The iron cross was originally founded in 18 and was considered germanys highest military decoration. It tells the life of erwin rommel who became famous for his role commanding his afrika corps in northern africa. This book is written in german an total of 472 pages, with lots of information and pictures. Large, doublepaged parchment document with calligraphic text and national eagle dated 23 january 1942, the name of karl arndt rendered in handexecuted gold lettering, beneath which is the ink facsimile signature of adolf hitler. The award was also noted in the recipients soldbuch soldiers pay book, his. This book, the first in a sequence of four, covers winners of the. Knights cross of the iron cross with oakleaves, swords and. This type of knights cross is thoroughly described by d. Postwar, he was a prominent neonazi activist in latin america and west germany. A life of field marshal erwin rommel paperback december 2, 1994.
As the original award this cross is marked 800 l12 800 parts per of german silver c. I finally want to make some information easy accessible for everyone interested in the highest 1939 iron cross grade, the knight s cross of the iron cross. It was established by king friedrich wilhelm iii of prussia. The knight s cross with oakleaves, swords and diamonds was the next higher grade of the knight s cross above the knight s cross with oakleaves and swords. The iron cross was conferred upon military personnel who rendered outstanding service and demonstrated unwavering bravery in the face of the enemy. Reich award on my pages, but during 15 years of collecting orders, decorations and medals i certainly came by an uncountable number of different pieces. The recipients of the knight s cross of the iron cross 19391945.
Knights cross of the iron cross with oak leaves, swords, and diamonds. Jul 15, 2011 knight s cross of the iron cross with golden oakleaves, swords and diamonds. The knight s cross of the iron cross was a highly regarded award, being somewhat the equal of the american medal of honor. Knights cross of the iron cross military wiki fandom. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Grand cross of the iron cross by l12 lakesidetrader. This book also includes an indepth discussion of the oak leaves, the swords, the golden diamonds, the grand cross and the elusive star to the grand cross. The knight s cross of the iron cross, without distinction, was awarded to officers and soldiers alike, conforming with the national socialist slogan. Even winston churchill referred to him in glowing terms in the house of commons. It was first established in 18 during the napoleonic wars, it was reestablished in 1870 during the. It was awarded for extreme battlefield bravery or military leadership during world war ii.
It was first established in 18 during the napoleonic wars. Knights cross of the iron cross wikipedia republished. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients wikipedia. The recipients of the knight s cross of the iron cross 193945 fellgiebel, waltherpeer on. Jul 17, 2011 knight s cross to the iron cross german medal of wwii. Rudel was the most decorated german serviceman of world war ii, being the sole recipient of the knights cross with golden oak leaves, swords, and diamonds in january 1945. And if you are not thinking of buying a knights cross or a higher grade but are interested in the award, this book will tell you everything you could ever want to know. Maerz in his book the knights cross of the iron cross, and this example matches the examples and features of the cross he describes p. This type of the cross was issued very early and probably less than a few hundred were awarded, making this version the rarest of all. Iron crosses for sale in fine condition, knights cross sold to a private collector with a distinguished collection, german cross. The knights cross of the iron cross third reich arts.
List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients schusz. List of knight s cross of the iron cross recipients m explained. Synopsis with the knights cross of the iron cross and its higher grades dietrich maerz takes military collecting reference works to an entirely new level. Ww2 german the carriers of the knights cross of the iron.
With the knights cross of the iron cross and its higher grades dietrich maerz takes military collection reference works to an entirely new level. The regulations, distribution and all accepted makers of the highest award are presented here in never before seen detail. Elite of the third reich the recipients of the knights cross of the iron. See pages 318333 of dietrich maerzs the knights cross of the iron cross for more information. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients a. The iron cross is probably one of the best known military symbols and medals in the world. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients m explained. A used hard coverww2 german the carriers of the knights cross of the iron cross reference book. Oberst karl arndt formal award document with folder to the knight s cross of the iron cross of 1939. The knights cross of the iron cross by dietrich maerz new dust cover. Nice survey of the of the knights cross and the variants. Hansulrich rudel 2 july 1916 18 december 1982 was a german groundattack pilot during world war ii.
