The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () 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, — 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.
Background The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grades were based on four separate enactments. The first enactment, of 1 September 1939 instituted the Iron Cross (), the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (). 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 (), was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment of 3 June 1940. In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment of 28 September 1941 introduced the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords () and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (). At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (), based on the enactment of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized.
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 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 unitFor 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. Date of award Notes Image Luftwaffe 17-LOberst Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 27 Heer 10-HOberwachtmeister Leader of an assault gun in the fortress Schneidemühl Heer 17-HOberst Commander of Füssilier-Regiment 22 Heer 15-HMajor Commander of the I./Sturm-Regiment 195 + Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 77 Awarded 16th Oak Leaves 9th Swords Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Staffelführer of the 3./Kampfgeschwader 3 "Lützow" Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Pilot in the 1.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1 Luftwaffe 10-LOberfeldwebel Pilot and board mechanic in the 9./Kampfgeschwader 76 At the same time promoted to Leutnant of the Reserves Heer 11-HStabsfeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) in the Stabskompanie/Grenadier-Regiment 671 Heer 10-HOberfeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 67 Heer 14-HHauptmann Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 1050 Luftwaffe 14-LHauptmann of the Reserves Deputy Gruppenkommandeur in Kampfgeschwader z.b.V. 103 Heer 06-HUnteroffizier Company troop leader in the 4.(MG)/Infanterie-Regiment 309 Heer 09-HFeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 12.(MG)/Grenadier-Regiment 123 Luftwaffe 10-LOberfeldwebel Pilot in the 3.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1 Heer 10-HOberfeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon (A.A.) 102 Heer 06-HUnteroffizier Group leader in the Stabskompanie/Jäger-Regiment 24 (L) Luftwaffe 10-LOberfeldwebel Pilot in the 13./Jagdgeschwader 53 Heer 13-HOberleutnant Chief of the 3./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 7 Heer 13-HOberleutnant Chief of the 7./Grenadier-Regiment 258 Heer 14-HHauptmann Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 102 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. Kriegsmarine 13-KOberleutnant zur See Commander of Luftwaffe 12-LLeutnant Reconnaissance officer in the 3./Flak-Regiment "General Göring" (motorized) * Died of wounds 13 July 1941 Heer 13-HOberleutnant Leader of the III./Infanterie-Regiment 46 Heer 16-HOberstleutnant Commander of I./Schützen-Regiment 10 Heer 04-HObergefreiter Messenger in the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 45
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