, 2.Auflage, 1989

ISBN: 3-87-341-065-6

 

Obermaier, Ernst

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe, Band 2: Stuka- und Schlachtflieger 1939-1945

Verlag: Dieter Hoffmann, Mainz-41, 2. Auflage, 1988

ISBN: 3-87-341-021-4

 

Patzwall, Klaus D.

Die Ritterkreuzträger des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes 1942-1945

Verlag: Verlag Militaria-Archiv Klaus D. Patzwall, Hamburg, 1984

ISBN: ohne

 

Range, Clemens

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine

Verlag: Motorbuch-Verlag Stuttgart, 1974

ISBN: 3-87943-355-0

 

Scheibert, Horst

Die Träger der Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und der Waffen-SS. Die Träger der Ehrentafel-Spange der Kriegsmarine. Die Inhaber des Ehrenpokals für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg

Verlag: PODZUN-PALLAS-VERLAG, 1986

ISBN: 978-3790902837

 

Scherzer, Veit (Sch2)

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil XI: Pioniere Band 1 A – K

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Bissendorf, 2010

ISBN 3-7648-2398-4

 

Scherzer, Veit (Sch2)

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil XI: Pioniere Band 2 L – Z

Verlag: Biblio Verlag VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken 2015

ISBN 978-3-86619-105-1

 

Scherzer, Veit

Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945

Verlag: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag Ranis/Jena, 2. Auflage , 2007

ISBN: 978-3-938845-17-2

 

Seemen, Gerhard von

Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945, Die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile Brillanten, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung. Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren Angaben

Verlag: Podzun-Pallas-Verlag GmbH, Oktober 1976

ISBN: 3-7909-0051-6

 

Schindler, Michael G.

Ritterkreuzträger aus Sachsen/Band1

Verlag: Verl. Libergraphix Gröditz, 2012

ISBN: 978-3-95429-009-3

 

Schindler, Michael G.

Ritterkreuzträger aus Sachsen/Band2

Verlag: Verl. Libergraphix Gröditz, 2013

ISBN: 978-3-95429-014-7

 

Wegmann, Günter

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil VIIIa: Panzertruppe Band 1: A – Ey

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Bissendorf, 2004

ISBN: 3-7648-2322-4

 

Wegmann, Günter

Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil VIIIa: Panzertruppe Band 2: F – H

Verlag: Biblio Verlag Bissendorf, 2009

ISBN: 3-7648-2389-5

 

Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger des Eisernen Kreuzes

Mitgliederverzeichnis, 1978

 

http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Knight%27s_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross_recipients

http://www.unithistories.com/units_index/default.asp?file=../officers/personsx.html

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=108174&start=360

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Orden/Ritterkreuz/IndexRK.htm

https://www.tracesofwar.com/awards/country.asp?countryid=18

 

A word of thanks to Sascha Wöschler of Karlsruhe for allowing the use of his photo of the reverse of a Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.

 

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By Lorin on November 7, 2023   /   German   /   1 Comment