He has distinguished himself as an expert in this field and is willing to share his knowledge with others for the advancement of the collection of militaria. Typology of the knight s cross of the iron cross some people might be wondering finding information about this iii. The knights cross of the iron cross reddick militaria. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients a wikiwand. The recipients of the knight s cross of the iron cross 193945. The knights cross of the iron cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across.
It was the highest award presented to more than one person in the third reich, and it was reserved for the most highly decorated and heroic figures in the german wehrmacht. This medal was the highest level, originally intended for 12 of the most distinguished servicemen in the entire german armed forces after the war ended victoriously, of course. A history, 193945 reprint by williamson, gordon isbn. However, this was not uncommon at this late point in the war. The knights cross ritterkreuz military decorations. Overall anyone who has an interest in military or german historywwii should read this. The recipients of the knights cross of the iron cross 193945 fellgiebel, waltherpeer on. As the third reich collapsed, this plan was never realized. This is a nominal roll of all those in ww2 who were awarded the knights cross of the iron cross.
Knights cross to the iron cross with oak leaves, swords, and. The knight s cross with oakleaves and swords was the next higher grade of the knight s cross above the knight. Description with the knights cross of the iron cross and its higher grades dietrich maerz takes military collecting reference works to an entirely new level. The knights cross of the iron cross or simply the knights cross ritterkreuz, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of. Knights cross and oakleaves recipients 193940 osprey.
The knights cross of the iron cross by dietrich maerz. Iron cross of the wehrmacht world war ii german army page of the german. I remember aaron bank s autobiography and presume that his working with ho chi minh in 1945 is the inspiration of events in a dirty, distant war. The german knights cross of the iron cross 19391957 for sale instituted 1. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients c explained. The knight s cross with golden oakleaves, swords and diamonds was the highest single grade of the knight s cross of the iron cross, and was awarded only once during wwii an exception to the rule for this award which was only to be awarded 12 times once wwii ended. The knight s cross of the iron cross german language. Received the book on the 02nd of february in perfect condition. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Rommels own book krieg ohne hass war without hate reinforces the picture of a man who was playing a deadly game by rules which were an anachronism. Uboats crews took great pride if their captain received this medal and sometimes it was added to the boats insignia on schnees u201 for example the knights cross was a variation of the sought after iron cross which had 7 grades. Albert goodwin collection 126 a gentleman s collection. To subscribe to our mailing list for news, articles and updates. Uboats crews took great pride if their captain received this medal and sometimes it was added to the boat s insignia on schnee s u201 for example. The front and back rims of the cross are silver and it s iron center core is magnatic. How to tell the difference between a ww1 german iron cross to a ww2 onehow to. The knights cross of the iron cross german language. I n september 1939, the germans instituted the knights cross to the iron cross, to bridge the gap that existed between the iron cross 1st class awarded to thousands and the grand cross to the iron cross which was intended to only be awarded to a handful of recipients.
Fellgiebel was the former chairman and head of the order commission of the akcr. Recipients of the higher classes of this decoration, such as the knight s cross with oak. During world war ii, 457 servicemen of the waffenss, including volunteers and conscripts from belgium, croatia, denmark, estonia, france, hungary, latvia, netherlands and norway, received the knight s cross of the iron. An engineer by trade, the author utilizes two major aspects of his profession logic and attention to detail to present the reader with a valuable and almost infallible reference volume. On 1 september 1939 adolf hitler reinstituted the iron cross series of awards in the first, second and grand cross classes and established the new knights cross of the iron cross.
This book provides a representative selection of knights cross winners ritterkreuztrager from all branches of the german armed forces. The bible for the serious collector and student of the knights cross, this book covers terminology, materials, the manufacturers and manufacturing processes. The knight s cross of the iron cross was the second highest military order of the third reich, second only to the grand cross of the iron cross. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to future works by mr. History an essay on the history of the iron cross up to 1939 2nd\1st class an extensive section that includes manufacturing and technical information as well as documents, cases and recipients of these two 1939 classes and the 1914 clasps knight s cross a detailed study including manufacturing, documents, cases and recipients of this sought after class. A must have for every serious collector of the order of the iron cross and a book that has become the book. The frames and loop are silver plated for a stunning finish. An engineer by trade, the author utilises two major aspects of his profession logic and attention to detail to present the reader with a valuable and almost infallible reference volume. Eisernes kreuz help info, abbreviated ek is a former military decoration in the kingdom of prussia, and later in the german empire 18711918 and nazi germany 19331945. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients of the. The iron cross is a famous german military medal dating back to the 19th century. Utilizing a multitude of original, awarded pieces, original documents and testimony, maerz distinguishes between original pieces and postwar reproductions and fakes, as well as the differences and variations between each manufacturer. The knight s cross of the iron cross and its higher grades were based on four separate enactments. During the 1930s, the nazi regime in germany superimposed a swastika on.
