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.[4]
Listed here are the 289 Knight's Cross recipients of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS whose last name is in the range "Ka–Km".[5] Scherzer has challenged the validity of four of these listings.[6] This is the first of two lists of all 717 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients whose last names start with "K". The recipients whose last names are in the range "Kn–Kz" are listed at List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (Kn–Kz).[7] 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 (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.[8] 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.[9] 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).[10] 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.[11]
Recipients
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ka–Km)
Service
Number of presentations
Posthumous presentations
Heer
192
15
Kriegsmarine
15
1
Luftwaffe
62
3
Waffen-SS
20
1
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.[12] Of the 289 awards made to servicemen whose last name is in the range "Ka–Km", 36 were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, five the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and one the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds; 20 presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received 192 of the medals; 15 went to the Kriegsmarine, 62 to the Luftwaffe, and 20 to the Waffen-SS.[5] 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 (AKCR) and are therefore denoted in parentheses.[13]
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 ? (question mark) indicates that author Veit Scherzer has expressed doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.
^According to Scherzer as group leader of the 1./Infanterie-Regiment 67.[21]
^Unlawful presentation to Werner Kaminski by the Dönitz Government (Regierung Dönitz) after 8 May 1945, which can be verified by radio communication dated on 21 May 1945. The presentation date was backdated by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel.[23]
^According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Infanterie-Regiment 446.[24]
^According to Scherzer in the 14./Grenadier-Regiment z.b.V. Panzer-AOK 1.[24]
^ abAccording to Scherzer as SS-Obersturmführer of the Reserves and leader of the 9./2. SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Leibsatndarte SS Adolf Hitler".[25]
^According to Scherzer as commander of SS-Artillerie-Regiment 11.[25]
^According to Scherzer as commander of Artillerie-Leichter AF-65 in the 6. Artillerieträger-Flottille.[25]
^No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. Walther-Peer Fellgiebel claimed that Paul-Albert Kausch, at the time wounded in the Reich Chancellery, had received news that according to a radio message received from Panzer AOK 11 had been awarded the Oak Leaves on 23 April 1945 from SS-Brigadeführer Joachim Ziegler. Ziegler, the Division commander of Kausch, was killed in action on 1 May 1945. Ernst-Günther Krätschmer however indicated that Kausch was wounded 25 April, therefore he couldn’t have received the news on 25 April. The 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland was only subordinated to the 11th Panzer Armee in February 1945. The Stab of the 11th Panzer Army then relocated to the Western Front where it surrendered on 21 April. Krätschmer claimed that the award was presented for the actions during the middle of April east of Berlin. Mr. J.S. Fischer, who was verifying the Oak Leaves presentation on behalf of Fellgiebel is not aware of a radio message received from the Panzer AOK 11. Fischer indicated that he only referenced the information presented by Kausch, which is already stated in Krätschmer. According to information by Fischer on 14 October 2004, Fellgiebel had made the note about the Panzer AOK 11. The sequential number "845" was assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR), according to Krätschmer the number is "846", the date was accepted by the AKCR. Kausch was member of the AKCR.[23]
^According to Scherzer as chief of the 7./Panzergrenadier-Regiment (motorized) 156.[28]
^According to Scherzer as group leader in the 1./Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1.[35]
^ abcdefThe brackets around the doctor title [Dr.] denotes that the academic title was attained after the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded.
