List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (O)
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. Presentations were made to members of the three military branches of the Wehrmacht—the Heer, Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe —as well as the Waffen-SS, the Reichsarbeitsdienst and the Volkssturm. 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, 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 a 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 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 82 Knight's Cross recipients whose last name starts with "O". Scherzer has challenged the validity of two 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, 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 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 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 Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11 of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized.Recipients
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht kept separate Knight's Cross lists for the Heer, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe 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 82 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "O", seven were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and four the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords; seven presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received 52 of the medals, six went to the Kriegsmarine, 21 to the Luftwaffe, and three to the Waffen-SS. The sequential numbers greater than 843 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves are unofficial and were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients and are therefore denoted in parentheses.Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit | Date of award | Notes | Image |
Luftwaffe | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Flak-Regiment 99 | 24 January 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Company chief in the II./Jäger-Regiment 25 | 23 March 1945* | Died of wounds 20 February 1945 | — | |
Heer | Oberjäger | Group leader in the 6./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 218 | 12 October 1943 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Pilot in the 2./Kampfgeschwader 55 | 24 March 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Reserves | Leutnant of theZugführer in the 3./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 667 | 10 May 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Major of the Reserves | Commander of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 34 | 25 August 1941 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberfähnrich | Observer in the 11./Aufklärungs-Gruppe 13 | 8 August 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of Panzer-Abteilung "Feldherrnhalle" | 7 February 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Staffelführer of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52 | 23 March 1944 | — | — | |
Waffen-SS | SS-Obersturmführer | Leader of the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 1126 | 28 March 1945 | — | — | |
Heer | Leutnant | Leader of the 4./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 66 | 30 November 1943* | Died of wounds 10 October 1943 | — | |
+ | Heer | General der Infanterie | Commanding general of the XXIX. Armeekorps | 27 July 1941 | Awarded 251st Oak Leaves 7 June 1943 110th Swords 5 November 1944 | |
+ | Heer | Hauptmann | Commander of schwere Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 346 | 10 September 1944 | Awarded Oak Leaves 30 April 1945 | — |
+ | Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Zugführer in the 1./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 101 | 2 June 1943 | Awarded 360th Oak Leaves 30 December 1943 | — |
Heer | Oberst | Commander of the 31. Infanterie-Division | 18 January 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Major | Commander of Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 132 | 19 August 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | General der Flakartillerie | Commanding general of the II. Flakkorps | 5 September 1944 | — | ||
Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Observer in the 4./Kampfgeschwader 4 "General Wever" | 29 October 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 5./Schützen-Regiment 4 | 24 June 1940 | — | — | |
Heer | Leutnant | Leader of the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 62 | 25 July 1943* | Killed in action 5 July 1943 | — | |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Leader of Kampfgruppe "Oehmichen" | 27 December 1942 | — | — | |
Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant | Commander of | 21 October 1940 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Pilot in the 8./Kampfgeschwader 27 "Boelcke" | 2 June 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 21 | 26 March 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Chief of the 6./Artillerie-Regiment 12 | 16 April 1944 | — | — | |
+ | Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 51 | 20 August 1940 | Awarded 9th Oak Leaves 6 February 1941 3rd Swords 15 July 1941 | — |
Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant | Commander of | 26 March 1941 | — | — | |
Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of the Küstenschutzflottille "Attika" | 9 June 1944* | Killed in aerial bombardment 22 January 1944 | — | |
Heer | Gefreiter | Machine gunner in the 11./Grenadier-Regiment 186 | 18 December 1942 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 7./Bau-Lehr-Regiment z.b.V. 800 "Brandenburg" | 30 April 1943 | Awarded 734th Oak Leaves 10 February 1945 | — |
Heer | Unteroffizier | Group leader in the 1./Pionier-Bataillon 323 | 12 July 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Feldwebel | Zugführer in the 9./Infanterie-Regiment 191 | 7 March 1941 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Feldwebel | Pilot in the 5./Jagdgeschwader 3 | 4 November 1941 | — | — | |
