List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (C)
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 acceptance by 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 Reich Labour Service, and the Volkssturm. There were also 43 foreign recipients of the award.
These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel's book, Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 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 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 of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS whose last name starts with "C". The recipients are initially 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 "C", ten were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and five presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received 51 of the medals, five went to the Kriegsmarine, 22 to the Luftwaffe, and four to the Waffen-SS.Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit | Date of award | Notes | Image |
Heer | Major | Commander of the III./Grenadier-Regiment 408 | 6 April 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 220 | 12 February 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Deputy Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Kampfgeschwader 66 | 30 November 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 424 | 23 February 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelkapitän of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 5 | 25 September 1941 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Reserves | Leutnant of theZugführer in the 2./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502 | 4 May 1944 | Awarded 535th Oak Leaves 27 July 1944 | |
Heer | Oberleutnant | Leader of the 11./Artillerie-Regiment 269 | 9 May 1942 | — | — | |
Kriegsmarine | Admiral | Marinegruppenbefehlshaber Ost | 14 June 1940 | — | ||
Heer | Unteroffizier | Panzer commander in the 2./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502 | 28 March 1945* | Killed in action 26 January 1945 | — | |
Heer | Oberst | Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 118 | 22 September 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 9./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 14 | 23 February 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberwachtmeister | Vorgeschobener Beobachter in the 11./Artillerie-Regiment 1562 | 11 March 1945 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Pilot and observer in the Fernaufklärungs-Gruppe 4 | 10 October 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberst | Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 3 | 6 October 1940 | — | — | |
Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 15. Infanterie-Division | 15 August 1940 | — | — | |
Waffen-SS | SS-Hauptsturmführer | Chief of the 3./SS-Reiter-Regiment 1 | 29 October 1942 | — | ||
Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of the 13. Panzer-Division | 30 April 1943 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 99. leichte Division | 23 October 1941 | Awarded 357th Oak Leaves 19 December 1943 | — |
Heer | Major | Commander of the I./Infanterie-Regiment 408 | 24 July 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 122. Infanterie-Division | 25 October 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Obergefreiter | Group leader in the 8./Grenadier-Regiment 200 | 18 November 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of the III./Infanterie-Regiment 16 | 18 May 1940 | — | ||
Heer | Feldwebel | Zugführer in the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 17 | 8 August 1943 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberstleutnant im Generalstab | Chief of the general staff of the VIII. Fliegerkorps | 21 October 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Company chief in Bau-Bataillon 132 | 4 March 1942* | Killed in action 3 March 1942 | — | |
Waffen-SS | SS-Sturmmann | Richtschütze in the 2./SS-Panzer-Jagd-Abteilung 3 "Totenkopf" | 20 October 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Major | Commander of the II./Panzer-Regiment 31 | 31 January 1941 | — | — | |
+ | Kriegsmarine | Oberleutnant zur See | Commander of Schnellboot S-101 in the 1. Schnellbootflottille | 8 May 1941 | Awarded 326th Oak Leaves 13 November 1943 | — |
Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" | 18 March 1942 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberfeldwebel | Observer in the 6./Kampfgeschwader 53 "Legion Condor" | 5 April 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 530 | 22 August 1943 | — | — | |
Waffen-SS | SS-Unterscharführer | Group leader in the 7./SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 24 "Danmark" | 11 July 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Major | Commander of I./Infanterie-Regiment 54 | 4 July 1940 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberwachtmeister | Zugführer in the 2./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 277 | 12 November 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Major | Commander of Heeres-Artillerie-Abteilung 774 | 5 April 1945 | — | — | |