^According to Scherzer as leader of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4.[35]
^According to Scherzer as commander of the I./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Schill" [emergency unit from SS-Panzergrenadier-Schule Kienschlag and SS-Panzergrenadier-Ausbildungs-und-Ersatz_Bataillon 10].[39]
^Scherzer provides three possible name variants, Eduard-Heinrich Kiefer, Till Kiwe and Eduard-Heinrich Kiver.[40]
^According to Scherzer as commander of Stellungs-Kampfgruppe XII./2 ["Gneisenau-Einheit" of Wehrkreis XII, subordinated to the 416. Infanterie-Division].[39]
^According to Scherzer as leader of the Kampfstaffel Panzer AOK Afrika (Begleitkommando "Rommel").[42]
^According to Scherzer as leader of the 1./Füsilier-Bataillon "Deba" [commander of Fester PlatzTarnopol].[42]
^ abAccording to Scherzer on 21 December 1942 as chief department GZ [Zentralabteilung—central department] with the chief of the Generalstab des Heeres [until November 1942 chief of the General Staff XXIX Armeekorps].[44]
^According to Scherzer as commander of SS-"Totenkopf"-Kradschützen-Bataillon.[58]
^ abAccording to Scherzer his name is spelled Hans Kleinmann who received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as a Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 8./Grenadier-Regiment 426.[59]
^According to Scherzer as commander of the Armee-Waffen-Schule (army weapons school) AOK 9.[58]
^According to Scherzer as adjutant of Grenadier-Regiment 551.[58]
^According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 12./Grenadier-Regiment 424.[58]
^Scherzer expressed doubt about the veracity of the presentation of the Oak Leaves to Matthias Kleinheisterkamp. According to Scherzer, Fellgiebel claims that the nomination was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) via teleprinter from the commander-in-chief of the 9. Armee, General Theodor Busse, on 21 April 1945. Busse had nominated SS-Obergruppenführer Kleinheisterkamp for the Oak Leaves. The claim is that the teleprinter message contained a note that the formal procedure for immediate approval should be waited for (Dienstwegvorschlag bzgl. Sofortverleihung abwarten). This teleprinter message cannot be found in the German Nation Archives (Bestand RH 7). Busse had also nominated by teleprinter message GeneralmajorJoachim von Siegroth on the 21 April. This teleprinter message can be found in the Nation Archives (Bundesarchiv RH 7/300). According to Fellgiebel the same note can be found on von Siegroth's nomination. This means that a formal nomination, in this instance via the Army Group Vistula, followed. Both announced "formal nominations" never followed and were never received by the HPA. The teleprinter message nomination of von Siegroth is listed in the book of "Verliehene Ritterkreuze" (Awarded Knight Crosses) with an entry date of 21 April but Kleinheisterkamp's nomination isn't. The reason for this may be that the liaison officer of the Waffen-SS at the HPA/P5a may have forwarded the nomination to the Reichsführer-SS for approval. From here it should have been returned to the HPA, which it wasn't. The distribution list of von Siegroth's nomination indicates that general Busse had informed the Army Group Vistula and the chief of the HPA general Wilhelm Burgdorf. It is very likely that Kleinheisterkamp's nomination had the same distribution list as von Siegroth's, because the same principles applied. Burgdorf therefore should have been informed of the formal procedure regarding Kleinheisterkamp's nomination. The question remains unanswered whether the Führer Headquarter or Adolf Hitler has approved the direct nomination of Kleinheisterkamp on 28 April or not. Scherzer claims that this is very unlikely because Burgdorf would not have done two things. First, submit a nomination to the Führer without having assessed the situation himself, which only would have been possible if he had studied the formal paperwork. Secondly he would not have bypassed the formal procedure which was already initiated. Additionally the radio connection to the Führerbunker was down since 5:00 on 28 April 1945. The sequential number "871" was assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) and the date is assumed.[62]
^According to Scherzer as battalion adjutant in Panzergrenadier-Regiment 111.[59]
^No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. Walther-Peer Fellgiebel, just like Gerhard von Seemen, assumed a presentation via the chief of the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Personnel Office) Wilhelm Burgdorf to be very unlikely. The Führer-Grenadier-Division had been deployed in Silesia and the Ostmark (Austria) in March 1945 and not in the vicinity of Berlin. 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). Heinrich Klemt was listed for the first time in the second edition of Von Seemen's book Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–45—The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–45 with a footnote: "No evidence in the German Federal Archives, presentation from the combat area Berlin". This information was later published in 1984 by Helmuth Spaeter, author of Die Geschichte des Panzerkorps Großdeutschland—The History of the Panzer Corps Großdeutschland and in 1986 by Fellgiebel.[64]
^According to Scherzer as chief of the 6./SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 15.[63]
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.
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.