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 182 Knight's Cross recipients whose last name starts with "T".[5] While Veit Scherzer has challenged the validity of 5 of these listings, he has also pointed out that the AKCR failed to identify Hans Turnwal as a potential recipient.[6] 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 (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.[7] 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.[8] 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).[9] 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.[10]
Recipients
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (T)
Service
Number of presentations
Posthumous presentations
Heer (incl. Volkssturm)
112
12
Kriegsmarine
14
3
Luftwaffe
47
5
Waffen-SS
9
0
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.[11] Of the 182 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "T", 19 were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, two 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 112 of the medals, including the award given to VolkssturmmannErnst Tiburzy. A further 14 presentations were given to the Kriegsmarine, 47 to the Luftwaffe, and 9 to the Waffen-SS.[5] 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.[12]
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.
Hans Turnwald is not listed by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR). According to Veit Scherzer, on 8 May 1945, Turnwald, as Leutnant of the Reserves and leader of Jagdpanzer-Kompanie 1015, had been nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The nomination of the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Personnel Office) was ready for signature but the process was never completed. In similar instances the AKCR had argued that the presentation was in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. Scherzer claims that the AKCR forgot to list him.[36]
^No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. Günther Tenschert is not listed in either releases of Von Seemen's of "Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945—The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945". The order commission of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) processed Tenschert's case in 1981. It is not known what evidence was presented to support his case. Scherzer was denied access to files, which could help clarify the case, of the AKCR on the grounds of the Bundesarchivgesetz (German Archive Law). The order commission of the AKCR decided: "Knight's Cross yes, 28 April 1945". Tenschert was a member of the AKCR.[18]
^Rudolf Tessenow' first nomination by the corps was either not forwarded for further approvals or lost due to the military situation. A second nomination had been made after the evacuation of East Prussia, after the capitulation. This nomination was not processed. The presentation date was assigned by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel.[22]
^According to Scherzer as commander of the I./SS-Panzer-Regiment 10.[21]
^Karl Thieme's nomination from his unit was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Personnel Office) on 10 April 1945 via teleprinter. MajorJoachim Domaschk noted "By no means sufficient! Requesting statement from OB West", which was requested on 13 April. OB West responded on 24 April (entry date at the Heerespersonalamt on 28 April): "Statement from OB West not possible, since nomination was not made via OB West". Major Domaschk then decided on 28 April: "Heeresgruppe B, postpone!" In this instance the nomination was not processed due to AHA 44 Ziff. 572 but also because statements from his commanding officers could not be obtained anymore due to the capitulation. The nomination list for the higher grades of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross also contains a note from 10 April 1945: postponed. A bestowal thus did not occur. The Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) claims that the award was presented in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The sequential number "156" was assigned by the AKCR. Fellgiebel assigned the presentation date.[22]
^According to Scherzer as Richtschütze (gunner) in the 14./Grenadier-Regiment 446.[25]
^Hans Thiessen's nomination by the troop was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) on 19 April 1945 and listed in the book "Verliehene Ritterkreuze" (Awarded Knight Crosses) under the sequential number 5147. MajorJoachim Domaschk approved the nomination on 21 April 1945, noting "Knight's Cross posthumously, yes". A file card can be found in the record for rejected or unfinished nominations. The file card indicates no further information about further processing or whether the Knight's Cross was awarded. According to the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) the award was present in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The presentation date was assigned by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel.[22]
^According to Scherzer as leader of the III./Jäger-Regiment 738.[25]
^According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Schützen-Regiment 5.[25]
^According to Scherzer as gun leader in the 14./Grenadier-Regiment 7.[25]
^According to Scherzer in Sprengkommando der Luftwaffe 2./VI.[28]
^According to Scherzer as Schwadron leader in Aufklärungs-Abteilung 9.[28]
^Karl Freiherr von Thüngen, in connection with the 20 July plot, failed attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler, was deprived of all honors, ranks and orders and dishonourably discharged from the Heer on 14 August 1944. The civilian von Thüngen was sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof on 5 October 1944 and executed on 24 October 1944.[22]
^According to Scherzer as commander of Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Regiment (12).[34]
^No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. The presentation, according to Walther-Peer Fellgiebel, was made by FeldmarschallFerdinand Schörner based on the empowerment of 3 May 1945. According to Franz Thomas and Günter Wegmann, authors of the book series "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945—The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945", the presentation was authorized via radio message from the Heeresgruppe Mitte via the combat commander of the 20. Panzer-Division, and communicated by the chief of the Stabsbatterie, Leutnant Cornehl, near the Teplá Abbey near Mariánské Lázně. The presentation was noted in Heinz Timpe's paybook. Presumably Timpe had been nominated three times for Knight’s Cross, first time in September 1944, in January 1945 and April 1945. The Federal Archive holds neither record of nomination, rejection nor a file card of any proceedings. The order commission of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) never processed his case either.[36]
^According to Scherzer as company troop leader in the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 757.[38]
^According to Scherzer as group leader in the 3./SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3.[38]
^"Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 849; 3 June 1940"(PDF). ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (in German). Reichsministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior). Retrieved 21 February 2008.
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.