The knights cross was the highest award made by nazi germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or outstanding military leadership. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients c. Buy online, view images and see past prices for 1957 knight s cross of the iron cross invaluable is the worlds largest marketplace for art, antiques, and collectibles. The knights cross of the iron cross by dietrich maerz new dust cover the regulations, distribution and all accepted makers of the highest award are presented here in never before seen detail. Junker manufacturer stamped on it s rear rim and on the suspension loop. Knights cross conversion, 2nd class iron cross by 93. Ritterkreuz des eisernen kreuzes and its variants were the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of nazi germany. Feb, 2018 the iron cross is probably one of the best known military symbols and medals in the world.
On the facing left hand pages there is a biography of the person shown and the story of the action for which the knights cross of the iron cross. I recommend gordon williamsons iron cross book as a companion. 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. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients o wikiwand. Media in category knights cross of the iron cross recipients the following 19 files are in this category, out of 19 total. The knights cross of the iron cross and its higher grades were based on four separate enactments. This book however goes so much deeper than that especially how he was a decorated wwi soldier. A must have for every serious collector of the order of the iron cross and a book that has become the book since its publication in november 2007. Ritterkreuz des eisernen kreuzes, often just ritterkreuz was a level of the iron cross. As well as being awarded for individual actions, the rk could also be awarded to a unit commander in recognition of the performance of his unit as a whole.
Bundesarchiv bild 101i721038702a, frankreich, soldaten im gesprach. The 2nd class iron cross was awarded for an act of bravery in the face of the enemy, or actions that were clearly above and beyond the call of duty. The myth surrounding the iron cross, and particularly the knights cross, has. The following is a list of living knight s cross of the iron cross recipients. Ritterkreuz des eisernen kreuzes and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of nazi germany during world war ii. With the knights cross of the iron cross and its higher grades dietrich maerz takes military collecting reference works to an entirely new level. Knights cross of the iron cross simple english wikipedia. List of living knights cross of the iron cross recipients. Elite of the third reich the recipients of the knights cross of the iron cross 193945.
The knights cross was a highly respected decoration and among uboat men it was the greatest honor one could achieve in many cases. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients m. The knights cross and its additions in the form of oakleaves. Excellent book which is a great addition to my library of german military awards and badges, this book is a must for any iron cross collector. Knights cross of the iron cross iron core, silver frame marked 935 4, loop marked 800 with original neck ribbon, 48. And if you are not thinking of buying a knights cross or a higher grade but are interested in the award, this book will tell you everything you could ever want to. Ranked second only to the grand cross, the knights cross was in fact the most coveted of all third reich germanys decorations.
The knight s cross with oakleaves and swords was worn in the same manner as the knight s cross with oakleaves, the only differance being in the addition of a set of crossed swords to the oakleaves above the knight s cross itself. Knights cross iron cross german wwii collector guide. A new grade of the iron cross series was introduced, the knight s cross of the iron cross. Knights cross of the iron cross with oakleaves and swords. Very fine copy with perfect beading, swastika and casting. Knight s cross of iron is a dual pack of two wargames designed by masahiro yamazaki. List of knights cross of the iron cross recipients i wikipedia.
Over 500 pictures in full color with diagrams and tables on 400 pages, will make this information filled book the standard for years to come. Ritterkreuz des eisernen kreuzes, or simply the knight s cross ritterkreuz, was a grade of the 1939 version of the iron cross, which had been created in 18. For anyone contemplating collecting the knights cross of the iron cross, this work is a musthave reference. Ritterkreuz des eisernen kreuzes and its variants were the highes. The single piece core is constructed out of an iron base that has been black enamel painted.
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