Kriegsmarine | Vizeadmiral | Befehlshaber der Schlachtschiffe | 21 March 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Unteroffizier | Group leader in the 1./Infanterie-Regiment 305 | 13 November 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 3./Pionier-Bataillon 33 | 13 July 1940 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Major | Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Kampfgeschwader 100 | 14 March 1943 | Killed in action 20 June 1943 | — | |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 517 | 29 January 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Leutnant | Zugführer in the 14./Grenadier-Regiment 899 | 27 August 1944 | — | — | |
+ | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelkapitän of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 77 | 19 May 1942 | Awarded 106th Oak Leaves 23 July 1942 | — |
Heer | Hauptmann | Chief of the 2./Artillerie-Regiment 30 | 16 April 1944 | — | — | |
Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant | Commander of | 13 March 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Obergefreiter | PAK gunner in the 16./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13 | 30 September 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Lehrgeschwader 1 | 18 November 1944* | Killed in action 29 June 1944 | — | |
Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Chief of the 3./Flak-Regiment 4 | 4 May 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 25. Infanterie-Division | 29 September 1940 | — | — | |
Heer | Major of the Reserves | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 266 | 22 January 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Generalmajor | Commander of the 9. Flieger-Division | 12 July 1940 | — | — | |
Heer | Major | Commander of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 67 | 9 December 1944 | — | — | |
Waffen-SS | SS-Obersturmbannführer | Commander of the SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 49 "De Ruyter" | 19 August 1944* | Killed in action 29 July 1944 | — | |
Heer | Oberst | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 547 | 19 February 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 6 | 5 April 1945 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberst | Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader z.b.V. 2 | 24 May 1940 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberfeldwebel | Shock troop leader in the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 330 | 9 July 1941 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of the I./Infanterie-Regiment 118 | 17 October 1942 | Awarded 279th Oak Leaves 22 August 1943 | — |
+ | Luftwaffe | Oberst | Commander of Flak-Regiment "General Göring" | 4 September 1941 | Awarded 276th Oak Leaves 21 August 1943 | |
Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of Sturmgeschütz-Begleitkompanie 254 in the I./Grenadier-Regiment 431 | 2 September 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Pilot in the 9./Kampfgeschwader 3 "Lützow" | 12 June 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Hauptmann | Department leader of Panzer-Regiment 39 | 8 February 1943 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Zugführer in the 2./Flak-Regiment 64 | 20 June 1940 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Oberleutnant | Leader of the 1./Panzer-Regiment 35 | 8 September 1941 | Awarded 285th Oak Leaves 29 August 1943 | — |
Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Leader of the 10./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 | 7 February 1945 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Panzer-Regiment 8 im DAK | 27 June 1941 | — | ||
Luftwaffe | Major | Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Lehrgeschwader 1 | 18 September 1940 | — | — | |
Heer | Major | Commander of Divisions-Füsilier-Abteilung 58 | 11 April 1944 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of the 10./Grenadier-Regiment 416 | 3 March 1943 | — | — | |
Heer | Generalleutnant | Commander of the 18. Infanterie-Division | 29 June 1940 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Artillerie-Regiment 33 | 26 December 1941 | Awarded 683rd Oak Leaves 18 December 1944 | — |
Kriegsmarine | Kapitänleutnant | Commander of | 5 June 1942 | — | — | |
+ | Luftwaffe | Feldwebel | Pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 53 | 23 September 1942 | Awarded 127th Oak Leaves 23 September 1942 | — |
Heer | Oberstleutnant | Commander of Schützen-Regiment 8 | 15 July 1941 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 5./Kampfgeschwader 30 | 14 June 1940 | — | — | |
+ | Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of the 11. Panzer-Division | 14 May 1941 | Awarded 34th Oak Leaves 1 September 1941 | |
Heer | Oberleutnant | Chief of the 4./Infanterie-Regiment 453 | 3 May 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Oberfähnrich | Deputy leader of the 2./Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 260 | 9 June 1944* | Killed in action 29 March 1944 | — | |
Heer | Oberst | Commander of Panzer-Regiment 39 | 18 January 1942 | — | — | |
Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves | Zugführer in the 1./Pionier-Bataillon 102 | 5 January 1944 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Hauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" and adjutant of the I./Schlachtgeschwader 2 | 30 December 1942 | — | — | |
Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant | Staffelkapitän of the 6./Kampfgeschwader 2 | 16 May 1941 | — | — | |
Heer | Gefreiter | Machine gun leader in the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Großdeutschland" | 4 October 1944 | — | — |