These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel's book, 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 380 Knight's Cross recipients of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS whose last name starts with "G". Fellgiebel himself delisted one and Scherzer has challenged the validity of eleven 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, Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 instituted the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz), the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (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. 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 (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849 of 3 June 1940. In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 of 28 September 1941 introduced the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten). At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11 of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized.
Recipients
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (G)
Service
Number of presentations
Posthumous presentations
Heer
238
22
Kriegsmarine
12
2
Luftwaffe
98
7
Waffen-SS
32
2
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) kept separate Knight's Cross lists, one for each of the three military branches, Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air Force) and for the 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 380 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "G", 37 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, four the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds and one the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross; 33 presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received 238 of the medals; 12 went to the Kriegsmarine, 98 to the Luftwaffe, and 32 to the Waffen-SS. The sequential numbers greater than 843 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and 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.
This along with the + (plus) indicates that a higher grade of Knight's Cross was awarded as well.
This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the Knight's Cross was awarded posthumously.
This along with the! (exclamation mark) indicates that author Walther-Peer Fellgiebel has expressed doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.
This along with the? (question mark) indicates that author Veit Scherzer has expressed doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.
↑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.
↑According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Aufklärungs-Abteilung 97.
↑According to Scherzer as leader of the I./SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 2.
1234The brackets around the doctor title [Dr.] denotes that the academic title was attained after the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded.
↑No evidence regarding the presentation of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross to an SS-OberscharführerGebhard can be found in the German Federal Archives. Walther-Peer Fellgiebel also had no evidence and wrote on 11 July 1983 to Mr. Eichhorn: "I have to rely on Krätschmer in Rieflin Fritz's case, as well as in Gebhard's.". Krätschmer may have his information from Hermann Buch, the former IIa (personnel administration for officers) of the 2. SS-Division "Das Reich", who mentioned the name Gebhard in a letter to Von Seeman on 6 December 1970. Unlawful presentation by SS-OberstgruppenführerSepp Dietrich. The date is taken from the announcement made by the 6. SS-Panzerarmee.
↑According to Scherzer as leader of a Kampfgruppe in the Armee-Abteilung Serbien.
↑Paul Gehl's nomination by the troop was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) on 24 March 1945 as a teleprinter messenger, the written nomination was received on 3 April. MajorJoachim Domaschk had stopped an ongoing approval process of the Honour Roll Clasp for Gehl on 25 March, indicating: "Stop! Forward here!". Domaschk requested a detailed combat report from Gehl's division following the receipt of the written nomination on 4 April, which he received on 17 April. The next day he approved the nomination. A Heerespersonalamt-Verleihungsvorschlag (HPA-VV—Army Staff Office Nomination Recommendation) Nr. 5078 was created and forwarded the very same day. This information is noted on the file card. No further information regarding the approval or presentation of the Knight's Cross is indicated. According to the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) the award was presented in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The presentation date was assigned by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel.
↑According to Scherzer as Schreiber-Obergefreiter.
↑According to Scherzer as commander of the IV./Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Regiment 1.
↑According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 13./Grenadier-Regiment 110.
↑No evidence regarding the presentation of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross to Karl Gerlach can be found in the German Federal Archives. Gerlach is listed by Von Seemen, noting: "No evidence in the German Federal Archives". The author Veit Scherzer was denied access to files, which could help clarify the case, of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) on the grounds of the Bundesarchivgesetz (German Archive Law). The order commission of the AKCR processed this case in 1983/1984 and decided "Knight's Cross yes, 17 April 1945". What evidence was used and lead to this decision remains unclear. Walther-Peer Fellgiebel later changed the presentation date to 3 May 1945. Gerlach was a member of the AKCR.