Kriegsmarine | Oberleutnant | Chief of the Marinebatterie "Marcouf" | 14 June 1944 | — | ||
Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 11./Panzer-Regiment 25 | 27 July 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Obergefreiter | Richtkanonier in the 4./Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 116 | 2 April 1943 | — | — | |
Waffen-SS | SS-Sturmbannführer | Commander of the III./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26 "Hitlerjugend" | 28 July 1944 | — | — | |
? | Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 24. Infanterie-Division | 27 October 1943 | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelkapitän of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 1 | 27 July 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Commander of the I./Artillerie-Regiment 78 | 23 August 1941 | — | — | |
Kriegsmarine | Oberleutnant | Chief engineer on | 23 April 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Pilot in the III./Jagdgeschwader 77 | 19 March 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberst | Commander of Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 2 | 2 September 1944 | — | — | |
Kriegsmarine | Oberleutnant zur See | Commander Schnellboot S-31 in the 2. Schnellbootflottille | 16 May 1940 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 911 | 11 March 1945 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Oberst | Commander of Panzer-Regiment 204 | 1 January 1943 | Awarded 536th Oak Leaves 28 July 1944 142nd Swords 17 April 1945 | |
Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of the 305. Infanterie-Division | 25 July 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Feldwebel | Zugführer in the 7./Jäger-Regiment 38 | 5 May 1943* | Died of wounds 20 March 1943 | — | |
Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 10./Infanterie-Regiment 266 | 13 June 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 299. Infanterie-Division | 23 December 1943 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Major | Gruppenkommandeur of the Fernaufklärungs-Gruppe 122 | 19 September 1943 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Zugführer in the 4./Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Regiment | 18 March 1942* | Killed in action 10 March 1942 | — | |
Heer | Grenadier | In the 13./Grenadier-Regiment 453 | 3 March 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 | 23 November 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 754 | 10 September 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel | Pilot in the 7./Schlachtgeschwader 10 | 14 January 1945 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberjäger | Group leader in the 1./Jäger-Regiment 56 | 5 September 1944* | Killed in action 29 July 1944 | — | |
+ | Waffen-SS | SS-Obersturmbannführer | Ia of SS-Division "Das Reich" | 13 September 1941 | Awarded Oak Leaves 6 May 1945 | |
Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 2./Flak-Regiment 8 | 9 December 1942 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Major | Commander of the III./Füsilier-Regiment 27 | 26 March 1944 | Awarded 732nd Oak Leaves 10 February 1945 | — |
Luftwaffe | Generalmajor | Jagdfliegerführer of Luftflotte 2 | 22 August 1940 | — | ||
Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of Divisions-Bataillon 260 | 26 August 1943 | — | — | |
+ | Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Pilot in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 54 | 4 September 1941 | Awarded 81st Oak Leaves 12 March 1942 10th Swords 17 May 1942 | — |
+ | Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Leader of a Kampfgruppe in the Panzergrenadier-Division "Feldherrnhalle" | 23 August 1944 | Awarded 834th Oak Leaves 15 April 1945 | — |
Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 13./Schlachtgeschwader 9 | 24 October 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Major | Gruppenkommandeur of Aufklärungs-Gruppe 2 | 30 September 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | General der Infanterie | Commanding general of the LII. Armeekorps | 25 December 1942 | — | — | |
? | Heer | Oberwachtmeister | Zugführer in the 12./Panzer-Regiment 24 | 9 May 1945 | — | — |
Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 97 | 16 November 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Leader of the I./Jäger-Regiment 28 | 28 October 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberst | Commander of Jäger-Regiment 56 | 28 February 1945 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Chief of the 1./Füsilier-Regiment 22 | 7 September 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 2./Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 32 | 28 April 1945 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberst | Commander of Jäger-Regiment 207 | 13 November 1942 | — | — | |
+ | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Pilot in the 9./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" | 5 April 1942 | Awarded 433rd Oak Leaves 24 March 1944 | — |
Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 36. Infanterie-Division | 13 August 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 454 | 10 February 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Unteroffizier | Group leader in the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 529 | 15 May 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Unteroffizier | Group leader in the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 529 | 6 April 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 56. Infanterie-Division | 9 January 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Feldwebel | Zugführer in the 9./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 | 1 January 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 11 | 10 December 1942 | — | — |