↑Karl-Heinz Gieseler is listed as a recipient in Fellgiebel and Von Seemen as SS-Untersturmführer and Stoßtruppführer in Berlin as a member of the 11. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Nordland". Von Seemen indicates that: "No evidence in the German Federal Archives". Fellgiebel states that the presentation was made by SS-BrigadeführerWilhelm Mohnke in the bunker of the Reichs Chancellery between 25 and 30 April 1945. The number of likely presentations varies between 3 and 5 soldiers. No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. Gieseler is not listed by Scherzer.
↑According to Scherzer as Commander of RäumbootR-17 in the 1. Räum-Halbflottille.
↑According to Scherzer as adjutant of Infanterie-Regiment 208.
↑Siegwart Göller's nomination by the troop was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) on 13 April 1945. Missing are the statements by the commander-in-chief of the Heeresgruppe Süd and Major Joachim Domaschk. It is questionable whether the prepared Heerespersonalamt-Verleihungsvorschlag (HPA-VV—Army Staff Office Nomination Recommendation) Nr. 5088 was forwarded for presentation to the Führer because Domaschk's statement is missing. It is likely that Domaschk had requested the statement by the Heeresgruppe Süd which he had not yet received. According to the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) the award was presented in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. According to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) this lacks legal justification. The presentation date was assigned by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel. He is listed by Von Seemen under the name of Siegmund Göller with a presentation date 21 April 1945. However Von Seemen indicates that: "No evidence in the German Federal Archives".
↑According to Scherzer Oak Leaves awarded on 25 October 1941.
↑No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. According to Krätschmer the action took place in March 1945 in Pomerania with the Army Group Vistula. Von Seemen lists Herbert Golz with the footnote: "Source: Generalmajor (Pol.) Ernst Rode, at the time chief of staff with the chief of the German Police". This posting is not verifiable. A SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor Rode is verifiable and was chief of staff of the field commando of the Reichsführer SS. This field commando processed at the time the nominations of the Waffen-SS and prepared them for approval by Heinrich Himmler. These nominations at the time were received by SS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm Kment, the adjutant of Himmler and liaison officer to the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office). Golz nomination could have been a unlawful presentation by Himmler as commander in chief of the Army Group Vistula. The order commission of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) handled this case in 1977 and decided: "Knight's Cross yes, 31 March 1945". The evidence sustaining this decision remains unclear. Access to the files was denied on the grounds of the Bundesarchivgesetz (German Archive Law). The presentation date was later changed by Fellgiebel. Golz was a member of the AKCR.
↑According to Scherzer as group leader in the 4./Grenadier-Regiment 576.
12According to Scherzer on 24 October 1944 as pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 302.
↑According to Scherzer as Vorgeschobener Beobachter (forward observer) in the 3./SS-Flak-Abteilung 17.
↑According to Scherzer as commander Sipo and SDBudapest.
12According to Scherzer as Leutnant zur Verwendung (for disposition) and leader of a special commando in the 8./Bau-Lehr-Bataillon "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800.
↑According to Scherzer as commander of SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 9.
↑According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Stabskompanie./Füsilier-Regiment 22.
↑According to Scherzer as chief of the 14./Grenadier-Regiment 7.
12According to Scherzer on 6 December 1944 as oberserver in the 2./Nahaufklärungsgruppe 6.
↑Fritz-Hubert Gräser's nomination by the troop was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Personnel Office) on 29 April 1945. General Ernst Maisel noted: "I approve the nomination! 30 April". The nomination list for the higher grades of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross only notes the nomination entry date as 29 April 1945. There is no indication that the award was granted. The paperwork was not finalized by the end of the war. The Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) claims that the award was presented in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The sequential number "154" and presentation date were assigned by the AKCR.
↑According to Scherzer as chief of the 18./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler".
↑According to Scherzer Swords awarded on 18 May 1944.
↑The original nomination was not retained. The Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest (OB Nordwest) had sent the nomination to the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe/Auszeichnung und Disziplin (OKL/AuD—Air Force High Command/Award and Discipline). The accompanying letter is presented by Franz Thomas. Franz Thomas is author of Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945, Teil II Die Ritterkreuzträger der Fallschirmjäger, Osnabrück 1986, page 88. No further information prevailed. A presentation cannot be verified. The Order Commission of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) processed this case in 1974 and decided: 868th Oak Leaves, 8 May 1945. According to the AKCR the award was present in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The sequential number "868" and date were assigned by the AKCR. Graßmel is listed by the OB Nordwest for the "Nomination for the presentation of war awards" in May 1945. This list, which was to be presented to Karl Dönitz, holds 12 names. These nominations had all been submitted by the OB Nordwest via the command chain and must be considered not finalized. Dönitz has never signed this list and most likely has never seen this list. Franz Graßmel was a member of the AKCR.
↑No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. According to Walther-Peer Fellgiebel the award was presented by SS-OberstgruppenführerSepp Dietrich, which would make it an unlawful presentation. Fellgiebel's sources are Hermann Buch, the former IIa (personnel administration) of the 2. SS-Division "Das Reich", and Wilhelm Kment, the adjutant of Heinrich Himmler and liaison officer to the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office). According to Buch—note from 25 June 2005—he has nothing to do with this presentation. And Kment cannot be the source since Buch stated that Kment died in the early 1970s. If indeed Kment was the source then Von Seemen would have listed Heinz Gropp in either the first or second edition of his book, which is not the case. The source thus remains uncertain. Krätschmer lists Gropp in his third edition with a date of 1 May 1945 without stating a source as well. Fellgiebel dated the award on 6 May 1945. He may have done this to justify this as a Dietrich award.
↑The information regarding the presentation of the Knight's Cross to Alfred Groß originally came from Ernst Obermaier and was given to Walther-Peer Fellgiebel, who accepted this. Fellgiebel included all Luftwaffe presentations without changes because the Luftwaffe presentations at the end of the war could not be verified. Scherzer states that he received information from an aviation historian, who has access to the original 1945 files of Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26), that, "Leutnant Alfred Groß, 5./JG 26 was not a Staffelführer of the 5. Staffel, nor a recipient of the Knight's Cross." Alfred Groß is listed by Obermaier. Von Seemen lists him with a vague presentation date of April 1945.
↑According to Scherzer as commander of the II./SS-Panzer-Regiment "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler".
↑According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 6./SS-Panzer-Regiment 5.
↑Heinz Groth's nomination by the troop was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) on 23 March 1945. The book "Verliehene Ritterkreuze" (Awarded Knight Crosses) contains a note (presumably by Joachim Domaschk): "Knight's Cross no, Honour Roll". The file card states: "rejected" and "unfinished (Honour Roll)? ". The presentation date was assigned by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel.
12According to Scherzer on 23 November 1941 as chief of the 1./Panzer-Regiment 33.
↑According to Scherzer as leader of the Division-Begleitkompanie/14. Panzer-Division.
↑According to Scherzer as leader of Divisions-Gruppe 198.
12According to Scherzer name is spelled Wilhelm Günther who received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 13./Grenadier-Regiment 508.
↑According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler".
↑According to Scherzer as commander of the I./Flak-Regiment (motorized) 43.
12According to Scherzer as SS-Hauptsturmführer of the Reserves and leader of the III./SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 "Norge" (norw. Nr 1).
↑According to Scherzer as adjutant in Infanterie-Regiment 513.
↑According to Scherzer as pilot in the Aufklärungsstaffe 4.(F)/122.
↑"Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 849; 3 June 1940"(PDF). ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (in German). Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). Retrieved 21 February 2008.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer[in German] (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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN978-3-7909-0284-6.
Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945[The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN978-3-87341-065-7.
Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives[The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN978-3-938845-17-2.
Von Seemen, Gerhard (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945: die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung: Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren Angaben[The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945: The Knight's Cross Bearers of All the Armed Services, Diamonds, Swords and Oak Leaves Bearers in the Order of Presentation: Appendix with Further Information and Presentation Requirements] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Verlag. ISBN978-3-7909-0051-4.
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